Northwest Arkansas Land Trust Exceeds Goals in EPA-Funded Conservation Project, Permanently Protecting 692 Acres in the Beaver Lake Watershed
Northwest Arkansas Land Trust Exceeds Goals in EPA-Funded Conservation Project, Permanently Protecting 692 Acres in the Beaver Lake Watershed
Fayetteville, Ark.- The Northwest Arkansas Land Trust (NWALT) today announced the successful completion of its EPA Section 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program grant, resulting in the permanent protection of 692 acres of high-priority land within the Beaver Lake Watershed, nearly 200 acres above the original project target. Beaver Lake supplies drinking water to more than 1 in 6 Arkansans, making these conservation achievements critical to long-term regional water quality and resilience.
The three-year project, conducted in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Division and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, aimed to safeguard water quality by reducing nonpoint source pollution through land conservation, education, and outreach. The results far exceeded expectations.
MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS
Seven New Conservation Easements Across the Watershed
NWALT finalized and recorded seven perpetual conservation easements, protecting forests, riparian corridors, springs, and pastures that buffer waterways feeding Beaver Lake. The conserved properties- located across Washington and Madison counties include:
- Culver Property (73 acres)
- Rimrock Ranch (315 acres)
- Courteau & Graham Property (80 acres)
- Murdoch Property (40 acres)
- House Property (45 acres)
- Ryan Property (62 acres)
- Costello Property (75 acres)
These easements collectively protect more than 14,000 linear feet of streams, including segments of the White River and Middle Fork White River.
NWALT estimates the conserved lands now provide watershed benefits including:
- 273,000 gallons per year of avoided runoff
- 44 million gallons per year of rainfall intercepted by trees
- 44 million gallons per year of evaporation
- 71 million gallons per year of tree transpiration
“These numbers represent real, measurable benefits to the quality of the water that ultimately becomes Northwest Arkansas’s drinking supply,” said Ben Speight, NWALT’s Director of Land Protection. “And because these easements are permanent, the benefits will continue indefinitely.”
ROBUST OUTREACH PROGRAM REACHED THOUSANDS
Over the course of the grant, NWALT conducted or participated in 25 outreach events, including landowner dinners, watershed clean-ups, university presentations, forest conservation workshops, guided preserve tours, and professional conferences.
NWALT connected directly with hundreds of residents through events such as:
- Landowner workshops in Huntsville and Fayetteville
- Multiple tours of Wilson Springs Preserve
- Presentations at the Arkansas Water Resources Conference
- Clean-up efforts along Town Branch
- Conservation Breakfast for elected officials and developers
Additionally, NWALT executed a four-part targeted mailer campaign, monthly educational social-media content reaching up to 1,000 people per post, and a complete overhaul of its conservation-focused website. A new 10-minute outreach video was also produced to help landowners understand the value of conservation easements and the importance of watershed protection. Four of the seven completed easements originated from landowners who first learned of NWALT through these outreach efforts.
INNOVATION: THE CONSERVATION PRIORITY INDEX (CPI)
A key outcome of the project was the creation and application of a Conservation Priority Index, a GIS-based tool that integrates datasets from The Nature Conservancy, Open Space Institute, and regional partners. This tool helped NWALT identify properties with the highest potential for protecting water quality, directly shaping which easements were completed under this grant. The CPI will continue to guide future conservation and is already being shared with peer organizations and agencies.
LOCAL INVESTMENT STRENGTHENED CONSERVATION IMPACT
Matching funds from Beaver Water District played a critical role in the program’s success by supporting stewardship and legal defense funds required for each easement.
“Many families want to protect their land, but the economic realities can be challenging,” said Marson Nance, NWALT’s Director of Philanthropy. “This grant gave us the capacity to help landowners make choices that benefit both their families and our region’s drinking water for generations.”
A LEGACY OF CLEAN WATER FOR NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
As development accelerates and forest cover declines across the region, the permanently protected 692 acres secured under this grant represent a vital contribution to long-term water quality and ecological health.
“These conservation easements will protect the Beaver Lake Watershed forever,” said Grady Spann, NWALT Executive Director. “As Northwest Arkansas continues to grow, it’s essential that we safeguard the natural systems that keep our drinking water clean. This project is a model for what effective, collaborative watershed protection looks like.”
