WAMN examines success of Massard Prairie restoration

Lori Spencer, author of "Arkansas's Butterflies and Moths", joined with Western Arkansas Master Naturalists for a butterfly walk around Massard Prairie.  The abundant and varied wildflowers that make up a prairie make an excellent home to many butterflies and we were there to see them all.

While the Massard Prairie once stretched all along the Massard Creek area from the Arkansas River back to Oklahoma, that area has been largely converted to industrial parks and suburbs.  To revitalize the tallgrass prairie ecosystem, Ben Geren Park have been eliminating bermuda grass in the golf course rough and reestablishing native tallgrass prairie forbes and grasses.

Mid-summer is prime blooming season for many prairie flowers so the display was spectacular - blazing star, tickweed, black-eyed susan, purple coneflower, petunias, butterfly weed, partidge pea, Indian blanket, Mexican hat, various milkweeds, and many more.

On WAMN's walk through this area, we saw not only Monarch butterflies but other butterflies such as the Pearl Crescent and Cloudless Sulpher.  The highlight was when we spotted a Diana Fritillary, the state butterfly of Arkansas.  Score!

Of course, an ecosystem is not made up of just butterflies.  The tallgrass prairie is also home to a wide variety of birds.  Local bird expert Sandy Berger identified many many species - red-wing blackbirds, dickcissels, western meadowlark, eastern kingbird, painted buntings.  Many were common species like grackles, bluejays and barn swallows, but Sandy was impressed by the number of prairie birds we found.

The restored prairie at Ben Geren Regional Park will offer excellent opportunities for flower, butterfly, and bird viewing throughout the summer.  From 8 AM to 5 PM check into the Pro Shop first for directions on the best and safest viewing areas.  Before and after that time, though, the golf area is open for exploration.  Be a good visitor - do not disturb the prairie plants and animals, do not distract any golfer, and remember, the park is not liable for stray golf balls so keep an eye out.