Wildflowers paint the landscape of Terre Noire Natural Area
Outdoor writer and photographer Corbet Deary is featured regularly in The Sentinel-record. Today, Deary takes readers on a journey to Terre Noire Natural Area.
I suppose most outdoor enthusiasts calling Arkansas home are aware that we live in the midst of natural beauty and are privy to outdoor opportunities galore. However, I would also suspect that many, including myself, fail to recognize the intricacies lurking around us.
Don’t get me wrong. In no form or fashion am I suggesting that we lack an appreciation for the outdoors. In fact, we embark upon our favorite water activities on our local lakes and rivers by the droves. We strike out on excursions via designated trails. And let’s not forget the Sunday drives that are dedicated to enjoying the scenery within sight of the highway’s edge.
However, we often fail to consider that a portion of the plants and animals we see are extremely dependent upon a very specific environment. Some of these habitats have practically been eradicated over the years, for various reasons, some out of necessity and others out of greed or ignorance.
In turn, some plant and animal species that once thrived throughout Arkansas have grown extinct, while others are endangered and limited to small and specific tracts of land that have managed to endure the test of time.
It only makes sense that these properties are in danger of eventually falling prey to progress, as well. Fortunately, there are agencies that are dedicated to preserving, protecting and providing a vital habitat for these rare natural communities to thrive.
The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission is one such agency. In fact, according to information posted on their website, the agency’s mission is, “to preserve natural diversity, to promote a balance between development and environmental protection in the State of Arkansas for this and succeeding generations.”
As a means of long-term preservation and protection of some of the state’s most ecologically significant lands, the ANHC began incorporating designated parcels of properties into their system of Natural Areas shortly after the fruition of the agency in the early 1970s.
Their efforts, often combined with other agency partnerships, of ensuring biological diversity and providing a suitable habitat for a plethora of plants and animals, some of which are rare, threatened or endangered, continues today. In fact, 79 Natural Areas can be found within the perimeters of Arkansas, at present.
According to the agency’s website, the success of these Natural Areas includes far more than simply stretching a fence around the designated properties and letting nature take its course. In fact, they depend upon methodical science-based management practices, specific to individual natural areas, to “restore ecosystem functions and maintain or enhance habitat conditions required to perpetuate rare species and natural communities.”
One such Natural Area is situated in Clark County, near the college town of Arkadelphia.
Ownership of the Terre Noire Natural Area is shared with The Nature Conservancy and is located in the Coastal Plain. According to the ANHC, it is an example of one of the highest-quality blackland prairies and woodland complexes remaining in the state.
The designated area is a destination I enjoy visiting on an annual basis. This is a spot where one can experience the environment at various stages of restoration.
Of course, various plants can most easily be recognized and identified during the spring, summer and fall. And these seasons are a perfect time to grow acquainted with the array of wildflowers growing within the perimeters of the Natural Area, several of which are considered rare.
Terre Noire is easily located.
From Hot Springs, travel south on Highway 7, toward Arkadelphia, for approximately 26 miles and merge onto Interstate 30 toward Texarkana. Remain on I-30 for 4.6 miles and take Exit 73. Turn right at the intersection, travel a short distance and turn left onto Highway 26/51. Remain on the highway for approximately 4.8 miles and park at the gate on the right just before reaching the Highway 51 intersection.
Another section of the Natural Area can be accessed by turning left at the Highway 51 intersection, It is located on the left, about 0.5 miles down the road.
I often explore the section of the Natural Area alongside Highway 51. But I most prefer parking at the aforementioned
gate and striking out along the dim road meandering along the ridgeline. And that’s the area we’ll mainly focus on today.
Experience has taught me that there are a couple of potential issues that we must address prior to crossing the gate and beginning our trek. First and foremost, I would strongly suggest the use of one’s favorite insect repellent, as this is an optimal environment for ticks and chiggers to thrive.
It might also prove a good idea to don a pair of boots, as we might occasionally find ourselves in areas where the understory is rather heavy. And although I have never happened upon a venomous snake while kicking around within the perimeters of the natural area, this is also an optimal habitat for these reptiles to thrive, as well.
OK, enough about ticks, chiggers and snakes. That’s just part of kicking around in the midst of the outdoors. So let’s strike out and see what we can find during this time of the year.
We recently arrived at the Natural Area on a cloudless day, during midafternoon. I had happened upon various native critters during previous visits. In fact, I can think of watching whitetails bounding and disappearing into the cover of a heavy understory on more than one occasion.
But in light of the fact that the sun was bearing down during the hottest part of the day, I had little hope of seeing any wildlife going about their everyday rituals, unless we accidentally disturbed anything that was bedded down and taking refuge from the conditions.
However, we did notice several wildflower species making a showing within sight of the aforementioned dim road. Many of the plant species we saw are common throughout the Ouachitas and could easily be identified.
I had no issues pointing out the flowers of heal-all, sensitive briars, clover, dewberries, smooth petunias, long-bracted wild indigos and pale purple coneflowers, to name a few. But I also ran across a couple species that I would have to research upon our return home.
We pretty much remained on the dim road, except for a short jaunt down the hill to a small pond. Of course, there was a noticeable change in the environment as we neared the water source.
I was hopeful to find a snake along the water’s edge. But no cigar. We did watch as a couple of frogs bound from the shoreline into the water. And one could rest assured that dragonflies and other insects gravitate to the small reservoir, as well.
Returning to the vehicle, we embarked upon a short drive to the section of Natural Area located alongside Highway 51. And to say the scene was impressive would prove an understatement.
Although we noticed several coneflowers during our first stop, I would say they were somewhat sparse in comparison to what I had seen during previous springs. But this particular species was certainly thriving alongside the highway. In fact, the entire meadow was painted with pale purple blooms swaying in the light wind.
We recalled a previous visit to this spot, when the vibrant yellow flowers of lance-leaved coreopsis painted the landscape. This was a perfect example of why one might consider visiting the Natural Area multiple times throughout the warmer months of the year.
Although pressed for time during our most recent visit we did manage to see an array of wildflowers making their annual showing. And with a little luck, we can return to the Terre Noire Natural Area again in the weeks to come, and experience a totally different list of showy plants painting the landscape.