Rooting for the Future: Restoring Arkansas’s Bottomland Hardwood Forests

In this Food, Farms & Forests episode, we travel to the University of Arkansas at Monticello to explore efforts to restore bottomland hardwood forests in Arkansas. Dr. Michael Blazier, Dean of the College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, discusses the Restoring Bottomland Hardwood Forests project, a $3.7 million initiative that plans to convert idle farmland into thriving ecosystems.  Funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Climate Smart Program, this initiative is part of a nationwide effort to enhance carbon sequestration, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve water quality and give small underserved landowners an opportunity to restore their land.Blazier explains how this project is helping underserved landowners across Arkansas, especially those with smaller plots, to revitalize their lands while contributing to climate goals.Dr. Nana Tian, an assistant professor at the College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources and researcher with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, is the principal investigator leading this initiative.Read more about the project: Restoring Bottomland Hardwood Forests.Related Links:University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff