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LWCF Success in Arkansas

The Land and Water Conservation Fund has helped protect some of Arkansas’ most treasured places. Arkansas has received approximately $145 million over the past four decades, protecting places such as the Buffalo National River and the Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge.

Ouachita National Forest

As the oldest national forest in the south, this majestic region encompasses 1.76 million acres of rugged terrain and scenic beauty. Recreation opportunities in the Ouachita NF abound and include hiking, mountain biking, paddling, camping, fishing, horseback riding and much more. For anglers the forest holds 4,000 miles of streams and about 1,600 acres of lakes and ponds which contain a number of sport fish including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, catfish and more.  LWCF acquisitions have enhanced the recreational and natural resources of the area  as well as improved the habitat quality of local wildlife.

Economic Benefits

Active outdoor recreation is an important part of the Arkansas economy. Each year, 790,000 sportsmen and 1 million wildlife watchers combine to spend $2.1 billion on wildlife-associated recreation in Arkansas. This is an integral part of the American outdoor recreation economy, which contributes $730 billion annually to the U.S. economy, supports 6.4 million American jobs (1 out of every 20 jobs in the U.S.), and stimulates 8 percent of all consumer spending, according to the Outdoor Industry Association.