Winter 2024

By Fred Paillet, OS Education Chair Books make ideal gifts for outdoor enthusiasts who already have almost everything and new titles keep emerging faster than we can read them.  When we can’t be out on the trails or paddle routes, we can enjoy the adventures, misadventures and equipment insights that go with that through books that take us there from the comfort of our living room armchair. Here is a list of titles that I have enjoyed presented in a compact format – title, author publication date, number of pages, and a concise, single-sentence description of the subject.  This will be enough to home in on topics of specific interest for additional exploration and more detailed description online.  All listed books are available on Amazon, and I have read each of them myself already.  Each entry is rated on a scale of one to five on a list of categories: 1=Not so much, 5=Great content Local content – Extent of relevance to the Ozark region and its wildlife Hike/Float – Involves hiking, floating or equipment used for those activities Environment – Covers climate, environment and activism Science – Amount of hard, factual content Readability – Extent to which presentation/style captivates [...]

By Fred Paillet, OS Education Chair I know what you are thinking – the miracle of our congress suddenly seeing the light and acting with a comprehensive program to address climate change in a realistic way.  Unfortunately, this is about a somewhat different kind of miracle.  One based on the geology of the river and not on the public spirit of politicians who regularly gather on its shores.  This miracle addresses the lack of North American data to calibrate the function of our long-term climate in a way to let us prepare for what global warming is likely to bring.  In my US Geological Survey career, I worked alongside researchers methodically using the quantified growing-season tolerances of forest trees to produce accurate values for climatic data constructed from fossil pollen.  The need for such data is obvious.  For example, regulators based the legal partition of water from the Colorado River on some 70 years of recorded discharge.  That sounds like a good sample until you realize that rainfall patterns run in decade-long cycles.  So, this was a sample of only seven data points.  Now, with more decades of discharge measurement and backward extrapolation of flows from tree ring data [...]

By Curtis Millsap, OS Schoolcraft Chapter Chair     There’s something about cold weather that stirs up a deep-down urge in my family to head to the river. Maybe it’s the promise of seeing icicles hanging from the bluffs, snow clinging to the trees, or the way the water turns that special shade of cerulean blue. Whatever it is, February 21, 2021, had eight of us answering the call.  The weather had been in the single digits at night, and below freezing for days, and there was a predicted high of 35 degrees with sunshine.  With my dad, six of my kids, and me in tow, we loaded up our boats and headed for the Jacks Fork, launching at Blue Spring, setting our sights on Rhymer.      The river greeted us with perfect conditions for a winter paddle—not too high, not too low. The water was just right for floating smoothly through the riffles and shoals, with no dragging to fuss about but still calm enough to feel safe. The ice on the water extended 10-20 feet into the larger pools, but only a foot or so into the moving water. The bluffs rose tall and snowy, dripping with [...]

By Brian Thompson, Ozark Society President      I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty careful with my charitable contributions.  Sometimes I really like the organization, but I’m not sure I trust their board.   Are they spending in a responsible way?      That is one reason why I like The Ozark Society Endowment, managed by The Arkansas Community Foundation.   The money I contribute, adds to principal that is not accessible to the board, but instead throws off efficient annual income in perpetuity.   For a non-profit like The Ozark Society, it is truly the gift that keeps on giving.      In addition, not only can I make a cash contribution, I can give them those decades old shares of Wal-Mart that I’m hesitant to sell due to the horrendous capital gains, allowing the full value to support The Ozark Society’s mission, while providing me with a sizeable tax deduction.   You can do this with real estate as well.   And don’t forget you can donate from required minimum distributions allowing you to avoid those taxes.   Finally, if you are interested in a gift to the Ozark Society from your estate, the good [...]

By Lowell Collins, Youth Grants Co-Coordinator Youth Engagement Grants – Applications Open Until January 31st      The Ozark Society is now accepting applications for our Youth Engagement Grants. These grants support nonprofit organizations and schools conducting conservation or environmental projects for youth in areas where the Ozark Society is active. Projects should provide hands-on opportunities for students to learn and engage with nature. Grant Range: $500–$3,000, based on project scope Application Deadline: January 31, 2025 Notification & Fund Distribution: April 2025       Since 2020, the Youth Grants Program has supported 33 projects, including community clean-ups, watershed conservation, and environmental education initiatives. For application forms and details, visit www.ozarksociety.net and navigate to "Awards, Grants, Scholarships."

By French Hill, US Representative and OS LIFE Member Long lives and long friendships, like wonderful meals or memorable trips are to be savored, shared with others and talked about often. Reflecting over my six-decade friendship with Don brings daily intersections with my deep affection for Don and all the ways that he directly influenced my life. Don spent his adult life deeply committed to the teaching, preservation and collecting of American and Arkansas history. We collected together and both served as volunteers at the Historic Arkansas Museum, formerly the Arkansas Territorial Restoration. He was an amazing conservationist and environmental steward. He devoted much of life to the cause of conservation professionally as a partner in private legal practice and as general counsel of the Little Rock Wastewater Utility. He was an active member of the Ozark Society and regular participant in the Society’s outings, even the ones where Bill Steward wandered off the trail. Don served the National Wildlife Federation as a national board member. Don was a tremendous influence on my life. He always had a new place to explore and, as a boy, I was always proud to tag along. I treasured the often wet, frequently [...]

By Steve Heye, OS Pulaski Chapter Outings Chair Around the world, there are trails that are so profound that they are part of any walker's bucket list. One of those trails is Iceland's Laugavegur, known as “the hot spring route” in Icelandic, from Landmannalaugar to Thorsmork. In August, nine members of the Ozark Society hiked the trail and experienced the wild volcanic area that is the Laugavegur. The nine members started gathering over a few days in the capital, Reykjavik. On Friday, August 16th, we all met up at the BSI bus station with 7 other hikers and our guide at 6:30am. The members of this hike would be led by Steph Matti, a guide from the Icelandic Mountain Guides, sponsor of the trip. The Ozark members on the trip were Stewart Noland, Marcel Jones, Roger Keesee, Martha Morris, Ray Hanley, Danna Blubaugh, Linda Van Blaricom, Steve Heye and OS President, Brian Thompson. The group total was 16. Of the other seven trekkers, six were from the U.S., but one member, Helga, came from Munich, Germany. Lisa and Liz came from New Mexico and Baton Rouge. Wayne and Annette were a couple from Michigan. Leon called Denver his home and Chris [...]