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Pack and Paddle Spring 1999 |
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Education Is Foundation's Key Goal
By Harold Hedges
Here is a little background information for those new members who have inquired about what the Ozark Society Foundation is and what it does that makes it different from the Ozark Society, Inc.
In 1974, the Ozark Society, Inc. established the tax exempt, non-profit Ozark Society Foundation to help carry out the educational mission of the Society, especially its publishing ventures.
The foundation then adopted the name "Ozark Society Books" to be the publication ordering operation of the foundation. It is also popularly referred to as "Books For Outdoors People" when we market our wares to bookstores. Booksellers then know exactly the type of subject matter we are offering to the public through our publishing program. It is also designed to make it convenient for Society members to purchase books (discounted 10 percent off retail) and for book stores to place orders.
The tax exempt Ozark Society Foundation is just like a college. It can accept donations of cash, or entire estates. So, as the saying goes, remember the foundation after a profitable business deal or in your wills!
By contrast, the Ozark Society, Inc., is not tax exempt because the organization lobbies for conservation legislation and is active in promoting conservation causes. The foundation doesn't. However, the Ozark Society, Inc. does welcome cash donations to help support its conservation efforts and many people do just that; but it's not a tax deduction.
In 1974, the foundation's first action in publishing was to take over Kenneth L. Smith's book, The Buffalo River Country, which was originally published by the Ozark Society in May of 1967. It was Smith's generosity that kick-started our book publishing program. In a short time, reprints of this popular book were needed and, as of today, we have had a total of nine reprints with 29,000 copies sold.
Since the 1970s, additional books have been published and sold, including Ozark canoeing and hiking guides and our water resistant, Buffalo River Canoeing Guide. Wildflower Photographer Carl Hunter wrote Wildflowers of Arkansas about 12 years ago, soon followed by Trees, Shrubs and Vines of Arkansas. Both of these useful guide books have sold exceptionally well and have been reprinted many times. Hunter's latest book, Autumn Leaves & Winter Berries In Arkansas, is a unique approach to tree identification during the cold weather months.
In 1998, under the editorial direction of former Ozark Society President Dr. Joe Nix of Arkadelphia, the foundation published a selection of the outstanding black and white photographs taken by Ozark Society founder Dr. Neil Compton during the 10-year struggle to save the Buffalo River from being flooded by dams. Many of the photographs in his last book, The Buffalo River in Black & White were used by Dr. Compton in the Sixties to acquaint the news media and the general public with the then little-known beauty of the Buffalo River and why it deserved protection as our nation's first "national river." Compton's book emphasizes the importance of photography as a conservation-education tool. To date, more than 500 copies of this new book have been sold.
The Ozark Society Foundation is governed by a board of directors consisting of Dr. Bob Fisher of Jonesboro, chairman; Harold Hedges of Harrison, treasurer; and members Tom McRae, Tom Foti, and Bob James. Dr. Compton also served as a member until his death on Feb. 10, 1999.
In Dr. Compton's honor, the foundation also has ordered the reprinting of his first outstanding book, The High Ozarks... A Vision of Eden. In addition to being a medical doctor and amateur historian, Compton earned degrees in geology and botany from the University of Arkansas. The High Ozarks is therefore an excellent reference to the geology, flora and history of the Ozark Mountain region he grew up in and defended so well.
A complete list of publications offered by the foundation can be obtained by writing Mrs. Isabelle Roach, Ozark Society Books, P. O. Box 3503, Little Rock, AR 72203. You can also check out the Ozark Society's web page on the internet, www.ozarksociety.net.
So, if you've just inherited a few bothersome oil wells down in Texas that are taking up all your hiking time --- give me a call.
Spring Meet: New Ozark Forest Head to Speak
Charles Richmond, the new Forest Supervisor of the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest, will be our keynote speaker at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 1, the first business day of the April 30-May 2, Spring Ozark Society meeting at the Ozark Folk Center State Park, Mountain View, Arkansas.
The Buffalo River Chapter of the Ozark Society, headquartered in Searcy County, is hosting the Spring meeting. We will gather in the park's spacious conference facilities in beautiful Stone County, Arkansas.
Chapter Chairman Laura Timby and her husband and co-chair, David, working with Meetings Chairman Joe Meyer and President Stewart Noland, have lined up an outstanding program. It is the revitalized Buffalo River Chapter's first time to host an Ozark Society annual meeting --- and it looks like a great one!
The meeting will officially begin Saturday morning at 9 a.m. with registration in the conference center, which is across the street from the Iron Skillet Restaurant. Coffee and treats will be on hand, thanks to Group Sales Manager Terry Wilkinson who has worked with us on arrangements!
As usual, the general membership meeting will begin at 10 a.m. Also, Laura and David Timby have been asked to relate their experiences in organizing a new chapter in the heart of Buffalo River country. The board of directors meeting will follow the general membership meeting at or around noon.
We will reconvene after lunch to hear Forest Supervisor Richmond's presentation. He succeeds our old friend Lynn Neff, former Ozark-St. Francis forest supervisor, who has retired after a lengthy and distinguished career with the Forest Service.
Then, at 2:30 Saturday afternoon, we get another treat when David Hayes, archeologist for the Buffalo National River, will present a hands-on program showing us how the Native Americans of the Buffalo River watershed lived long before the first fur trappers and long hunters arrived. Hayes will demonstrate how Native Americans made and used their primitive bows and flint-tipped arrows to hunt game animals large and small.
Hayes is also an authority on the "throwing stick," and will demonstrate how it was used to harvest big game animals for food and furs. Those who have seen his presentation say it is outstanding --- another educational benefit of the Buffalo National River!
Friday is set aside for arrival and camp setup for campers. Therefore, there are no Society activities scheduled for Friday evening. However, there will be performances at the Ozark Folk Center Theater --- the legacy of another Ozark Society member and staunch Buffalo River supporter --- the late Jimmy Driftwood of nearby Timbo. We encourage members to attend and enjoy the finest American folk musicians, singers and dancers in the country! There will also be music and country comedy at the popular White River Hoedown on Highway 5 next to Joshua's Restaurant, and at Jimmy Driftwood's Music Barn.
For shoppers, Mountain View is home base for the internationally famous Stone County Iron Works that hand forges beautiful iron furniture, fireplace tools and other masterpieces of blacksmithing artistry. Their store, and other craft stores and antique shops, are to be found around the Mountain View square.
Accommodations: As we noted in the winter Pack & Paddle, non-campers are encouraged to stay at Dry Creek Lodge on the Folk Center grounds and 20 of the 60 available rooms were reserved exclusively for Ozark Society members Ñ until March 30. The rooms are $50 plus tax per night for 1-2 person(s), based on an arrival date of April 30, 1999 and a departure date of May 2. The rooms feature two double beds, telephone, cable, color TV, and large windows and glass doors that offer views of the rolling Ozark hills. You can watch native wildlife just outside the picture windows of the Iron Skillet Restaurant!
You can guarantee a room with a credit card by calling toll free 1-800-264-3655. Please identify yourself as a member of the Ozark Society so that they can draw from the appropriate block of rooms.
Mountain View is a very popular tourist destination in the spring, so if you haven't already arranged for lodging or camping, you should do so ASAP, especially if you want the convenience of nearby Dry Creek Lodge.
RV and Tent Campers: Unlike most Arkansas State Parks, there is no group campsite we could reserve in advance on the Folk Center grounds, so campers must make their own individual camping arrangements.
The Ozark RV Park (a Good Sam, senior discount park) is conveniently located on Park Road just south of the Folk Center grounds behind a board fence. The Folk Center craftgrounds and living history exhibits are accessible through a gate. Your name tag will gain you access. This will be our primary camping spot for tent campers and RVers. Manager Mary Morrow said the park offers full hook-ups and primitive camping in sites 4-9 of the open field. Again, call soon (870) 269-2542 for campsite reservations and information.
We cannot bring food into the conference center, so we have reserved the Ozark RV Park's covered and lighted pavilion in the primitive camping area for the traditional Saturday evening 6 p.m. potluck. Be sure and bring your folding chairs and personal eating utensils. We plan to finish the potluck in time for people to attend the 7:30 performance at the Folk Center Theater.
To reach the Ozark RV Park, travel north off Main Street on combined highways 5, 9, and 14 to Webb Street, then turn left (west) to Park Street, then north on Park Street. The Ozark RV Park is past the Mountain View city park. Should the Ozark RV park be full, try the adjacent White Water Park (1-870-269-8047, or Green Acres Park (1-870-269-4404), also on Park Street. April in Arkansas can be chilly, so bring suitable warm clothing.
Outings Schedule
April 17-18 --- Pulaski Chapter: Backpacking trip to Upper Buffalo Wilderness. (Bill Steward, 501-835-3390 or Steward810@aol.com.
April 18 --- Bayou Chapter: Safety boats for Tin Man Triathlon on Cross Lake; 12 boats needed. Kathleen Scully, 318-861-1726.
April 24 --- Pulaski Chapter: Day Hike into Middle Fork of Illinois Bayou country. Jane Parsons, H-501-227-5747 or W-501-350-6989.
April 25 --- Pulaski Chapter: Float trip, Illinois Bayou. Jane Parsons ( see above).
April 30 --- Bayou Chapter: Moonlight full moon dinner trip on Dorcheat Bayou. Details from Mark Norris, 318-949-9522.
May l --- Bayou Chapter: Flatwater float, Maurice Loridans 318-424-7384.
May 8-9 --- Pulaski Chapter: Backpack to Blue Hole area of Ozarks. Bill Steward, Steward810@aol.com.
May 15--- Sugar Creek Chapter: Boxley Valley day hike with botanist/aviarist. Joe Meyer
501-925-2290.
June 12 --- Sugar Creek Chapter: Island Canoe day trip. Joe Meyer, 501-925-2290.
June 15-19 --- Society ÒNeil Compton Buffalo River Float from from Tyler Bend to Buffalo City. Bill Steward, Steward810@aol.com. (See Spring P&P for details).
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CURRENTS
By Stewart Noland
In the spring of 1962, when U. S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas made his famous float trip down the Buffalo River, I was in the fourth grade at Washington Elementary School in Fayetteville. I was playing baseball for the Elks Club team and waiting for summer to arrive. It would be over a year until I would have my first meaningful Buffalo River experience as a tenderfoot Boy Scout at Camp Orr in Newton County.
I was unaware of the battle that was brewing to save the Buffalo River as a free-flowing, national river. Over the next 10 years, however, I was to become, along with many others in mid-America, acutely aware of the struggle that culminated in 1972 with federal legislation that established the Buffalo River as our country's first "national river," a new and unique category within the National Park System.
I marvel at the personal energy that was expended and exhausted in the Buffalo River debate, the unique events that occurred, and the diversity of the persons involved. For many reasons, I doubt that the effort to create the Buffalo National River could be duplicated today. It was a once in a lifetime event.
Every great cause has a champion. And all great champions have a vision. Neil Compton was a champion. His passion for the Buffalo River Country was obvious, persistent, and remarkable. Neil's talents for writing, photography, hiking, canoeing and forging friendships will forever be linked to the Buffalo River and those that came to enjoy its magic.
Northwest Arkansas is known for producing individuals with vision. None have had a greater vision that the vision Neil Compton had for the Buffalo River. Stated simply, the Buffalo River is flowing free today because of Neil Compton. He was the glue that cemented all the diverse elements together into a whole.
Neil leaves us with a legacy that none of us can duplicate; but that we should all cherish and protect. Neil's trip down the Buffalo River and the river of life is complete. I thank God that we had the opportunity to paddle part of the way with him.
There is no way we can physically replace Neil Compton's presence. His spirit, however, will endure in the Ozark Society for many, many years. It is up to us, Neil, to follow in your soft foot steps.
Good-bye, Neil, we love you.
Buffalo River Float June 15 - 19
There are a few spots open for the Ozark Society's 1999 Buffalo National River commissary float trip --- but you'd better get your name in the hat soon if you want to participate, according to trip leader Bill Steward.
Floaters are scheduled to depart from Tyler Bend at noon on Tuesday, June 15, and will paddle 60 miles downriver to arrive at Buffalo City on Saturday, June 19.
"We will paddle about 8 miles Tuesday and Saturday, and about 12 to 15 miles the other days," Steward said. "There will be a johnboat to carry community gear for each 16-20 person cooking unit; however, you should leave room in your canoe for one community ice chest. Each person will be responsible for their own canoe and camping gear and everyone will be expected to help with the cooking, camp chores, and operation of the johnboat. If you need a canoe, they will be available from our outfitter."
The plan is to limit the group to 60 people (no pets, PLEASE!). The trip fee for current members will be $125 for adults and $100 for children under 18. To participate, floaters have to be members of the Ozark Society. What level of membership they choose is up to them. A regular or family annual membership in the Ozark Society is $10; contributing, $15, sustaining, $25, and life (a one-time payment) $100. The trip fee includes a variety of really good food, the shuttle from Tyler Bend to Buffalo City, johnboat expense, ice, T-shirt, bandanna and as much fun as you can stand.
Steward explained that Ozark Society members who want to accompany the organized group for all or part of the trip are welcome to paddle along and share campsites, but they can't feed you! You must take care of all your floating/camping needs and shuttle expenses independently.
Members can secure a spot on the 1999 trip now by sending Steward a check for $50. The balance is due by May 1. Checks should be made out to the Ozark Society. One thing is guaranteed --- it will be a float trip you won't forget!
Colorado Outing: July 25 - 31
By Stewart Noland
Plans for the multi-activity July 25-31, 1999 Ozark Society outing in Colorado have been finalized. The objective is to provide numerous opportunities for varied outdoor recreational activities in the Collegiate Peaks area of the San Isabel National Forest near Salida and Buena Vista, Colorado.
Here's what you need to know:
Participants should plan to arrive at the Mt. Princeton Campground by late afternoon on July 25. Mt. Princeton Campground is located about 7 miles west of Nathrop, Colorado on County Road 162. The first group meal will be dinner on July 25 at the Mt. Princeton Campground. All meals between dinner on July 25 and breakfast on July 31 will be provided as part of the trip. Trip participants that are planning to camp will stay at the Mt. Princeton Campground, where arrangements have been made to reserve campsites.
If you prefer to stay in a motel, please make reservations at the nearby Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Lodge, 15870 County Road 162, Nathrop, Colorado 81236. The telephone number is (719)395-2361.
Meals at the Mt. Princeton Campground community kitchen will be prepared for all trip participants, regardless of whether you are camping or staying in the lodge. Multiple activities will be planned each day from July 26-30.
Activities will include rafting, canoeing and kayaking on the nearby Arkansas River, plus mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing, hiking and day trips to nearby points of fun that could include Aspen, Colorado Springs, Royal Gorge and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. The cost per trip participant for persons who plan to camp is $105, which includes the campground cost and food. The cost per trip participant for those that plan to make alternate lodging arrangements is $80 and includes food only. You must be an OS member to participate. Ozark Society annual dues of at least $15 must be included in your trip fee if you are not already a member. (A reminder, a Society sustaining membership is $25 and a life membership (one-time fee) is only $100! Do the math: if you are serious about the outdoors, life membership is a real bargain!)
The activities will range from easy to strenuous, so you should be prepared from a physical condition and equipment standpoint. The Arkansas River water is cold, even in July, and all river trip participants can expect to get wet! Appropriate equipment is important. Also, Mt. Princeton Campground is located at an elevation of 8,900 feet, so warm clothing is a must. In addition, most of the hikes will take place at even higher elevations. Expect temperatures to vary from the 30's to the 90's. Late afternoon showers occur frequently and often with little warning. I mention these weather and water related factors not to discourage participation, but only to encourage you to be prepared for anything!
Each person is responsible for his/her own boating (except rafts), hiking and camping gear. And everyone must help with the cooking and camp chores.
Maps of the San Isabel and nearby Pike national forests are available for $4 each from the Salida District Office, San Isabel National Forest, 325 West Rainbow, Salida, CO 81201, telephone: (719) 539-3591. Additional information on the area is available from the Greater Buena Vista Area Chamber of Commerce, (719)395-6612.
More specific plans concerning the day trips will be made later. You can confirm a spot by sending a check by June 1 for your trip fee (and OS dues, if applicable) made out to the Ozark Society. Mail to: Stewart Noland, 5210 Sherwood Rd. Little Rock, AR 72207. Questions concerning the trip can be directed to Stewart at (501) 666-2989, or at bosshq@aol.com.
We had a great time on the l998 trip. I hope you can join us in l999!
Lake Wedington Lives Again!
The Lake Wedington Recreation Area in the Ozark National Forest near Fayetteville has now been rescued from ruin and is on the national register of historic places.
All of the cabins and the old house have been restored. The original stone work, wooden beams, and furnishings remain in place. The six cabins will accommodate from three to six people. Each has an individual design. There are outside grills, fireplaces, and kitchens. Most are easily accessible.
For campers or travelers coming to Northwest Arkansas, it is a convenient location just 13 miles from Fayetteville. Wildflowers abound on the lake trail, and Twin Peaks is a 7 1/4-mile hike. The recreation area consists of 15 to 20 acres, with a 102-acre spring-fed lake, lodge, picnic area and campground.
During the 1970s, the cabins were closed and not maintained. In 1988 work began to renovate the cabins and the old house. Volunteers and interested people from the community formed the "Friends of Lake Wedington," and worked with the USFS to repair and update all of the buildings and facilities. The Ozark Society contributed both money and labor to this effort. A dedication ceremony was held on April 24, 1998, to celebrate 10 years of work and the 60th year since construction of Lake Wedington began. In addition to the cabins, restoration of the Chinquapin group camp pavilion was completed. This area is just down the dirt road past the
well house. An accessible nature trail and fishing pier were built just across from the lodge. In the office building, the museum has an exhibit from the Shiloh Museum, dating back to the beginning of construction. Today, volunteers are in charge of ongoing maintenance and many other items. The boat house and dock has not yet been renovated and made accessible. The 2,000-foot deep foot well is not adequate for any additional facilities. A new water system is needed throughout the park, with meters. The summer cabins could then be improved.
The work is a remarkable accomplishment by all of those interested in Lake Wedington's preservation. The cabins opened in March. For reservations call (501) 442-5121.
(Editor's note: The information and photo for this article was provided by Jean Evans of Fayetteville.)
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Dr. Neil Ernest Compton (1912 - 1999)
Thanks For The Memories
"A patient of mine told me there's a deep hollow along the Buffalo over in Newton County that's got a cave, waterfalls and other wonderful things in it. We need to get some folks together and go down there and take a look."
--- Neil Compton, 1962.
They had shed their tears earlier, in private ceremonies, at home, and in those special places deep in the Ozark Mountain wilderness and along the rivers that he had helped preserve for them and their children. Dr. Neil Compton of Bentonville, their friend, mentor, leader and founder of the Ozark Society, was dead at the age of 86. They say his heart failed him on Feb. 10, 1999, but that couldn't be, because he had heart enough to demolish foolish dams and replace them with living monuments to nature's majesty. Neil Compton never lacked heart.
It was now time to dry their tears and celebrate --- with his devoted family --- the life and times of a truly remarkable man. So they filed into the auditorium of the Old High Middle School at Bentonville on March 6, where Compton had been a member of its first graduating class in 1931, to pay their respects and share in the memories. When Compton walked across that stage in 1931 he was a lean-muscled Ozark Mountain boy with washboard abs and a love for nature and outdoor adventure that he never lost.
After receiving degrees in zoology and geology from the University of Arkansas in 1935, Compton entered the University of Arkansas Medical School, graduating in 1939. He served as a County Health Officer in both Bradley and Washington counties until World War II ushered him into the U. S. Navy Medical Corps, where he served as a Navy surgeon in the South Pacific campaigns, including running a "sick bay" on Guadalcanal. After surviving the war, Compton returned to Bentonville and his beloved Ozarks. Specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, he began a medical practice that his old friend Clayton Little once described as" ... delivering enough babies in Northwest Arkansas to staff his own Navy."
Compton married his childhood sweetheart, Laurene Putman, and they reared three children, daughters Ellen Compton Shipley and Edra Compton Diaz, and a son, Bill David Compton.
In 1962, plans by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers to build two dams on his beloved Buffalo River, which he had first floated in 1932, interjected Compton into another type of war. This time it was the battle to sway public opinion in favor of saving the Buffalo River as something truly unique and appealing. It would become our nation's first "national river" --- rather than being transformed into a narrow, wildly-fluctuating, small reservoir in an Ozark Region already awash in much larger reservoirs --- such as Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Norfork and Greers Ferry.
Pushed reluctantly into a leadership role by a group of hiking friends in a former Nature Conservancy chapter, Compton was elected president of the fledgling "Ozark Society to Save The Buffalo River" (later mercifully shortened to simply "Ozark Society") in a meeting at Waterman Hall on the University of Arkansas campus the evening of May 24, 1962. He served as president until 1972, when Dr. Joe Nix of Arkadelphia shouldered the load and helped save the Saline River and its tributaries from a similar dam-building fate. Most of us know the Buffalo River story. Those new members who do not, and are curious to learn what the fuss was all about should purchase a copy of Neil's book, The Battle for the Buffalo River ... A Twentieth-century conservation crisis in the Ozarks, published by the University of Arkansas Press in 1992. It is a classic case study of how tough it really is to win a major conservation battle. Conservation is not an endeavor for the faint-hearted.
So, veterans of the old Buffalo River and national forest wilderness campaigns, and new members up to their eyeballs in today's conservation struggles, filed into the Old High Middle School on March 6 to express their love and respect for their champion.
In the lobby, there were hugs and handshakes, coffee and cookies, and lots of old tales to retell among friends old and new. It was a time for stories and laughter --- not tears --- in celebration of a great life lived to its fullest with joy and passion for what really matters in this world.
More than 400 people attended from every corner of Arkansas, the
hills of Missouri, the old Indian Nation of Oklahoma, the bayou country of Louisiana and even the halls of local, state and national government, which illustrates just how much this man was respected and revered. Willie Priff of Plue, Arkansas --- he of the crumpled straw hat and work-worn overalls--- who sometimes used the alias of Neil Compton --- would have loved every minute of it.
On stage, Neil's daughters Ellen Shipley and Edra Diaz, and grandson David Curtis Shipley, related what it was like to grow up with "Willie Priff" around the house. As busy and serious as his medical practice was, Neil always found time for his family. He loved clowning around with the kids and grandkids, telling folk tales, playing the mouth bow like Jimmy Driftwood taught him, and singing spooky Ozark folk songs, such as "The Devil's Curst Wife." Fortunately, Laurene and the children enjoyed the outdoors as much as he did and were regulars on Ozark Society outings, family hikes and canoe trips.
Sharing his memories of a youthful Neil at the memorial service was Judge William Enfield, who fondly related stories of bridge parties in Bentonville with Neil and Laurene, Sam and Helen Walton and other friends, and of their early canoeing trips on the Buffalo River.
Harold Hedges, who led U. S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas on his famous float trip with the Ozark Wilderness Waterways Club of Kansas City in May 1962, recalled inviting Neil to go along. The OWWC experience convinced Neil that Arkansas needed a similar organization. Harold and his wife, Margaret, later moved to Arkansas and became stalwart members of the Ozark Society.
Mary Virginia Ferguson of Boxley, who accompanied the "Jubilee Bus" to Washington for the House hearings on the Buffalo National River in 1971, recapped her experiences with Neil during the Buffalo battle. Kenneth L. Smith, whose 1967 book The Buffalo River Country introduced many people to the river, delivered the message that Neil's vision and passion for conservation must be carried on.
Stewart Noland, also a native of Northwest Arkansas who is now serving his second hitch as Ozark Society President, recapped Neil's commitment to conservation and what he means to the Ozark Society today (see text of Noland's remarks).
The closing benediction was delivered by the Rev. Gordon Garlington, minister of the First Presbyterian Church of Bentonville.
In addition to the memories and anecdotes about Neil expressed at the memorial, several members and supporters submitted their comments and fond recollections of him to Pack & Paddle, as follows:
"Neil Compton is obviously a friend of the National Park Service and the Buffalo National River. He'll be sorely missed by us at Buffalo and conservation in general." _John D. Linahan, superintendent, Buffalo National River.
"Neil called one day and asked me to go to Searles Prairie with him to take photographs. Anna Mae Searles and I were to be photographed on the virgin prairie that is now a state natural area. Mrs. Searles was 86-years old at the time and had mowed seven acres, weeded the garden, and put up several quarts of beans that morning. As Neil and I left, I commented on this woman's seeming endless supply of energy and zest for life. Neil turned to me, and with a dead-serious face, informed me that he had learned from one of his professors in medical school that 'once a woman passed her childbearing years, she was damn near immortal.'" _ Ellen Neaville, Rogers, AR.
"Earlier generations had men like John Muir, Henry Thoreau and Aldo Leopold. We, in the Ozarks had Dr. Neil Compton. Those who canoed, hiked and drove about these Ozark highlands with him knew he was a unique environmentalist capable of giving us scientific names for plants, information on the old settlers who lived in the mountains, or an interesting story to make every outing unique. Every trip was an educational tour in history, biology, geology and a way of life. He could give an impromptu speech on any topic and wrap it up with a poignant quip. We in the Ozark Society will try our best to pass on to others that vast legacy which he shared with us." _ Joe Meyer, chairman, Sugar Creek Chapter.
"Neil Compton set for all of Arkansas such an extraordinary example of a love for nature, history and the uniqueness of Arkansas' natural assets. He loved Arkansas and through his perseverance, he achieved the recognition of the Buffalo River as a National River. He will be missed by all those who enjoy the treasures he has preserved". _U. S. Rep Asa Hutchinson of Benton County.
"I met Neil Compton much later in his life, after his career as a prominent physician in Benton County and after his noble Battle for the Buffalo. One day in 1979, I found a weird rock I thought was a dinosaur rib. Someone said, 'see Neil Compton, M.D.A.E. --- that's Medical Doctor Authority on Everything.' I wound up at Neil's house where he informed me my dinosaur bone was a rock and said, 'Wanna go hiking?' Next thing I knew I was up Whitely Creek climbing out of the Pen. I was so impressed. My lungs were burning as we finished the eighth mile of a three-mile hike. That was my first day with ol' Which Way Did They Go Compton. Truth is, Neil never admitted to being lost. One day I went with a group from the Highlands Chapter and kept telling the leader he was going the wrong way. I believed in Neil Compton,
M.D.A.E. Could my fearless leader be wrong? I suddenly realized why he wears a hat with a full brim. No matter which way he's headed, he always thinks it's right."_Barbara Meyer, immediate past president, Ozark Society.
"Every year hundreds of local Louisianans enjoy floating lazily in a canoe between towering bluffs on the lower Buffalo River in summer, or spinning crazily out of control near Gray Rock on the upper Buffalo in early spring. Most of them never realize that these simple pleasures wouldn't be possible without the efforts of Dr. Neil Compton. The Ozark Society finally won the 10-year Battle for the Buffalo. Today, the river runs free for 153 miles through the Ozark Mountains and attracts nearly one million visitors annually. The Bayou Chapter of the Ozark Society, organized in 1969 by Wellborn Jack, Jr. and the late Mrs. Bryant 'Tip' Davidson, is active in supporting the Society's motto: Conservation-Education-Recreation. Members participate in Shreveport Green's clean-up programs, provide safety boats for local triathlons, maintain a hiking trail in the Ouachita Mountains, and promote outdoor recreation through education programs." _Sandy Roerig, chairman, Bayou Chapter
"Don Webb of Little Rock and I were in our mid-twenties when we signed up to accompany Neil Compton on the first 'official' Ozark Society hike down Indian Creek Canyon in Newton County to the Buffalo River. Don and I were lean as snakes back then and thought we were pretty tough. Neil wore us to a frazzle. Everything went wrong. The cave we were supposed to walk through and rope down from was flooded. One of the kids in the party with us fell in the flooded cave and banged his head on a rock. Neil had to patch him up. When we finally roped our way up and down the bluffs and got back to Lost Valley Lodge, we were all exhausted, but determined to make the Sunday morning hike if it killed us. Early on Sunday morning, Neil drove up outside the lodge in his old Scout; instead of walking out of the lodge door like we expected!'"Where have you been?' I asked. Neil just shrugged, 'Oh, I got a call late last night that one of my patients was due, so I had to drive back to Bentonville and deliver a baby.' He'd had no rest or sleep. I wondered then what kind of Iron Man we were dealing with. I still do." _John Heuston, comm. chairman.
Dr. Neil Compton: His Legacy To The Ozark Society
By Stewart Noland, President
(Ozark Society President Stewart Noland made these remarks for all of us at the Neil Compton Memorial Service held in the auditorium of the Old High Middle School at Bentonville on March 6, 1999.)
It is a privilege to speak today on behalf of the Ozark Society, and I thank Neil's daughter, Ellen Shipley, for that opportunity.
Ellen asked me to share with you what Neil Compton means to the Ozark Society today, and I have chosen to use two examples to illustrate Neil's continuing influence on the organization he helped found 37 years ago this May.
The first example is a letter Neil wrote to several of us after last year's Ozark Society Buffalo River float trip. Join with me in sensing Neil's presence as I read his letter:
THE OZARK SOCIETY ON THE BUFFALO
June 16-20, 1998
"I would like to submit a few comments concerning the above float from Tyler Bend to Buffalo City. This and a similar trip in 1997 have given the Ozark Society a new lease on life so to speak.
"One of our objectives is recreation and it has been much enhanced by the excellence of organization provided by the trip leaders and the performance of the group on the river and in camp.
"I was able to talk to many participants and all were happy to have been along. Their opinion was that there should be something similar each year in the future.
"I agree with that, but there were some problems that should be taken in account. The worst was that of low water in places where the two large cargo-carrying jonboats were scarcely able to pass without much tiresome dragging.
"In case of another low-water experience would it not be possible to use shorter, lighter commissary boats and to use 3 or 4 of them if we had that much gear to carry?
But in future years the opposite may be the case; the river in flood, which it sometimes is in May and June. For that we might adapt perhaps with rafts and able-bodied oarsmen.
"In past years the big dam pushers tried to knock us out with their DRY BUFFALO refrain. Most of them, now in the hereafter, are now laughing at our having to drag the dry river last week.
"Lets give them --- wherever they might be --- nothing whatever to laugh about." _Neil Compton.
As I read this letter, several of Neil's enduring qualities are apparent, qualities that we have come to expect, admire, and love. Neil exhibited his:
Pride - excellence of organization provided by the trip leaders and the performance of the group on the river and in camp.
Persuasion - there should be a similar trip each year in the future.
Preparation - what to do in low water and high water years.
Feistiness - giving the 'Big Dam Pushers' nothing whatever to
laugh about.
Neil's qualities, including those that I have talked about here, have been present not only in the Ozark Society's battle over the Buffalo River, but also in the Ozark Society's efforts concerning the navigability of the Mulberry River in 1978, the Arkansas Wilderness Act in 1984, the Arkansas Wild & Scenic Rivers Act in 1992, and numerous other conservation efforts.
The second example is provided by Neil's presence at our Ozark Society Board meeting held at the end of January at Tyler Bend. It could not have been any better. Neil was among friends and family; he was relaxed; he was in his element in the Buffalo River country; he was engaging; he was participating; he was offering his opinions, and he was happy.
On that Sunday, I shook hands with Neil as he headed off to hike with Ellen, Ken Smith, Dave and Laura Timby, and others, while the rest of us jumped in our boats for a quick float down to Gilbert.
That was the last time that many of us were physically in Neil's presence. But it is not the last time that Neil's greatest gift to the Ozark Society, his spirit, will be among us.
Neil leaves the Ozark Society a legacy that none of us can duplicate. Neil's trip down the Buffalo River and the river of life is complete, and although his physical association with the Ozark Society has come to an end, Neil's spirit will endure in the Ozark Society for many, many years.
It's up to us, Neil, to accept your challenge and follow in your soft footsteps.
Good-bye, Neil. We love you.
Buffalo River Chapter
(Editor's note: The reactivated Buffalo River Chapter of the Ozark Society in Searcy County is our newest chapter, so we asked Chairperson Laura Timby to report what it was like to reorganize a growing, aggressive chapter in the heart of the Buffalo River country of northern Arkansas. And just think, these lucky people get to meet and eat at the Riverside Cafe at Gilbert whenever they want!)
Our involvement with the Ozark Society began as a gradual awareness of the events that helped to preserve the Buffalo River from dams. For years, our family and various friends from the area have been floating and hiking along the river.
As we grew older, and our children became teenagers, I thought a structured hiking association might be the answer to a lot of our current problems with youth.
Informally, at first, a group of us would plan to make a hike, or float the river, and invite others to join us. The kids always had a great time and, for the most part, were fascinated with all that the Buffalo River had to offer, whether fishing, bird watching, snorkeling, or just gathering pretty rocks with fossils.
Several years ago I read Dr. Neil Compton's book, The Battle For The Buffalo River, and it galvanized me to join the Ozark Society. The Society's credo of "conservation-education-recreation" seemed like a wonderful vehicle for developing some of my own dreams and hopes for the river and, especially, Searcy County.
Possibly, with education and a positive approach, we could reach those folks who were so angry with the National Park Service and so against the Buffalo National River and what it had to offer by enlisting the help of the younger generation.
We were members of the Society for about three or four years before we attended our first meeting a year ago last fall at Petit Jean State Park, hosted by the Pulaski Chapter. Everyone was terrific and I was impressed with the environmental issues that were raised by various speakers.
When I inquired about the Buffalo River Chapter, President Stewart Noland told me that it was inactivity; hence the idea was planted that perhaps we could reinstate the chapter and incorporate our previous activities under the guidance of the Ozark Society. Meeting Dr. Compton, Ken Smith and other dedicated individuals inspired us to make some kind of contribution to the river we love so well.
Our first meeting of the Buffalo River Chapter was held in the Riverside Cafe at Gilbert on the Buffalo last June. We've continued to meet monthly more or less since then.
Every meeting has been well attended. One reason is we've invited an interesting array of guest speakers. David Hayes, the archeologist at Buffalo National River, presented a fascinating program on the earliest native American inhabitants of the river areas, complete with a hands-on demonstration of primitive tools and weapons.
Suzanne Rogers, park historian, presented a slide presentation on the old mining town of Rush. Daniel Jackson spoke to us about trail maintenance and the needs of the BNR trails. Farrel Couch of our chapter presented an informative lecture on the regional geology, complete with diagrams and some of the most interesting specimens I've ever seen. In November, our chapter hosted Photographer Tim Ernst at the Ozark Heritage Art Center as he gave his magnificent slide presentation on Buffalo River Wilderness.
We have hosted a number of hikes and float trips, including the infamous full moon float/race that will probably become an annual event. We've hiked to Lost Valley, Hawksbill Crag, Twin Falls of the Devil's Fork, Indian Creek and followed the old river trail between Steel Creek and Kyle's Landing complete with 10 river crossings. All of our outings have been interesting, exciting and well attended.
The latest development for our chapter was the purchase of a computer for us by the Ozark Society. Now, we have e-mail capabilities. We can also produce our own chapter newsletter, and network with other chapters and environmental agencies a lot faster and easier. So far we are sending out about 100 newsletters a month.
Since we reactivated the Buffalo River Chapter, we've had about 30 people join both our chapter and the Society and we are steadily growing.
It's all been a New Year full of fun and promise for the Buffalo River Chapter. We're here to stay.
Our other chapter officers are David Timby, co-chairman and trail maintenance coordinator; David Hayes, volunteer program and archeological chairman; Farrel Couch, outings chairman; Noel Mays, Angela Timby, Erin Hughes, and Justin Stancil, youth outreach program chairs; Gabe Timby, environmental/conservation chair; Dick Naylor, trail maintenance committee; Wendell and Liz Norton, Lunar canoe specialists and Art Committee co-chairs; Rich Hughes, mountain biking chairman; Wendy Hughes, support and assist chairman; Fred Garcia, consultant; and Sandy Garcia, communications advisor.
That's a full crew of leadership talent, but we keep them busy! Come join us in our adventures!
Crooked Creek
Does this (photo of Crooked Creek gravel mining not up on web) look like responsible gravel mining of Crooked Creek to you? No? Well, apparently it doesn't look acceptable to members of the state Pollution Control & Ecology Commission committee formed to study the impacts of gravel mining on Crooked Creek either. Reportedly "shocked" by what they saw on a recent aerial and ground tour of mining sites along the creek, they have called for changes to be made in mining and water quality regulations. This is exactly what conservation groups have been asking them to do for a long, long time. Heretofore, reclamation has been part of the permit process. However, since miners can renew permits indefinitely, they've been able to keep open wounds like this one. Notice the broken-down protective berm near the main channel oozing silt pollution for years. Hopefully, real reform is on the way. In another development as we go to press, Rep. Mike Hathorn has pulled down his stream "barrier bill", HB 2256, after a discussion with Society Conservation Chairman Paul Means, Arkansas Canoe Club representatives, and Sen. Wayne Dowd. Sen. Dowd tried once again to protect the as-yet undamaged portions of Crooked Creek above Yellville as an "Extraordinary Resource Water Body." However, he withdrew his bill when Rep. Hathorn withdrew HB 2256. __ editor
Conservation Corner
By Paul Means
Under the National Forest Management Act of 1976, the U. S. Forest Service is charged with developing a "Land Resources Management Plan" for each of the National Forests.
The current plans being used to manage the national forests in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Louisiana will begin to expire in 2001. The USFS advises that Louisiana is nearing completion of its plan for the Kisatchie in Louisiana, and plans for the others will follow.
The Forest Service announced it would begin developing the new plans in1998; however, timber interests in Congress blocked any funding for planning. The timber interests have reason to be concerned about the new plans.
On Feb. 9 of this year, the Wilderness Society released a report stating that in fiscal 1997, the cost of building logging access roads in National Forests exceeded the revenues from logging by $45 million! There are already 400,000 miles of roads in the nation's national forests.
On Feb. 11, the Clinton administration imposed a freeze on road building in 33 million acres of national forests. Although the moratorium exempted areas in the Northwest and Alaska, it applies to our region. Officials estimate it will stop construction of 360 miles of roads and affect less than 4 percent of the annual timber harvest.
W. Henson Moore, president of the American Forest and Paper Association, called the ban a disaster for those who are committed to the health of our nation's forest and will result in forests filled with dead and dying trees. His statement is so much of an over-reaction that it is comical.
The freeze will remain in effect for 18 months while the USFS develops a much broader road management plan for the forests. This policy will affect how the issue of roads is addressed in the individual management plans for each forest. Other issues to be addressed will be such items as hunting and fishing, wilderness, trails, recreational facilities, watershed protection, grazing, herb and plant harvesting, and of course, logging.
As the Ouachita, Ozark, Mark Twain and Kisatchie forests continue to develop plans, there will be public workshops, hearings and opportunities to send in written suggestions. This is where WE can make a contribution. It is important for Ozark Society members to participate in the process and make their views strongly known. The Forest Service will need our support and assistance to deal with those Chicken Little loggers who predict the end of civilization if we also manage our forests for multiple use watershed protection, wildlife and outdoor recreation.
They are our forests too.
