We are excited to share highlights from our recent Earth Day event at the Eagle Watch Nature Trail! The day was filled with community spirit, hard work, and valuable learning experiences.

“What a great day we had as we welcomed the community to Eagle Watch Nature Trail,” said Ivaunna Niegler, Environmental and Lab Supervisor. “It was wonderful to host such enthusiastic participants, including a group from Bloomfield 4-H and a few students from Gentry School, alongside former AEP employee Judy Ivey, current employee Tina Willis and Scott Carney.”

The morning kicked off with the children rolling up their sleeves to clean three planter beds. They diligently pulled weeds and turned the soil to prepare for planting. Once the beds were ready, students and employee volunteers planted a variety of native plants, including clustered mountain mint, pink muhly, burning hearts, bluewood aster, beardtongue penstemon, cup plant, Missouri ironweed, and pale coneflower. The largest bed was filled with a diverse selection of native pollinator flower seeds, complemented by grass seeds spread throughout the prairie.

Following the planting, Jonathan Stein from Arkansas Game and Fish shared his expertise about local fish populations. He showcased a fishing net used for capturing and recording fish in monitored lakes, as well as an electrofishing instrument attached to his boat that studies fish populations in a humane way. Jonathan also brought along a spoonbill caught during his work, offering an intriguing demonstration on how to age fish by counting rings, much like trees. With consistent temperatures year round at the Flint Creek Lake, fish grow year-round, making ring counting a bit more challenging.

Participants gathered at the Terry Stanfill Pavilion to enjoy delicious pizza, cookies, and engaging conversations.

“Fun was had by all—both kids and adults alike,” exclaimed Neigler. “We can’t wait to see the growth of all the plantings and extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined our celebration and we’re thrilled to share this special place with our community.” ????