LOGAN SPRINGS PRESERVE EXPEDITION!

This is the stone that has the metal letters, spelling out Logan Springs Preserve, located at 15300 Osage Hill Road, Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and serves as the marker for this 210 acre, historic natural area.

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 It is a property owned by The Nature Conservancy, (www.nature.org) with the mission of protecting the Logan Spring water source, that leads into Osage Creek.

In a "previous life", a small dam was built at the beginning of the spring, and the water from the spring was used to supply fish ponds, that were located across the gravel road from the spring. 

An opening in the dam makes for a closeup view of this man made waterfall:

The Logan Springs Preserve is adjacent to the Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge, which is the home of some endangered species of cave-dwelling creatures.  The entrances to the caves are fenced off, to prevent damage caused by humans trampling through the underground environments.  Seeing the word "REFUGE" brought to mind one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.org) memory verses that says, "But let all who take refuge in You, be glad; let them ever sing for joy.  Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you." Psalm 5:11

A generous donation enabled The Nature Conservancy to erect a deck adjacent to the spring that can be used by the public, and that is where I gathered with a group of people assembled by the Illinois River Watershed Partnership (www.irwp.org), to learn about water quality in northwest Arkansas. 

There is a plaque on a large rock adjacent to the deck, that expresses gratitude for the generosity of the donors, who made building the deck possible. 

Since we were gathering at 8 am on a crisp October morning, the coffee and breakfast they provided was very welcome!

As we sipped our coffee, in front of the deck and scenic pond,  we had a very informative presentation by an expert on the use of native plants to help stop stream back erosion. 

 The speaker told us how long the roots were, of some of these native plants, and why they were so good at reducing stream bank erosion.  Before I took Master Naturalist training, I always appreciated the way trees leaned over a stream to make for a pleasing photograph. 

But now, I  realize this occurs because one side of the tree's surrounding soil is eroded away quicker than the other side.  Notice how the trees leaning over the pond at the springs are each leaning towards the water, so much so, that they form an "X" over it!  If this erosion takes place too quickly, and over an extended period of time, the result is a fallen tree into the stream, which eventually may cause flooding, and additional degradation of the banks of the flowing water.

From the deck beside the spring, we strolled by the building that used to be the fish hatchery, in the 1950's. 

If you have ever visited an active fish hatchery, you can imagine what these cement tanks would have looked like whenever the hatchery was active:

Our group then crossed the gravel road, to start our trek along the hiking trails that have been developed on top of what used to serve as pond levees to hold the fish that were being raised:

A pipe goes under the road, to supply water to the water features within the preserve, that have been repurposed for recreational purposes.  A water wheel pumps this water throughout the preserve:

There are Interpretive plaques along the walking paths that explain what you are looking at, including one that tells the history of the fish hatchery:

We walked along the levee trails, with experts pointing out various features of the flora and fauna.  In the original baitfish hatchery, there were about 36 different ponds, so that makes for many miles of levee trails!

Birds that like fish in their diet have always been drawn to fish hatcheries, and this area still has a multitude of bird species, making it a fun trek for bird watching enthusiasts, and placards along the trails point out some of the bird sightings.

The Nature Conservancy is a non-profit organization, and generous donations from area corporations have made the preservation of this area possible:

For those who want to rest or have a picnic at a scenic outdoor location, there are picnic tables strategically placed throughout the property:

One of the larger water features at the Preserve is an oxbow lake that has a floating dock, built to withstand the fluctuating water levels possible within the property:

This little lake is the largest water feature at the location, and would be an enjoyable spot to sit with a pair of binoculars to observe how many species of wildlife one could see!

Next our group crossed a bridge that connects the levee areas to a flatter area, adjacent to the entrance:

This path will take you by some greenhouses that an area botany group is leasing from the Nature Conservancy, for the purpose of growing Arkansas native plant species:

Near the green houses, one will encounter a wetlands area, with board walks;

Some of the boardwalks do not have railings, so watch your step!

Youngsters are encouraged to use these areas to try their hand at fishing, since no fishing license is required for those under a certain age.  A placard shows the type of fish they might see:

A picnic table near the Children's Fishing Pond would enable a place for a parent to sit, while observing their little one get acquainted with the outdoors:

A set of interpretive plaques, written in both Spanish and English, give a good overview of the entire area, and they are located adjacent to the parking area:

I would definitely recommend a visit to this newest Nature Conservancy acquisition in Northwest Arkansas.  My visit there gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!  Tricia