Latest news with #ArkansasGameandFishCommission
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
State agencies launch new Arkansas outdoor education program
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders discusses an outdoor education pilot program during a press conference on June 4, 2025 in Little Rock. (Screenshot from livestream) The governor announced on Wednesday the creation of a new outdoor education pilot program that will accept up to 30 Arkansas school districts that apply to participate. A partnership between the Arkansas Department of Education and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the program will help equip students for a career in outdoor recreation, according to a press release from the governor's office. During Wednesday's announcement at AGFC's Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center in Little Rock, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said if the pilot is successful, the program could be expanded to schools across the state and provide a model for the entire country. Getting kids outdoors will help improve their education, health and quality of life, Sanders said. 'Starting today, districts across our state can apply to be one of 30 schools to offer outdoor education built around the standards taught in core and elective content areas, experiences in outdoor learning engagement and projects that empower students to think critically and solve problems about the world around them,' she said. Doug Schoenrock, who was named AGFC's 20th director in April, said the 'truly unique' pilot program will bring the outdoors into the classroom and vice versa. 'And most importantly, this program will bring outdoors to the hearts and minds of our students, and build a connection with the Natural State, which we as Arkansans hold so dear,' Schoenrock said. The new initiative combines several of the governor's priorities, including education, workforce development and outdoor recreation. The pilot program responds to a recommendation made by the Natural State Initiative Advisory Council in its 2023 report to expand outdoor recreation programs to schools. Sanders launched the Natural State Initiative in an effort to expand Arkansas' outdoor economy, and its advisory council is chaired by her husband, Bryan. Tourism is the state's second largest industry behind agriculture. In the most recent year for which data is available, Arkansas welcomed more than 50 million visitors who spent nearly $10 billion, much of which went to outdoor recreation, according to the press release. Applications for the outdoor education pilot program are available on AGFC's website. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission announce new outdoor education pilot program
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced a new pilot program focused on education and outdoor recreation. On Wednesday, Gov. Sanders held a press conference at the Witt Stephens Jr. Nature Center in Little Rock to announce the Arkansas Outdoor Education Pilot Program. The governor said the pilot will be a partnership between the Arkansas Department of Education and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and is intended to equip students for a future career in outdoor recreation such as becoming an ecologist or researcher. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders grants over $460,000 for outdoor recreation Districts across the Natural State can apply to be one of 30 schools that implement new curriculum centered around outdoor education into classrooms that meet core and elective requirements, the governor said. 'If this program is successful in our first 30 pilot schools, which I know it will be, we have the opportunity to bring it to schools all across our state and establish a model for the whole country to follow,' Sanders said. Gov. Sanders said one of her priorities is to expand the state's outdoor economy. Sanders launched the Natural State Initiative, which is under the leadership of First Gentleman Bryan Sanders. The pilot program is one of this initiative's key objective, according to the governor. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Chief of Education Mary Beth Hatch, Arkansas Secretary Jacob Oliva, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism and Director of State Parks Shea Lewis, and Director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Doug Schoenrock also spoke at the press conference in support of the new pilot 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Crews work around clock after extreme storm damages fish hatchery facility: 'We won't know the total cost of renovation'
A trout hatchery is dealing with the consequences of intense rainfall that left the Arkansas facility with significant damage. According to K8 News, the Jim Hinkle Spring River Hatchery in Mammoth Spring was flooded after massive amounts of rainfall in April. It's one of five hatcheries operated by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission that produce millions of fish each year for public waters. Jason Miller, assistant chief of the AGFC's Fisheries Division, said debris was brought into the hatchery during the storm. Crews started their repairs after a damage assessment. "The Commission authorized $500,000 to get us started on both the hatchery recovery and the initial work on other infrastructure throughout eastern Arkansas, but we won't know the total cost of renovation until we can get a few more inspections complete now that we've cleared off a lot of the debris," Miller said, per K8 News. The AGFC said crews removed 26 dump truck loads of silt from the area, per the outlet. About 150,000 rainbow trout remain, but many were killed or escaped in heavy waters. Over a four-day period in April, eight states in the Mississippi River Valley experienced the heaviest spring rainfall on record in the region since 1950. Researchers found that rising global temperatures made the flooding even more intense. Human activities contribute to heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere that increase temperatures and trigger more frequent and powerful extreme weather events. Burning dirty fuels such as coal, gas, and oil affects the climate more than other human activities, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Due to the warming climate, a larger percentage of precipitation occurs during strong single-day events. Extreme weather events can lead to dangerous conditions for communities. In fact, the Climate Risk Index 2025 found that extreme weather has killed nearly 800,000 people and displaced millions over the last three decades. Do you think your home has good insulation? Definitely It's just all right It's good in some rooms Not at all Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Experts have issued warnings that extreme weather events will only become more destructive in the future. However, new technological advancements may help anticipate the storms and the aftermath. Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientists developed technology using artificial intelligence to predict flooding, and experts at Columbia University created an interactive tool to help governments prepare for natural disasters. While resources to mitigate extreme weather continue to be developed, people can take steps to protect their homes. Installing solar panels with battery storage can help make homes more resilient during weather-related grid outages and lower energy costs. Resources such as EnergySage allow homeowners to compare quotes from local installers and save up to $10,000 on solar installation. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Wildlife are in crisis': Arkansas expert opines on proposed change to Endangered Species Act
The Ozark hellbender is one of 40 endangered species tracked by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission in the state. The hellbender is a large aquatic salamander found in cool, clear streams in northern Arkansas and southern Missouri. (Photo by Jill Utrup/ and Wildlife Service) A proposed change to the federal Endangered Species Act would send Arkansas preservation efforts backwards amid an ongoing crisis, one state wildlife expert said. Terri Lane, director of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation, said a recently proposed rule from President Donald Trump's administration 'removes an important level of protections, paving the way for increased habitat destruction.' The rule, which is open for public comment through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service until May 19, would rescind the regulatory definition of 'harm' in the Endangered Species Act of 1973, which has provided a framework to conserve and protect endangered and threatened species and their habitats. The current definition of harm under the federal law includes habitat modification, and the proposed rule would remove that protection. According to information posted by the Federal Register, 'harm' runs contrary to the best meaning of the statutory term 'take.' Nationally, environmentalists have said the proposed rule would gut habitat protections under the Endangered Species Act. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission tracks the state's nearly 40 endangered species, including the hellbender — the largest salamander in North America — a number of fish, birds, bats and mollusks. An alligator and one beetle also make the list. AGFC's Arkansas Wildlife Action Plan, which is required of the state agency as part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's State Wildlife Grant program, identifies nearly 380 species of greatest conservation need in Arkansas. The plan was last updated in 2015, and its nearly 1,700 pages provides extensive detail on the state's ecoregions, habitats, and the projected effects of climate change. Nick Goforth, wildlife diversity program coordinator for AGFC, said, regardless of any changes to the Endangered Species Act, 'we will continue to work collaboratively and consult with the [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service] to do what's best for Arkansas' wildlife and native habitats.' Goforth said the agency is aware of the proposed changes to the federal law, but officials are still assessing how it would affect Arkansas' endangered species and their role in implementing the Endangered Species Act. 'Wildlife are in crisis,' said Lane, who has led the Arkansas Wildlife Federation, a decades-old independent watchdog organization, for the last two years. 'They depend on a network of quality habitat to survive. In the short term, this rule change moves us backward in the fight to save already vulnerable species from further decline or extinction.' Lane emphasized the importance of biodiversity, and said that complex interactions keep ecosystems healthy. 'The ecosystems upon which all life depends, including our own,' she said. Looking further ahead, Lane said long-term effects would include a shift from collaborative efforts to solely the private sector. She predicted the rule change would increase the wildlife and biodiversity crisis, thus requiring more efforts, funding and regulatory protections in the future. 'Rule changes like this, particularly at a time when the agencies tasked with wildlife recovery are experiencing dramatic cuts to their budgets and workforce, mean that our grassroots efforts must increase,' Lane said. 'The private and nonprofit sector must step in and fill the gaps, working with broad coalitions, sounding the alarm and finding solutions where species are being impacted.' Trump, who recently celebrated the 100-day mark of his second term, has made scathing cuts to environmental programs nationwide. In Little Rock, AmeriCorps staff lost their funding; along the Buffalo National River, a visitor center closed in February after a wave of firings; and in Fayetteville, a major solar project at the University of Arkansas is stuck in limbo. Slashes to programs championed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are expected to have an adverse effect on Arkansas food banks and farmers alike as they lose a major funding source for protein. Currently, however, the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund seems unaffected. AGFC has received a number of these grants over the years, specifically for habitat preservation for the state's endangered species. Last June, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded the state with a $2.2 million grant to protect the yellowcheek darter, a small freshwater fish, and other species. The AGFC and The Nature Conservancy — a national environmental group with offices in Little Rock and Fayetteville — provided matching funds and increased the total investment to nearly $3.1 million. In Arkansas, allocations from the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund have been used to purchase more than 10,000 acres for the conservation of a variety of species. In 2020, more than 1,100 acres at the Beryl Anthony Lower Ouachita Wildlife Management Area were purchased for conservation of the red-cockaded woodpecker. AGFC also offers conservation incentive programs to private landowners, but spokesperson Keith Stephens said they were more geared toward game animals than endangered species. In a statement, Goforth said the state agency supports federal changes that aim to streamline the process of protecting endangered species. 'While the AGFC values the [Endangered Species Act] and the protections and benefits it offers, we are in support of any favorable reforms that would aim to address the challenges in its implementation and would work to streamline consultations and other processes, while both ensuring that its goals and objectives can be met more efficiently and effectively and also maintaining the existing protections for those listed species and their habitats, which are essential to their continued existence and recovery,' Goforth said. Several organizations in Arkansas focus on the livelihood of the state's endangered species, including the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission. Data gathered during on-the-ground field surveys to locate and evaluate endangered species help identify ecologically significant land most in need of protection, according to its website. Spokesperson Danyelle McNeill deferred all questions about how the proposed rule may affect Arkansas animals to federal agencies. Answering for Director Jennifer Ballard, McNeill said the commission's scope of services has currently not changed. Taylor Pool, acting assistant regional director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's southwest regional office, did not reply to specific questions about the proposed rule change. 'At this time, we have nothing for you,' Pool said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission names new director
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A new director has been named to lead the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Doug Schoenrock was named the 20th director of the AGFC, succeeding former director Austin Booth after he left the position in January. Director of Arkansas Game and Fish Commission tenders resignation to devote more time to family AGFC Commission Chairman J.D. Neeley noted Schoenrock's experience makes him the ideal person to lead the agency. 'Doug's deep understanding of wildlife conservation, coupled with his proven business leadership abilities, makes him the ideal person to lead the agency forward,' Neeley said. 'We are confident that under his guidance, the AGFC will continue its vital work in protecting and managing Arkansas's diverse fish and wildlife resources.' Officials highlighted Schoenrock's background with Ducks Unlimited, noting that he has served on the company's national board of directors since 2002, the company's president from 2020 to 2022 and the chairman of the board from 2022 to 2024. 'I'm honored to join the men and women of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. I'm deeply grateful for the trust placed in me, and I thank Chairman J.D. Neeley, Vice-Chairman Anne Marie Doramus, and all the Commissioners for their professionalism and leadership throughout this process,' Schoenrock said. 'I look forward to working with the commissioners, the Arkansas General Assembly, Gov. Sarah Sanders, and all of AGFC's partners to advance the mission of conservation and stewardship on behalf of all Arkansans and the many visitors who experience the beauty of The Natural State.' Arkansas Game and Fish Commission names interim director; will search for permanent director Commission officials said Schoenrock is set to assume the role in May of 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
