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Forrest L. Wood Crowley's Ridge Nature Center wins award
LITTLE ROCK - The recently opened Forrest L. Wood Crowley's Ridge Nature Center in Jonesboro won The Natural State Award at the Arkansas Governor's Conference on Tourism, held March 6-9 in Little Rock.

 The nature center was one of three honorees in the category. The award is presented to an attraction that "stands out in the crowd" because of its unique appeal. The annual event honors individuals and organizations that have made important contributions to the state's tourism industry.

The Forrest L. Wood Crowley's Ridge Nature Center was chosen because of its unique showcase of the region, according to a capsule in the awards brochure. "The center received a great amount of community support in its development and construction," the brochure pointed out.

 The center opened its doors to the public during dedication ceremonies Aug. 25, 2004. It is named after Forrest L. Wood of Flippin who is perhaps the nearest thing to a living Arkansas legend in the outdoor field. Wood, with his famous Ranger Boats, is so strongly established in the forefront of sport fishing that his initials are now on a major professional bass tournament circuit, the FLW Tour. Gov. Mike Huckabee appointed him to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, where he sits as chairman, in 1998.

The Jonesboro site is the second of four such facilities, one of which opened in Pine Bluff in 2001. The other two nature centers will be in Fort Smith and central Arkansas.

 Construction began in March 2003 on a 17,000-square-foot education building, surrounded by more than 100 acres of woodlands at the base of Crowley's Ridge. Inside the center, exhibits reveal the natural forces that formed the 200-mile-long ridge and explain native wildlife, ranging from large game animals to small insects. The project cost $5.2 million, funded by Amendment 75 and a $900,000 National Scenic Byways grant.

In addition to self-guided exhibits and trails, the Forrest L. Wood Crowley's Ridge Nature Center offers many activities and nature education programs. The nature center and its programs are free to everyone.

The center is open year-round, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. The center is at 600 E. Lawson Road, off Arkansas Highway 1, at the southern edge of Jonesboro. Jodi Morris, director of the center, may be contacted at (870) 933-6787. Take a virtual tour of the center at www.crowleysridge.org.

 

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