U of A Collaborating to Restore and Enhance Oak Savanna Hillside

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Situated along Razorback Road, the grove is one of the few remaining upland prairies and savannas of the western Ozark Mountains.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A prescribed burn is planned to take place on Thursday, Feb. 25 at the University of Arkansas’ Cato Springs property in south Fayetteville. This burn was slated to take place earlier this month, but the extreme cold temperatures forced it to be put on hold until this week.

The goal of the burn is to restore and enhance the native plant community on the 10-acre oak woodland savanna hillside. Situated along Razorback Road and part of the trail connection to the Razorback Greenway, the grove is one of the few remaining upland prairies and savannas of the western Ozark Mountains.

The project is a partnership between the U of A and NWA Trailblazers with the support of Ozark Ecological Restoration Inc., City of Fayetteville, U of A Herbarium and The Nature Conservancy.

Prior to the completion of the burn, crews will assure that all sparks and embers have been fully extinguished. If the conditions are not favorable, the burn will be rescheduled within the next two weeks.

About the Office for Sustainability: The mission of the University of Arkansas Office for Sustainability is to motivate, facilitate, and coordinate responsible practices through partnerships with students, faculty, and staff across all campus departments. The OFS uses the campus as a living laboratory by overseeing the implementation of the University of Arkansas environmental goals. These programs are part of the UA Resiliency Center, hosted by the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, and are supported by UA Facilities Management.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the top 3% of U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.