Flatside Wilderness Area was established as part of a broader push during the 1980s to protect America’s last remaining wild landscapes. If passed, new legislation would permanently protect an additional 2,200 acres.
Washington, D.C. – If you’ve ever wandered the quiet trails of the Flatside Wilderness, you know the magic of this place. The way the early morning mist rises off narrow mountain streams, the call of wild turkeys echoing through the pines, and the chance glimpse of a black bear moving through the underbrush. This week, the reintroduction of the Flatside Wilderness Additions Act (H.R. 1612) by Rep. French Hill (R-AR) provides the opportunity to protect such moments. If passed, this bill would permanently conserve 2,200 acres of the Ouachita National Forest and add them to the adjacent Flatside Wilderness Area.
“We commend and sincerely thank Representative French Hill for his continued leadership on conservation projects in Arkansas. We are very excited to continue our support for his Flatside Wilderness Additions Act,” said Kip Kruger, Policy Chair for the Arkansas Chapter of BHA. “The U.S. Forest Service has deemed this area worthy of additional wilderness designation, as it is a pristine backcountry landscape that holds habitat for deer, black bears, wild turkeys, and numerous other game species. Additions to the wilderness area would be a huge win for the public land hunters in Arkansas.”
The proposed addition aligns with the U.S. Forest Service’s recommendation made in 2021 as part of a thorough study and evaluation and builds on past expansions– including Rep. Hill’s 2019 Flatside Wilderness Enhancement Act, which added 640 acres to the wilderness area, bringing the total number of protected acres to more than 9,500 acres.
As the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to conserving our nation’s wild public lands, waters, and wildlife, BHA will continue to advocate for expansion of the Flatside Wilderness Area and invites others to join in supporting the Flatside Wilderness Additions Act on BHA’s Action Center.
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers seeks to ensure North America’s outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing in a natural setting, through education and work on behalf of wild public lands, waters, and wildlife. To learn more about issues important to BHA’s membership, visit www.backcountryhunters.org/our_issues.
Read the full article here
