June 2021 Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission

June has been a wet month, but that hasn’t stopped the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission from visiting our Natural Areas across the state and conducting research on plants and animals that make Arkansas unique.

Our biggest news is that we have been working with fellow stakeholders to secure the last remaining peak in the Maumelle Pinnacles chain that includes mountains in Pinnacle Mountain State Park, Rattlesnake Ridge Natural Area and now, Blue Mountain Natural Area. We anticipate trails and parking lots open to the public in fall of 2022. As with all of our Natural Areas, this acquisition allows us to monitor and protect Arkansas’s unique biodiversity while also sharing the exquisite beauty of the Natural State with guests who will traverse the trails.

Blue Mountain in the foreground, Rattlesnake Ridge to the right at the end of the power line cut-in area and Pinnacle Mountain in the distance.