Arkansas Forests and Drinking Water Forum #3
Arkansas’ Forest and Drinking Water Steering Committee hosted the third Statewide Forum on Forestry
and Drinking Water on November 4 and 5, 2019 at the Lodge on Mt. Magazine. Seventy-one
professionals came together for a day and a half of learning, networking and brainstorming regarding
how to advance the groups vision of “Healthy Managed Forests and Clean Drinking Water”. Participants
in the forum included private forest landowners, forest industry professionals, drinking water utility
managers and staff, conservation organizations, state and federal foresters, and state natural resource
management agency personnel.
Forum Highlights
Forum Goals
1. Understand how the 2018
Farm Bill can advance source water protection,
2. Help forestry, water utility, conservation group and agency personnel understand the Arkansas’
updated Forest Action Plan and how it can guide their conservation and source water efforts,
3. Help local watersheds to develop forestry and water partnerships, promote their efforts and
secure funding.
Program Highlights
- Case Studies from Waldron Water Utility, Faulkner County Conservation District, Northwest Arkansas Land Trust
- Dinner & Program on Thomas Nuttall
- Clarksville Water Treatment Plant Tour
-Partnership building & Messaging Workshops
- Panel Discussions
Planning Committee
• Chandler Barton – Forestry Division
• John Beasley – Forestry Division
• Max Braswell – Arkansas Forestry Association
• Tyler Couch – Arkansas Department of Health
• Kyle Cunningham – University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
• Raven Lawson – Central Arkansas Water
• James McCarty – Beaver Water District
• Richard Monk – US Forest Service, Ozark National Forest
• Bob Morgan – Collaborative Coordinator
• Darcia Routh – Arkansas Department of Health
• Darren Spinks – Forestry Division
• John Pennington - University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Farm Bill Panelists
• Adam Carpenter, PhD, from the American Water Works Association’s Water Policy and
Leadership department in Washington DC,
• Michael Sullivan, PE, Arkansas State Conservationists, Natural Resources Conservation
Service
• Ryan Deiner, Executive Director Arkansas Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.
Forest Action Plan Panelists
• Doug Zollner, The Nature Conservancy and head author of the update to the Forest Action Plan
• Joe Fox, Forestry Division, Arkansas State Forester
• Scott Meek, Green Bay Packaging and representative of Arkansas’ Sustainable Forestry
Initiative’s Implementation Committee.