Spring 2002

Pack and Paddle
Spring 2002

Bear Creek Lawsuit Update

On Feb. 26 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers filed for an extension of the response period on the Bear Creek Dam lawsuit, one day before the deadline, according to our attorney, Hank Bates. The extension was granted
on Feb. 27. The Corps now has until Friday, April 19, 2002. The request for extension of the deadline cited that a member of council for the defendants would be otherwise occupied, nearing the time of the deadline. In addition, two new plaintiffs have signed on to the lawsuit the Federation of Fly Fishers and the Arkansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.

Buffalo Float is June 11-15

Commodore Bill Steward reminds us that the Ozark Society's annual Buffalo National River commissary float trip from Tyler Bend to White River is scheduled for June 11-15. He still has some room for those who want to
participate. The cost is moderate, the meals are superb, and the grub is grand! For complete information you can e-mail Bill at Steward810@aol.com , or call him at work, 375-0225, or home, 835-3390.

The Ozark Society: A Capsule History
By John Heuston

To those of us who have been associated with the Ozark Society since its inception, it's a little shocking to realize that FORTY YEARS have slipped by like water sluicing through the rapids of the Buffalo River. To say that we "grew up" with the Ozark Society is not an exaggeration. We did, and no budding young outdoors person with his or her first canoe could have had better teachers than our early leaders, or a more magnificent classroom to learn in than the Buffalo River Country. So why and how did the Ozark Society come to exist? Who was responsible for it? Frankly, that is far too long and complex a story to fully cover in any feature article, but I will try to summarize it. The best historical source on the Ozark Society is "The Battle For the Buffalo River A Twentieth Century Conservation Crisis in the Ozarks," written by our founder, Dr. Neil Compton of Bentonville, and published by the University of Arkansas Press in 1992. This book provides a classic example of the time, hard work and heartache it takes to fight a major conservation battle against almost impossible odds and win. Most good libraries have a copy. Mrs. Isabelle Roach of Ozark Society Books reports that there are only 41 copies of the hardcover edition left and they are being reserved for Ozark Society members. The member price, with 10 percent discount, is $45.
All the paperback editions have been sold. You can contact Mrs. Roach by calling 501-847-3738, or by mail at P.O. Box 2914, Little Rock, AR 72201. Three major events formed the catalyst that brought conservationists together to form the Ozark Society: (1) the fight to save "Lost Valley" in Newton County (now a part of the BNR) that was waged by the Nature Conservancy Chapter in Fayetteville, under the leadership of Ken Smith and later Dr. Neil Compton; (2) the nationally publicized float trip on the Upper Buffalo River by U. S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas in May 1962 that was arranged by Harold and Margaret Hedges and other leaders of the Ozark Wilderness Waterways Club (OWWC) of Kansas City; and (3) the first public hearing on Gilbert Dam and Lone Rock Dam that was conducted by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers at Marshall, AR on Jan. 30, 1962. Compton and his associates came away from that Corps hearing determined to form an organization to fight the dam proposals. A preliminary meeting was held on May 23, 1962 at the home of Harry McPherson, a long-time president of the Northwest Arkansas Archeological Society. He held aloft a Caddo cooking pot to collect the annual dues of $1.00, saying "And now we give our dollars to stop the dams on the Buffalo River." Dr. Compton reported that these charter members were Mr. And Mrs. Laird (Evangeline) Archer, David Burleson, Dr. and Mrs. McPherson, Mr. and Mrs., Roy Hayman, Dr. and Mrs. Meade, Dr. and Mrs. Neil Compton, Dr. and Mrs. Whitcomb, Charles Stewart, Sam Dellinger, Doris Larimore, Craig Rosborough, Marion Wasson, C. W. Lester, Barton Groom, Buck Fenno, George Kinter, (first name not given) Paine, Mr. And Mrs. Buran, Alice Letch, Tom Eads, and Mr. and Mrs. Ben Coffee, Jr. The formal organization of the "Ozark Society, Inc. To Save The Buffalo River" later mercifully shortened to just "Ozark Society," was held the next night (May 24, 1962) in Waterman Hall on the University of Arkansas campus at Fayetteville, by invitation of Dr. Doug James. Dr. Neil Compton was elected president; Craig Rosborough of Bentonville was elected vice president; George Kinter of Fayetteville, treasurer; and Evangeline Archer of Fayetteville, secretary. Individual dues were $1; family $1.50; contributing $5, and sustaining, $10. From this humble beginning the Ozark Society, Inc. grew into a respected regional conservation organization with chapters in Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana and Oklahoma and individual members worldwide. The Battle For The Buffalo River ended in 1972 when Congress established the "Buffalo National River," a unique category within the National Park System. Dr. Compton served 10 years before turning over the reigns to Dr. Joe Nix in 1973. Other Ozark Society presidents, in order of succession, are Steve Wilson of Little Rock; Dr. Bill Wiggins of Little Rock; D. R. (Buzz) Darby of Springfield, Mo.; Bob Ritchie of Little Rock; Stewart Noland of Little Rock, and Barbara Meyer of Little Rock. Stewart Noland is the current president. Incidentally, although some of the media refer to The Buffalo National River as a "National Park," it is not a National Park and never has been. National Parks are just one category among about 16 categories of protected lands within the National Park System. The Buffalo is a "national river," the first in our nation, and all Arkansans should take great pride in that fact.

Conservation Observations
By Paul Means, Conservation Chairman

Improving water quality is no longer as simple as stopping large industrial facilities from dumping chemicals and waste directly into a river. A case in point is the Illinois River, which flows from northwest Arkansas into neighboring Oklahoma. Rivers are especially precious in semi-arid Oklahoma, which has designated the Illinois River as a state scenic river. Over the years the Ozark Society has taken many a float down the Illinois. Ken Smith wrote a book about the popular Illinois River for Ozark Society Books. A combination of explosive population growth in northwest Arkansas, along with more intensive livestock rearing operations has led to degradation of water quality in the Illinois River. The major problem in the Illinois is increased levels of phosphorus, which causes algae to flourish. Too much algae takes up all the oxygen in the water, resulting in fish kills and the end of all the little critters living in the streambed that make good fishing possible. The increased phosphorus levels are not the result of indiscriminate disrespect for the environment. The cities of Fayetteville and Springdale have well designed, well operated sewage treatment plants. For the most part, farmers do a good job of utilizing chicken litter as fertilizer on pastureland, which is used to raise cattle. The sheer number of people living in the watershed is a major part of the problem. Arkansas and Oklahoma have been going back and forth for twenty years over how to improve water quality in the Illinois River, including lawsuits. On March 12, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board established an in-stream numerical limit for phosphorus of 0.037 parts per million. A period of 10 years was established to reach compliance. Currently, the levels in the Illinois River are 0.13 ppm at Talequah, OK and 0.2 ppm at the Arkansas state line. In plain terms, the level at the Arkansas line is 540 percent
higher than the new limit! Under the federal Clean Water Act, not only must Oklahoma take steps to reduce phosphorus pollution within its borders, as an upstream contributor Arkansas must also take steps to reduce phosphorus. Although northwest Arkansas cities and farmers are working to reduce phosphorus, they are faced with doing a whole lot more! It is somewhat analogous to air pollution in Los Angeles, California, which sits in a basin surrounded by mountains. A lot of critics point to all the automobiles and trucks as the major cause of air quality standard violations. However, a respected scientific study showed that even if you took every car, motorcycle, and truck out of Los Angeles, you could still not meet air quality standards. There are just so many people living in the basin that their everyday activities produce more pollution than the air can absorb!
Over the next 10 years we can learn whether technology can solve the phosphorus problem in the Illinois River, or if the real problem is that there are just too many people.

CURRENTS
By Stewart Noland, President
The Ozark Society

It only seems like yesterday that we were celebrating the Ozark Society's 25th anniversary at Buffalo Point in April 1987. Luckily, we have the opportunity to return to Buffalo Point on the Buffalo National River this April 19-21 to celebrate our Society's 40th anniversary.
The Pulaski Chapter, under Chairman Mike Farar's leadership, is hosting the meeting and I look forward to visiting with you as we take some time to review our organization's exciting history. Reviewing history is important in most undertakings because it helps us better prepare for the future. Personally, I am also looking forward to the performance of the musical group Harmony on Saturday night after the potluck, and to enjoying a trip down the Buffalo River on Sunday a float that would not be possible had the Ozark Society not come into existence in 1962. I hope that as many of you as possible can join us at this meeting to share in yesterday's memories
and the fun-filled realities of today's journey's down America's first "national river."
Membership in the Ozark Society was up last year, and it hope that is a trend that continues. Membership brochures, a web site, a high quality quarterly Pack & Paddle magazine, strong chapters, and our varied Ozark Society in-state and out-of-state outings all may have contributed to the increase in our membership. Whatever the reasons let's keep it up! Recently, I was asked to speak about the Ozark Society at a local service club. On the subject of the future of the Ozark Society, I offered the following observations:
… As the competition for our natural resources increases, there will be an increase in the need to balance resource utilization and resource preservation;
… As the demand for recreational opportunities increases, and it will, the value of our wild and scenic rivers, wilderness areas, and unique natural areas will also increase.
… As a result, there will be a continuing need for citizen organizations like the Ozark Society.
We've enjoyed an exciting first 40 years and I hope the next 40 years will prove to be equally as exciting and rewarding as the first four decades. See you on the river!

The Uneasy Chair
By John Heuston

The Ozark Society is a member of The Wilderness Society because they are the most effective national guardians of the truly wild places that we regularly frequent, both in Arkansas and throughout the country. The Wilderness Society recently released an outstanding media information packet entitled "Big Oil's Energy Plan: The Cost to Our Wild Lands and Waters." The media kit is complete with 28 outstanding photos and maps of the national parks, forests, and other special places that are being threatened. In my corporate PR days, I assembled many a media kit, but this is one of the best I've ever seen! What follows is based on the Wilderness Society's news release of March 7, 2002, which is also available online at W.Wilderness.Org
The Bush Administration's "drill first ask questions lWWater" energy policy much of which the Senate will debate this week threatens to permanently damage many of America's wildest lands. The report highlights 18 wild lands that are at-risk from the cozy relationship the Bush Administration has with the oil and gas industry. In addition, the report documents that with very little public debate or scrutiny, the White House has already allowed oil and gas companies to begin operations in some of the most fragile and remarkable places in the country. "The Bush Administration has made clear its intention to open up millions of acres of national forest and other public lands for oil, gas and coal companies to feast on. Even the country's National parks and coastal waters are threatened, said William H. Meadows, president, The Wilderness Society. "These places provide clean drinking water, outstanding places to hike, hunt or fish, and are home to a stunning variety of wildlife. Some places ought to be off limits to drilling because they are simply too special to drill."
The Wilderness Society cites the following examples:
(1) In Florida, the Administration has given permission to an oil company to set off thousands of underground explosions within Big Cypress National Preserve, the National Park Service unit adjacent to the Everglades.
(2) In Utah, National Park officials worry that gas exploration near Arches and Canyonlands National Parks will harm scenic views, destroy fragile soils, and lead to abuse by off-road vehicles.
(3) In California, the Administration proposes to drill coastal waters that have been left alone for years and that the state wants protected.
(4) In Colorado, the Administration has opened up one of the last unprotected roadless forests in the San Juan National Forest.
(5) In New Mexico, the Administration reversed previous proposals by expediting a new plan to open thousands of acres of fragile grasslands to oil and gas development.
(6) In Alaska, the Administration continues to fight to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.

Many Ozark Society members have contacted Sen. Blanche Lincoln to strongly protest drilling in the Arctic refuge, knowing that there is no such thing as "environmentally friendly" oil drilling. It's a nasty business. In fact, the Alaska Dept. of Environmental Conservation reports that oil companies on Alaska's North Slope emit more than a spill a day of oil and other toxic substances, while emissions of some air pollutants are twice as much than occur in a major city, such as Washington, DC. Despite this push for more drilling, The Wilderness Society found that extensive oil and gas exploration is already occurring on our public lands. We don't need to open new areas or weaken environmental protections! In 2001, the Administration issued a record number of energy permits, more than 3,800. In fact, the vast majority of the public lands managed by the BLM in the Rocky Mountain States more than 90 percent are open to leasing and drilling, The oil and gas industry executives (at least those who are not currently employed by the Bush Administration) have taken full advantage of this access, with widespread exploration and development activities. For decades, the industry has been eyeing Montana's Rocky Mountain Front, going so far as to sue the Forest Service to overturn a 1997 decision to protect the area from energy development. There are now approximately 60,000 producing oil and gas wells on the public lands! So, how much "energy" has all this drilling provided for us? Very little, it seems. Drilling on BLM lands accounts for only 11 percent of the nation's natural gas supply and about 5 percent of our oil! How much more energy will we get from yet more public land drilling? The Wilderness Society's analysis of U. S. Geological Survey data indicate that the 15 new BLM monuments contain only a 15-day supply of oil and a 7-day supply of gas to meet our nation's consumption needs! It gets even more ridiculous! The roadless areas in the National Forests located in the Rocky Mountain States contain only 0.4 percent of the total U.S. oil resources (on and off shore), and only .6 percent of total U.S. gas resources. Even the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is expected to furnish only a six months supply of oil! To destroy the last and best of our wild places for these pitiful little supplies of oil and gas is not only profoundly stupid it's criminal! In many of the rural communities located near these outdoor recreation resources outdoor tourism is an economic mainstay that's far more dependable than oil or gas!
All the while, proven alternative energy sources and solutions are ignored because Big Oil clearly wants it that way!
We need to constantly remind our elected representatives that we DON'T want it that way!

Westward Ho to Colorado!
By Stewart Noland

Are you ready for a Rocky Mountain High?
Reservations have been made for our annual Colorado High Adventure outing at the Mt. Princeton Campground near Nathrop, Colorado, July 28-August 3, 2002. The Mt. Princeton Campground is located in the Collegiate Peaks/Arkansas River area of the San Isabel National Forest. The campground is located west of Nathrop on County Road 162. Participants should plan to arrive at the campground by late afternoon on July 28. The first group meal will be dinner that evening, and all meals between this one and breakfast on August 3 will be provided as part of the trip. If you prefer to stay in a motel, please make reservations at nearby Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Lodge, 15870 County Road 162, Nathrop, Colorado, 81236. The lodge phone number is (719) 395-2361. Meals at the campground will be provided for all trip participants, regardless of whether you are camping out or bedding down in the lodge. We will have several activities available, including rafting, hiking, canoeing, fishing, mountain biking, horseback riding, and just plain old sightseeing. Members who made the trip before will tell you, there is a lot to see and do in this area. The cost per trip participant for persons who plan to camp is $115, which includes the campground fee and food. The cost for those who choose alternate lodging arrangements is $90 and includes food only. Participants must be members of the Ozark Society. Therefore, at least $15 for a basic individual and family membership must be included in your trip fee if you are not already a member. However, if you would prefer to join the Ozark Society via a $25 contributing membership, that's wonderful. Also, life membership at $200 is a real bargain these days! You can confirm your spot on the trip by sending a check for your trip fee (including Ozark Society dues, if applicable) to Financial Chairman Bob Ritchie, 1509 Old Forge Dr., Little Rock, AR 72207. If you have any questions concerning the trip, please contact Stewart Noland at (501)-666-2989. My e-mail me address is bosshq@aol.com. Believe me, it's cool in Colorado in July, and you'll get to meet an Arkansas River that's quite different from the one rolling under the highway bridges of Arkansas!

Spring Meeting: Returning To Our Roots

The April 19-21 Ozark Society Spring Meeting at Buffalo Point on the Buffalo National River will focus on both our exciting origins as a regional conservation organization and an overview of the challenges we face today and in the future generously mixed with a lot of good hiking and floating in the Buffalo River Country! We are fortunate that both Buffalo National River Supt. Ivan Miller and Ozark-St. Francis National Forest Supervisor Charles Richmond we be on our program this spring. These two men oversee most of the finest public land recreation acreage left in the Ozark Region! We welcome their participation. Our base of operations will be at our favorite old WPA pavilion on the hillside by the road leading down to the river access points and
campgrounds. It was the site of many of our meetings in the Sixties when the fate of the Buffalo hung in the balance.
We have reserved the familiar group campgrounds adjacent to the pavilion for Friday and Saturday nights. Unfortunately, all of the cabins at Buffalo Point have been reserved by a church group for that weekend, so non-campers are having to make lodging reservations at the motels and resorts outside Buffalo Point along Highway 14 or at nearby Marshall or Yellville. If you have not yet made reservations, the National Park Service office at Harrison (1-970-741-2884 can advise you of what lodging is available locally but you'd best hurry!
The Pulaski Chapter is hosting the meeting and Chairman Mike Farar and a host of volunteers are working hard to make it a success. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday in the pavilion. Martha Velvin and her crew will have some breakfast "goodies" for us to snack on during the registration period. If Ferguson's restaurant is open after their winter break, Martha hopes to gather up some of their famous cinnamon rolls to go with our morning coffee! As veteran members know, schedules are somewhat flexible at an Ozark Society gathering, but the plan is to begin our business session at 10 a. m, and hopefully conclude around 10:30. This spring meeting will celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the founding of the Ozark Society in May of 1962 at Fayetteville. We have a lot of new members these days with only a hazy idea of how the Ozark Society came to be and why. True, the Society was formed to fight the "Battle For the Buffalo River," but there is a lot more to it than that. Therefore, we have invited
a panel of various veteran members to talk about their experiences and answer questions from members.
Ellen Compton, daughter of founding president Dr. Neil Compton, has arranged for her father's famous photographic exhibition of the Buffalo River Country to be on display at the meeting. We will also have clippings of media coverage from the period that will illustrate the "temper of the times" and some of the crazy misadventures that happened along the road to saving the Buffalo from "dam-nation." We'll top off Saturday evening with our famous (or infamous) potluck around 6 p.m., then kick back and be entertained by our old friends "Harmony." Robert and Mary Gillahan and Dave Smith are without question one of the finest folk music trios ever to grace the Ozarks and we never tire of seeing their talents displayed.
On Sunday we will have the option of hiking in the hills or canoeing the magnificent Buffalo River, which still flows gracefully from Newton County to its confluence with the White River unaltered by proposed man-made dams at Gilbert, Lone Rock, or on vital life-giving tributaries like Bear Creek. Long may that situation prevail! Some things are worth fighting for. And, it would seem, the fight to "Save the Buffalo" never really ends.

SOCIETY OFFICERS: President, Stewart Noland, 5210 Sherwood Rd., Little Rock, AR 72207, (501)-666-2989; Immediate past president, Barbara Meyer, 29 Pleasant Valley Dr., Little Rock, AR 72212 (501) 228-6600; Vice President, Alice Andrews, 3817 Compton, Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 663-3023; Recording Secretary, Brenda Crites, 1440 No. Henderson, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701(573-335-4521 critterncape@prodigy.net; Financial Chair, Bob Ritchie, 1509 Old Forge Rd., Little Rock, AR 72227 (501) 225-1795, fax 219-9316 britchie@aol.com; Communications Chair/Editor, Pack & Paddle newsletter, John Heuston, 25 Aberdeen Dr., Little Rock, AR 72223 (501) 868-8177/ ozarkjheu@aol.com; Conservation Chair Paul Means, 3 Keswick Cove, Little Rock, AR 722l2 (501) 221-9870/means4@aol.com; Recreation Chair Kathy Kramer, 5011 Rosedown Lane, Bossier City, LA711112 (318)742-9992; Education Chair, Ellen Compton, PO Box 3385, Fayetteville, AR 72702 (501)575-7253; Membership Chair, Bill Steward, 810 Koehler, Sherwood, AR 72120 (501)835-3390/Steward 810@aol.com; Ozark Society Supplies and Publications, Isabelle Roach, 4818 North Shobe Rd., Alexander, AR 72002 (501) 847-3738.
STATE DIRECTORS: ARKANSAS, Judy Parker, 2717 Charter Oak, Little Rock, AR 72207 (501) 225-0913/ jmp@aristotle.net and Duane Woltjen, 821 Applebury Dr., Fayetteville, AR (501) 521 7032/ ozarktraveler@links.com; MISSOURI, Dr. Sally Hubbard, 4654 So. Palmer, Springfield, MO 65804 (417) 883-7658; LOUISIANA, Okley Davis, 203 Whispering Pines Rd., Haughton, LA 71037 (318) 949-2518 and Catherine Hill, 206 Elizabeth St., Manghum, LA 71259, (318) 248-2901/ Chill22@bayou.com; OKLAHOMA, Phil Lorenz, Bartlesville, OK 74003 (918) 336-2069.
MEMBERSHIP: Dues for membership in the Ozark Society, Inc. are individual and family, $15; contributing, $25; affiliated groups (schools, clubs, etc. $25; and life (one-time payment) $200. Chapter membership adds to the fun and fellowship of Ozark Society membership, but is not required. However, the autonomous chapters do require membership in the Ozark Society and their dues structures are as follows: Highlands, northwest AR, $5; Pulaski, central Arkansas, $10; Bayou, Shreveport, LA, $10; Buffalo River, north central AR, $10; Schoolcraft, Springfield, MO, $5; Mississippi Valley, Cape Girardeau, MO, $5; and Indian Nations, OK, $5. Mail one check for both Society and chapter dues to the Ozark Society, Inc., PO Box 2914, Little Rock, AR 72203.

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