F25AP00137

Green Tree Reservoirs (GTRs) provide critical wintering waterfowl habitat and public waterfowl hunting opportunities that Arkansas is known nationally and internationally for.

Shirey Bay Rainey Brake Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is an 11,308 acre wildlife management area (WMA) that has approximately 5,800 acres of forested wetlands occurring in three GTRs in part flooded with a 6.5 mile water delivery canal.

Decades of altered hydrology within this WMA and increased rainfall has resulted in significant impacts to forest health jeopardizing both the long term sustainability of this valuable habitat and the sustainability of the recreational opportunities the WMA provides to northeast Arkansas.

The bottomland hardwood forests found at Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA are in significant decline up to and including tree mortality.

Critical renovations are needed to manage the water control structures and infrastructure at Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA.

These enhancements will allow for better drainage within the GTR, particularly during summer growing season, and will improve deteriorated forest health conditions within this vitally important remnant bottomland hardwood forest.

The long term health of these forests is critical to sustaining Arkansas waterfowl hunting opportunities into the future.

GTRs like Shirey Bay Rainey Brake provide an opportunity for waterfowl hunting to 40,000 individuals annually with an estimated economic impact of $70 million to local communities across Arkansas.

Additionally, these unique habitats support a host of other terrestrial and aquatic species which provide significant wildlife viewing and other hunting opportunities beyond just waterfowl hunting.

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

THIS PROJECT WILL RENOVATE WATER CONTROL STRUCTURES AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO MANAGE WATERIN THE GREEN TREE RESERVOIRS (GTRS) ON SHIREY BAY RAINEY BRAKE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA.THIS WILL GREATLY BENEFIT FOREST HEALTH AND THE REGENERATION OF RED OAK SPECIES WHICH ARE A KEY FOODSOURCE FOR WINTERING WATERFOWL.

15.664 - Fish and Wildlife Coordination and Assistance

FWS Headquarters (HQ) [DOI - FWS]

Fish and Wildlife Service Region 4: Southeast [DOI - FWS]

Pulaski, Arkansas United States

County-Wide

F-FWS-ES-25-002