Environmental Achievement and Goals

• National Arbor Day Tree City USA for 12th year. This status is awarded to communities that have an active urban forestry management plan.

• Tree planting initiative of 150 trees a year in public spaces and right-of- ways.

• Tree Preservation and Protection Ordinance that requires a percentage of a site’s tree canopy to be protected and preserved to ensure that the City has a healthy and diverse forest. Canopy lost below this percentage is replaces as either new trees or monies in a fund for tree planting within the City of Fayetteville public areas and right-of-ways.

• Landscape Regulations Ordinance requires street trees for all new projects that develop on/or create a new public or private street in the City. This Ordinance also requires trees within parking areas to shade the impervious surfaces. Dry stormwater facilities require a planting of trees, shrubs, and grasses to promote phytoremediation.

• Parkland Dedication Ordinance requiring all new developments to dedicate greenspace for either a developed park or natural area. The City of Fayetteville currently has 32 of which are developed.

• In 2006, Fayetteville Park System included 255.98 acres of natural area and 2,436.41 of developed park.

• Many of the parks are left as natural areas. Mount Sequoyah, approximately 100 acres, is owned by the City of Fayetteville and exists as completely native and natural space for citizens, students, and visitors to enjoy.

• 2006 developed a tree and sod farm to supply plant material for small projects. Irrigation is pumped from the White River.

• Dog waste stations are provided in many of our parks to discourage the increase of nitrogen in the watershed.

• Pesticide Policy in place with an Environmental Concerns Committee overseeing activities.

• 2007 Lights of the Ozarks on the downtown square will experiment with LED Christmas lights.

• All park projects requiring lighting meet City of Fayetteville lighting ordinance with complete cut off and shields to reduce light pollution.

• Walker Park Tennis Court Lighting project (underway) using a new luminaire system that cuts spill by half or more, creating more energy efficient product.

• Outdoor Adventure Camp: Summer camp focuses on getting children active in the environment. Sessions include biking, kayaking, and environmental education.

• Annual Arbor Day Celebration of Trees provides free trees and shrubs to Fayetteville citizens. Organized and sponsored by Parks and Recreation and Tree and Landscape Committee Members. 2007 Arbor Day provided 1200 containerized trees and 300 shrubs.

• Tree and Landscape Committee is a nine-member volunteer group with representative from the University of Arkansas, business utilities, environmental positions, forestry/horticulture professionals, and citizens at large. The group’s mission is to disseminate information to the public. This could include but not be limited to, new ordinances, proper tree and plant care, and city projects.

• Partnership between University of Arkansas, Arkansas Forestry Commission and City of Fayetteville to build a new parking lot utilizing bioswales. Additional parking is warranted in one of our larger and more popular parks. Staff has worked with students and Professors to develop a plan and construction documents to develop the new parking lot. The bioswales will drain the runoff from the impervious areas to revive an old pond within the park.

• Red Oak Park Streambank Stabilization Project: Red Oak Park is experiencing severe erosion and sedimentation from surrounding developments utilizing the hollow within the park, for stormwater runoff. Parks and Recreation has consulted with Arkansas Game and Fish on this problematic drainage area and developed an environmentally sensitive design to incorporate rock-lined plunge pools and a wider channel to protect the park from erosion and downstream neighbors from sedimentation. Project to begin in July 2007.

• Parks and Recreation has 2 greenhouses where the majority of plants are either grown from seed or propagated from existing plant.

• The greenhouses utilize beneficial insects and organic fertilizers resulting in a chemical free environment.

• The City Horticulturist utilizes groundcovers in an attempt to reduce the amount of mulch and to hold the soil in sloped areas.

• Urban Forestry Services and Transportation share a large bucket truck, chipper, and stump grinder for tree removal. Recycling these chips reduces the amount of mulch purchased and helps provide mulch and compost to Fayetteville citizens.

• Fayetteville Natural Heritage and the Nature Conservancy Ozark Highlands office partnered to identify highest priority areas in and around Fayetteville for conservation. With the rapid growth this area is seeing, areas like Mount Sequoyah are quickly being encroached upon with development. The results from this study were publicized and used by the City in the revisions to the Future Land Use Map. Parks and Recreation has a 100 year lease for a 99 acre parcel of land to the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks. This parcel is located within Lake Fayetteville Park.

• The Environmental Study Center is located at Lake Fayetteville Park through a 50 year lease agreement. This structure is used by both Fayetteville and Springdale Schools for environmental education.

• Beaver Water District, University of Arkansas Extension Services, Fayetteville Public Schools and City of Fayetteville working together using grant dollars awarded by the Arkansas Forestry Commission to install rain gardens in 2 parks and 2 school properties. These gardens will include educational signage for the public to learn the importance of rain gardens and some helpful steps in creating their own.