This project will assess glades and woodlands within northwestern arkansas to improve restoration prioritization within the conservation opportunity area for the benefit of future restoration within…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Region 4, awarded $136,136 to the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission (AGFC) under the State Wildlife Grants (SWG) Program (CFDA 15.634) on October 1, 2025, for a three-year project through September 30, 2028. The project delivers comprehensive habitat assessment and restoration services across 1,028 acres at four sites in northwestern Arkansas to improve Ozark glade and woodland ecosystems. Key deliverables include baseline assessments of glades and woodlands to prioritize restoration activities within the conservation opportunity area, habitat restoration activities utilizing mechanical and chemical methods combined with prescribed fire to reduce woody encroachment and invasive plants, and species viability assessments for the eastern collared lizard (a Species of Greatest Conservation Need) to inform future reintroduction efforts. All project work is executed through a subaward partnership with The Nature Conservancy, awarded on August 28, 2025.

These restoration and assessment activities directly support the SWG Program's primary objective of implementing proactive conservation strategies benefiting Species of Greatest Conservation Need identified in Arkansas's Wildlife Action Plan, with the goal of preventing species decline before federal endangered species protections become necessary.

This project will assess glades and woodlands within northwestern arkansas to improve restoration prioritization within the conservation opportunity area for the benefit of future restoration within this area. Additionally this project will restore and improve the quality of ozark glade and woodland habitat at the regional and local scale by reducing woody encroachment and invasive plants on 1028 acres across four sites in northwestern arkansas using mechanical and chemical methods and prescribed fire thereby increasing viability of the species of greatest conservation need that occur there. Lastly the project will assess sites for one sgcn species the eastern collared lizard to inform future reintroduction and restoration activities. This project and its objectives will be completed through a subaward with the nature conservancy.