Arkansas Forests & Drinking Water Collaborative

·         In May of 2015, 45 stakeholders from Arkansas’s forestry and drinking water sectors convened on Petit Jean Mountain at the first-ever Arkansas Forests and Drinking Water Forum. This forum explored the common interests of the two sectors, developed a deeper learning about the issues faced by each, and began building a network between these professionals.  Since then these these two sectors have continued the dialogue and explored areas for collaboration, guided by the steering committee which was formed in 2016. ·         The Collaborative is a component of the Southeastern Partnership for Forests and Water, a cooperative effort of the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities.  Current funding for the Arkansas Collaborative is through a Landscape Scale Restoration Grant from the U.S. Forest Service. This grant is part of a five-state effort including Arkansas, Texas, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina.