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HomeMy WebLinkAbout102-94 RESOLUTIONRESOLUTION NO. 102-94 • A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS STUDENT CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY TO MANAGE WILSON SPRING AND ITS ASSOCIATED SEVEN (7) ACRE WETLAND, LOCATED IN THE NORTH INDUSTRIAL PARK, FOR THE BENEFIT OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS, ESPECIALLY THE ARKANSAS DARTER. r• BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS: Section I . That the University of Arkansas Student Chapter of the American Fisheries Society is hereby authorized to manage Wilson Spring and its associated seven (7) acre wetland, located in the north industrial park, for the benefit of aquatic organisms, especially the Arkansas Darter, in accordance with the proposal attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and made a part hereof. Such authorization shall be effectivefor,a period of five years or until"such authorization is withdrawn by the City. . r If ' r r, i ` , PASSED AND APPROVED this ATTEST: /J By: MACAJ ALL Traci Paul, City Clerk l�.S•T} * y i h -.7 4 z 6th day of September „1994. • ` ` 1 APPROVED: By: • a 'red Hanna, Mayor A PROPOSAL to the City of Fayetteville ADOPTION OF THE SPRING AND ASSOCIATED WETLAND IN THE CITY'S NORTH INDUSTRIAL PARK Presented by the Umversity of Arkansas Student Chapter of the American Fisheries Society 8 March, 1994 h clef iz/z//77 Kenda Flores, President Date University of Arkansas Chapter, American Fisheries Society water sourcesayarck diFecer 1982)3rsted-many or-gamsms:asso iated=wtth_Ozark iwb issou ccludmg 5 planaria, 15;amphipods; 6=isopods;=2 Cray_ iissh 12rinsects, r s, 71'' b _ and at leas115 fis)1-species Some of-these_ or-gamsms_are endemic -to the$Omrk rea, w le others are wide ca A -rare fish=speeres-limtted tfliiti sari oe Mutt th s.area is'the;�ikansas darter;�Etheostomaxraginr"7rsted=.as a spec es ofxsp ial co em by the American fisheries Soelety:: Williams Ciati198)„and=proteecte li n fivve ,tel= ss (Johnson -1987). ...— The Arkansas Student Chapter of the American Fisheries Society is interested m "adopting" a spring and its associated wetland found on property owned by the City of Fayetteville. This spnng, locally named Wilson Spring in honor of Steve Wilson, Director of Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, who first found Arkansas darters there, arises from a culvert under the U.S. Highway 71 By -Pass west access road and flows westward, eventually to join Clabber Creek. The spring is of special interest because the Arkansas darter, Etheostoma cragini is known to inhabit the spring and its spring run. The Arkansas darter is listed as a Category 2 species by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants, Animal Notice of Review (USFWS 1989). This notice encourages investigation of the status and vulnerability of these taxa and their consideration in the course of environmental planning. The spring is associated with 2.9 hectare (7 acres) of declared wetland situated within an North Industrial Park owned by the City of Fayetteville. • GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Possible goals of the Arkansas Student Chapter of AFS for this spring are to manage the spring and wetland to provide protection for this spring habitat in its unique municipal, industrial part environment. Immediate objectives are to census, photograph, and map the area. This would provide documentation of pre-existing conditions of the stream courses and vegetative cover of the riparian and wetland areas. As improvements and changes are implemented, photographs will be updated to characterize improvements made by the AFS Student Chapter. The entire wetlands area needs to be mapped within the constraints of a GIS system. GIS mapping will provide a multi -layer concept of the area. A thorough clean- up of both the wetland and stream sections needs to be performed. A survey of stream fauna and flora and terrestrial flora will be completed by students prior to clean-up. A checklist of organisms will be compiled from each survey. More long-term objectives are to manage the spring, its spring -run, and associated wetland to effectively perpetuate the inhabitants of this unique area. At the same time, this will allow the AFS chapter and others to utilize this unique site as a tool for research and education in order to provide a better understanding of this special type of environment. Long tenni management of the area will involve annual surveys of stream fauna to ensure that any endangered- species reported on the checklist are still present and the habitat remains suitable for its survival. Appreciation and protection of our environment stems from learning more about it from hands-on experience. Field experience such as sampling and observing both aquatic and terrestrial organisms in their natural habitat adds significance to coursework and also emphasizes the necessity of environmental conservation among students. This area can be utilized as an educational tool for students of all ages. In addition to class field trips to the proposed site, individual laboratory or science projects may be conducted there. University courses such as Freshwater Invertebrates, Stream Ecology, Limnology, and Plant Taxonomy require students to conduct studies and to collect and identify plants and organisms. High school biology classes can collect stream and wetland orgamsms without extensive field trips. REQUEST With this proposal, we request written permission from the City of Fayetteville to manage Wilson Spring and its associated 7 acre wetland for the benefit of aquatic organisms, especially the Arkansas darter. Management efforts will include cleaning the spring stream and its associated wetland, some bank stabilization, and perhaps a series of small check dams to reduce erosion. Wetland improvements could include water control structures (diking, channelling) to best use the existing water, and some vegetation clearing. Any efforts other than these minor changes will first be discussed with the City to insure they are appropriate. We also request that the City of Fayetteville adequately fence and post the entire 7 acre wetlands area to protect it and prevent improper use (livestock grazing, littering, dumpmg, etc.), as was discussed in the original assessment Arkansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife 1 Research Unit did for the City. There are no additional foreseeable costs to the City unless the City itself wishes to include specific objectives like viewing paths and printed and posted educational materials. The Student AFS Chapter recently held a fund-raiser in association with the Southern Division and Arkansas Chapter of AFS and acquired in excess of $500 specifically to help us in this project. Additional funds have been requested from the University as part of the Registered Student Organizations on campus. If the situation should arise that the Student AFS Chapter request funds from the City for improvements to the wetland area, a project proposal and budget will be submitted. These objectives seem better delayed until some of the first efforts are completed.