Private Lands Partners Day 2022 was held October 4-6 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, a rapidly growing part of the country that is important for agriculture and is rich in natural resources. Almost 150 people were registered from 29 states and Puerto Rico. On the first day, attendees participated in a field tour where they saw private lands partnership work including stream bank stabilization and restoration, prairie and forest management, as well as agricultural operations integrated with natural resource management including a poultry growing operation and a dairy. On the second day, attendees were in a conference setting where they were welcomed to Arkansas and to the event by a broad variety of state and federal conservation and agricultural leaders, where they heard about broad-based, landowner-led private lands conservation partnerships from around Arkansas and across the country. During the conference portion of the meeting the 35th Anniversary of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program (PFW) was recognized with a video presentation and partner recognition awards for PFW partners from around the country. Recordings of the conference portion of the meeting can be found on a playlist on the Partnerscapes YouTube Channel.
Thank you to all attendees, sponsors, co-hosts and especially the Arkansas Private Lands Stewards Alliance that planned the event, as well as the landowners and partners in northwest Arkansas! SAVE THE DATE October 3-5. 2023: The 15th Annual Private Lands Partners Day will be held in Missoula, Montana, returning to where it all began. More details coming soon.
(Story photo by Joe Milmoe, USFWS)