Chesney Prairie Natural Area is an 82-acre grassland preserve managed by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission. It represents a precious remnant of the much larger historic Lindsley Prairie that once comprised 20-25 square miles. On the morning of Saturday, April 26th, bird expert Joe Neal will lead up to 15 participants on a casual walk through Chesney’s native prairie with a focus not just on birds but also on the insects and plants that this unique ecosystem supports. Local flora experts Joan Reynolds and Samantha Heller will lead the part of the field trip focused on flora of the Tallgrass Prairie. Participants can expect to walk about 1.5 miles around flat mowed grass trails for no more than two hours. There are no facilities at the preserve.
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Field trips will meet at Mount Sequoyah Retreat Center outside of Millar Lodge (GPS 36.064169, -94.146958). Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your departure time to allow time for parking, finding your group, and checking in with your trip leader. We encourage carpooling. If you wish to meet at the site, or have any other accommodation requests please contact Taylor Long at [email protected] or text 479-530-9084.
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NOTE: This trip leaves an hour later than most at 8:00 AM.
Joe Neal will lead the carpool to Chesney at 8:00 AM (~45 minutes drive time). Participants who wish to meet directly at Chesney can find the group at the trailhead (GPS: 36.218533, -94.4826207) a little before 9:00 AM. Expect to return by 12:00 PM.
From Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, take highway 412 W to near Siloam Springs city limits. At the intersection of 412 & 59, turn N onto 59. You pass the Siloam Springs airport. Approximately 1 mile past the airport, note an intersection: the road west is “Chesney” and the road east is “Bill Young.” Take Bill Young Road east, approximately 0.8 miles. At this point, there is a gravel farm road going north. Go approximately 0.5 miles north on this road to the dead end and the entrance sign to Chesney Prairie Natural Area (GPS: 36.218533, -94.4826207).