Create The River Institute of Northwest Arkansas

Watershed Conservation Resource Center (WCRC) 501(c) (3), is on a mission to create The River Institute of Northwest Arkansas.  An innovative space blending science, design, and the humanities. The space will focus on environmental protection, understanding, and restoration of rivers, riparian areas, wetlands, prairies, and floodplains, and their importance in protecting our water quality, ecosystems, and quality of life.

Phase I will establish The River Institute's space adjacent to the wetlands, near the West Fork White River (WFWR), and will consist of the following elements:

• A community space located along the WFWR in Fayetteville, AR, with indoor and outdoor classrooms to support public and professional short courses on:
  1. Design and implementation of stream, floodplains, wetlands, prairie, and riparian restoration 
  2. Native plant establishment at restoration sites
  3. Native plant identification and use for residents & businesses
  4. Invasive plant removal techniques and native replacements
  5. Residential stormwater solutions
• A butterfly and native plant greenhouse to propagate native plants for stream and wetland restoration projects
• An innovative space to house the WCRC to support river assessment and restoration
• Support for needed ongoing monitoring and maintenance of existing restoration sites 

We will give updates on the construction of this awesome watershed resource area.

Phase II of The River Institute involves creating the riverine commons, a public access to over 90-acre property on the WFWR. The public will enjoy walking/hiking trails with exhibits memorializing Native American, African American and Euro American riparian life-ways and historic cultural landscapes formative to Fayetteville and its early agriculture; birding, and native plant identification. A paddling access to the wetlands and WFWR with public access to the river for canoe/kayak floating, and a transit node in a developing intercity water trail.

The news release by the University of Arkansas for the NEA award to the UACDC can be found at: https://news.uark.edu/articles/55944/community-design-center-wetlands-project-awarded-national-endowment-for-the-arts-grant

Thank you for helping us make a difference and believing in our dream for Northwest Arkansas.