The Future of Your Arkansas Wild

Meet the Outdoor Alliance’s Grasstops Collective.

By Traci Berry

Arkansas showcases a wealth of natural beauty, from its rugged mountains and rolling valleys to its winding rivers, shimmering lakes and expansive Delta. According to outdoor advocates, the call to preserve natural treasures in The Natural State has never been more urgent. The Outdoor Alliance, a nonprofit coalition of natural advocacy groups, aims to unite the voices of outdoor enthusiasts to conserve public lands. Traci Berry, an Outdoor Alliance Grasstops Collective member, embodies this call.

An Arkansas native, Berry has served as the Northwoods Trails coordinator since it opened in Hot Springs in 2018. Her background in agritourism and passion for Arkansas’s wilderness make her a perfect candidate to advocate for Arkansas’s greenspaces.

The Outdoor Alliance Grasstops Collective is a unique initiative designed to equip local leaders with the knowledge and tools necessary to advocate for conservation policies. These leaders, affectionately dubbed “unofficial mayors” by Berry, are the voices that resonate most deeply in their communities. They are the ones who know every trailhead, every bend in the river and every crag worth climbing. Their influence extends beyond personal networks, creating a ripple effect that spreads awareness and action across their communities.

In fact, the Grasstops Collective aims to train more than 100 leaders in the next five years. The extensive training includes six months complete with advocacy visits to Washington, D.C., and meetings with local and federal decision-makers who touch the recreation and outdoor economy spaces. The goal is multipronged but clear: to influence vital policy decisions in a way that conserves public lands, confronts climate change and promotes outdoor recreation. In Arkansas, Berry and two other ambassadors — Ammen Jordan and Andrew Blann — are answering the call to conservation via the Grasstops Collective. The inaugural cohort is determined to ensure that the natural part of “The Natural State” stays protected for generations to come. The Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act (EXPLORE Act), a bipartisan effort designed to update outdoor recreation policies and designed as a companion to the America’s Outdoor Recreation Act, is at the forefront of these efforts. The EXPLORE Act is a significant piece of legislation co-sponsored by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.). It passed the House in April 2024, but has lost momentum in the Senate.

As a state rich in natural beauty, from the Ouachita Mountains to the vast forests and rivers, outdoor recreation is not just a pastime, but a vital part of the state’s economy and culture. “Arkansas’s second-leading industry is tourism,” Berry said, “and a large portion of our tourism comes from our outdoor recreation opportunities. Our state is no longer a ‘hidden gem.’ Folks know about us now.”

Along this vein, the EXPLORE Act aims to meet the growing demand for outdoor activities by improving the management of public lands, making them easier and safer to access. A key part of the act, the Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation Act, eases the permitting process for outdoor guides, allowing more Arkansans to explore the state’s wilderness safely. Additionally, the act includes provisions like rebuilding the Albert Pike Campground in the Ouachitas, which still has scars from a devastating flood in 2010, highlighting its focus on protecting Arkansas’s natural heritage and promoting responsible recreation.

In Berry’s mind, responsible recreation also includes monitoring development. “With being ‘discovered,’ we have more people moving into our beautiful state, and with that comes more development,” Berry said. “It is critical that we conserve and protect our green spaces and natural areas for them to be enjoyed for generations.”

Berry has seen the power of the outdoors firsthand. Since the Northwoods Trails opened in 2018, Berry has watched them transform the community. Participation in the local National Interscholastic Cycling Association team has doubled, and the number of women using the trails has surged. The trails have attracted new residents to Hot Springs and fostered personal growth and healing.

“I’ve heard stories of people overcoming addiction through mountain biking on our trails,” Berry said. “I’ve seen partnerships and marriages grow stronger through shared outdoor activities. The trails have undeniably increased the quality of life in Hot Springs.”

These stories underscore the profound impact of access to the outdoors on individuals and communities. Berry believes that preserving Arkansas’s natural beauty is not just the responsibility of policymakers and advocates — it’s a collective effort. Berry urges everyone to support the EXPLORE Act.

“Write or call your member of Congress,” she said. “Share a personal story about why outdoor access is important to you. The Outdoor Alliance makes it easy with a prewritten email on their website, but the more you customize it, the greater impact it will have.”

Conservation extends beyond protecting the land; in Arkansas, it’s about preserving the rich cultural fabric deeply connected to the natural world. Here, where nature and community are woven together, this mission has never been more essential.