The Pine-Bluestem Buffalo Road Tour is a ongoing project being
undertaken by the USFS. It encompasses 155,000 acres of national
forest and is directly related to management of the red-cockaded
woodpecker as well as other plants and animals.
Buffalo Creek Road is part of an ecosystem management program
featuring mature pines and hardwoods, periodic fires, and grassy
understories. This shortleaf pine-bluestem grass habitat supports a
population of endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers (RCW) and other
unusual species of plants and animals, including Diana’s
fritillary. Floral displays in this habitat featuring species like
pale-purple coneflowers are very striking in mid-June and
thereafter, especially in growing seasons immediately following
fire disturbance.
At each stop along the tour is an information sign detailing
what the visitor is seeing. The caches along the tour are
not hidden on any of the signs. They are located nearby.
To reach Buffalo Road from Hwy 71 turn at the brown Buffalo Road
sign located on the opposite side of the east turn onto Hwy 28. To
make a loop back to Hwy 71 simply follow the Buffalo Road (and the
caches) and then turn north on Nella Road following it to Hwy 248
and then turn back east to Hwy 71.
We hope you enjoy your visit to this area and look forward to
reading your logs.
The "Undisturbed Forest"
This is the first stop along the Pine-Bluestem Project Buffalo
Road Tour. The Ouachita Mountains are noted for east-west ridges.
North facing slopes are cooler and retain more moisture when
compared with hot, dry south-facing slopes that receive more
sunlight. While both hardwoods and pines can grow anywhere,
hardwoods thrive on north slopes, whereas pines dominate south
slopes.
In the Ouachita National Forest, there are thousands of acres
like the ones before you. This heavily shaded condition persists
when forests are protected from fire and no trees are harvested.
The trees grow close together; little sunlight reaches the forest
floor. With limited sunlight, ground cover consists primarily of
leaf litter with limited potential for growth of the grasses,
forbs, and legumes important to wildlife. Few trees produce acorns
or fruit due to competition among plants for water, nutrients, and
sunlight.
(Source: Pine-Bluestem Literature Review; Poteau and Cold
Springs Ranger Districts, Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas)