Betty Hinshaw Bird Sanctuary

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Betty Hinshaw Bird Sanctuary

Northwest Arkansas Land Trust Nature Preserve The Betty Hinshaw Bird sanctuary is a 25-acre remnant of oak barrens (savanna) habitat in Tontitown.

The property was donated to the Land Trust by Ms. Betty in 2022 with support from her family to create a bird sanctuary. The site was part of Rocking Chair Ranch beginning in the 1950s where the family grazed cattle and grew hay. Because it was historically a type of grassland habitat, the Land Trust is restoring the sanctuary for the benefit of native grassland bird species. Initial restoration b

egan in late 2022 and is anticipated to be ongoing through 2026. Restoration activities include removal and control of invasive plant species, prescribed fire, and reintroduction of native grasses, wildflowers, trees, and shrubs. There is an easy 1-mile walking trail around the perimeter of the sanctuary which takes visitors around the grassland and along Little Wildcat Creek. Visitors may access the sanctuary by driving around the pond and heading right down the gravel drive. THINGS TO SEE

Birds- A main objective is to improve and create habitat for native grassland birds. In spring and summer many species can be observed including American Kestral, Eastern Meadowlark, Dickcissel, Eastern Bluebirds, and Tree Swallows. The adjacent pond is currently open for fishing by the landowner and hosts many species of ducks and waterfowl in winter along with Bald Eagles. Native plants- The Land Trust is currently working to improve the biodiversity of native plants on the preserve. Look for an explosion of swamp milkw**d in summer around the edges of the pond. Wildlife- The Sanctuary hosts many species of birds along with white-tailed deer, armadillos, coyotes, and several species of native fish in Little Wildcat Creek. Preserve Regulations:

Open dawn to dusk. Enter at your own risk. In case of emergency, dial 911. Foot traffic only; no bikes or motorized vehicles. Dogs must be leashed. Please clean up after your pets. Stay on designated trails only. Do not feed or disturb wildlife. No collecting of plants, flowers, or other natural elements. Unauthorized fishing and trapping prohibited. Hunting prohibited. No camping or campfires. Pack out what you pack in; leave no trace.

08/18/2025

🎉 TICKETS ARE LIVE! 🎉
Acre x Acre is BACK Oct. 16 at the Historic Ozark Mountain Smokehouse!
Join us for:
🎤 Guest Speaker: Announcement Coming!
🎶 Music Guest: Announcement Coming!
🍖 Rudy’s BBQ + local brews

Get your tickets here: https://www.nwalandtrust.org/calendar/acre-x-acre-2025/

08/05/2025

Today we’re giving a big shoutout to Caroline Decker & David Johnson for their generous support of our Adopt A Preserve program in 2025. 🌻 As local conservation champions, their gift directly helps maintain trails, restore critical habitat, and keep our preserves accessible for all to enjoy.

Thanks to their support, all five of our preserves thrive as safe havens for wildlife and people alike.

Interested in adopting too? Reach out: [email protected]

07/31/2025

🌿 Help us honor local conservation heroes! 🌿
We’re now accepting nominations for our 2025 Acre by Acre Honorees—three awards recognizing individuals, groups, or organizations leading the charge for land conservation in Northwest Arkansas.

🏆 Award Categories:
✨ Arkansas Conservation Legend – A lifetime of dedication to conservation.
✨ NWALT Conservation Partner of the Year – Outstanding commitment to sustaining NWALT.
✨ NWALT Conservation Stewardship Award – Excellence in conservation science or land management.

💚 Nominate your conservation champions today! Honorees will be announced Sept. 19 and celebrated at Acre by Acre on Oct. 16, 2025. Submit for one—or all three—awards!

🔗 https://forms.office.com/r/JixthyHz8J

07/24/2025

🪺 It’s hatching season at Betty Hinshaw Bird Sanctuary!

Look at these tiny Tree Swallow hatchlings from a check last week: they clearly assumed we had food. Those wide-open mouths are a survival instinct, triggered by movement near the nest. It’s their way of saying “feed me!” to their hardworking parents.

Most of our nest boxes are full of life right now — with both Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows raising their young or soon to be hatching. It’s shaping up to be a great year for baby birds!

🐣 Tree Swallows are incredible aerial acrobats and excellent pest controllers, feasting on flying insects. By protecting their nesting habitat, we’re supporting local biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.

Thank you for helping us keep this sanctuary wild and thriving.

07/22/2025

We’re grateful to Prism Design Studio for supporting our 2025 Adopt A Preserve program! ✨ As an architectural and design firm, Prism knows the value of thoughtful, sustainable spaces — including the natural ones that inspire us every day.

Their commitment helps care for trails, wildlife habitat, and public access at Wilson Springs, Betty Hinshaw Bird Sanctuary, Flint Creek, Lake Frances, and Steele-Stevens Heritage Park.

Want to get involved? Email [email protected]

07/15/2025

Thank you to Mockingbird Estate Sales for adopting Betty Hinshaw Bird Sanctuary in 2025 for our Adopt A Preserve Program! 🕊️ Mockingbird helps families navigate transitions while giving new life to treasured belongings — and now they’re helping protect one of Northwest Arkansas’s most unique natural spaces.

Their support helps restore critical bird habitat, maintain trails, and keep this special grassland sanctuary accessible to the community.

Want to support local nature? Join Mockingbird and adopt a preserve today! [email protected]

07/14/2025

Look at how well our seed mix is showing up at the Betty Hinshaw Bird Sanctuary! 🌱🦋 Spotted an Eastern Tailed-Blue butterfly enjoying some of the beautiful blooms from the seed mix Renee and Brittney planted back in March. Excited to see this pollinator-friendly habitat coming to life!

07/11/2025

🌿 Join Our Adopt A Preserve Family! 🌿

We’re so grateful for our 2025 Adopt A Preserve supporters who help keep Northwest Arkansas healthy and accessible for all:

🟢 Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s Outdoor Fund
🟢 The Clorox Company Company
🟢 Crafton Tull
🟢 Prism Design Studio
🟢 Mockingbird Estate Sales
🟢 Sam's Club
🟢 Walmart
🟢 Caroline Decker & David Johnson
🟢 The Thompson Family

These generous businesses and individuals help us care for Wilson Springs Preserve, Betty Hinshaw Bird Sanctuary, Flint Creek Preserve, Lake Frances Preserve, and Steele-Stevens Heritage Park — protecting trails, restoring habitat, ensuring public access, and supporting community events and education.

When you Adopt A Preserve, you directly fund:
🌱 Trail maintenance & repair
🦋 Habitat restoration
📚 Education & outreach
🌿 Invasive species control
🔬 Biological monitoring
🫶 Community conservation events

Your name or logo is proudly displayed on preserve signs, our website, and newsletters — plus you get a behind-the-scenes look at the land you’re helping protect.

✨ Together, we make sure these places stay wild and welcoming for everyone, forever.

Want to see your name on a trail sign next year? Let’s talk: [email protected]

07/09/2025

We’re thrilled to recognize Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's Outdoor Fund for supporting our 2025 Adopt A Preserve program! 🎣🏞️ Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s share a mission of connecting people to the outdoors and protecting wildlife habitats across North America. Their Outdoor Fund empowers conservation projects just like ours.
Because of partners like them, we can maintain trails, restore habitats, and ensure public access at Wilson Springs Preserve, Betty Hinshaw Bird Sanctuary, Flint Creek Preserve, Lake Frances Preserve, and Steele-Stevens Heritage Park.

Interested in adopting a preserve too? Reach out: [email protected]

07/02/2025

🌿 Why We Fight Invasives 🌿
Invasive species may seem harmless at first glance — but when plants like perilla mint, bush honeysuckle, or kudzu move in, they change everything.

Unlike native plants that grow in balance with local wildlife and soils, invasives often have no natural predators or diseases here to keep them in check. They spread aggressively, taking up space, sunlight, water, and nutrients that native plants need to survive.

When native plants disappear, so do the insects, birds, and other wildlife that rely on them for food and shelter. This ripple effect weakens entire ecosystems, reduces biodiversity, and can even harm water quality and soil health.

That’s why our stewardship team — and our amazing volunteers — work year-round to control invasive species on our preserves. Every w**d pulled, vine cut, or patch removed helps native habitats recover and thrive like they’re meant to.

💚 Thank you for caring for the land with us — every season, every year. Together, we’re keeping Northwest Arkansas wild and resilient!

06/05/2025

🌍 For World Environment Day, we spent some time doing what we love most—caring for the land.

This week we pulled invasive garlic mustard from our Flint Creek Headwaters Preserve. It’s not glamorous work, but it’s deeply important. Invasives like garlic mustard push out native plants and throw entire ecosystems out of balance.

Protecting land isn’t just about setting it aside—it’s about showing up, again and again, to help it thrive. Plus, we love to see some unique nature like orange fungi while we’re out there doing the work—little reminders of how wild and wonderful these places really are. 🌿🧡

Here’s to the quiet work that keeps nature wild. 💚

05/14/2025

📍Monitoring Season = Wrapped!
From October to April, our team hiked, documented, and checked in on the lands we protect — and now we’re officially closing out another successful monitoring season!

🌲 48 properties monitored
📏 7,486 acres covered (or 9,920 acres if you include the two we monitor on behalf of other land trusts: Keels Creek & Johnny Cake Ranch!)
🗓️ 7 months of site visits, conversations, and stewardship

So… what is monitoring, anyway?
Each year, we visit every property we’ve either protected with a conservation easement or own outright to ensure that conservation goals are being upheld. That means:
🧭 Reviewing easements & reports
📸 Documenting current conditions
🦌 Noting wildlife sightings & ecological changes
🧑‍🌾 Chatting with landowners
📂 Completing detailed reports to ensure transparency and long-term care

One of the hidden joys of this work? Winter hikes. With the leaves off the trees, we’re treated to stunning views—and even frozen waterfalls on occasion. ❄️ We’ve also tracked otter and beaver prints in fresh snow, spotted wildlife we’d never see in summer, and shared steaming mugs of coffee on porches with landowners while swapping stories and discussing future plans for the land they love.

Thanks to everyone who welcomed us onto their land, asked good questions, and helped us keep these special places protected for generations to come. 💚

Address

2150 S. Barrington Road Springdale, AR 72762
Springdale, AR
72762

Website

http://www.nwalandtrust.org/

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