RUSSELLVILLE — A new regional organization has been created to help conserve 28 federally designated wilderness areas in Arkansas, Illinois and Missouri.
Volunteers have established Arkansas/Illinois/Missouri for Wilderness Stewardship, Inc., a nonprofit organization. The group will recruit, train and field volunteers and eventually some paid seasonal staff members to visit the 28 wilderness areas and establish a baseline for their current health.
Charles Bell, the new organization's chairman, said the tristate area has an incredible natural resource in its wilderness areas. But while Congress has protected the lands, Bell said it has not appropriated the money federal land agencies need to adequately manage them and citizen volunteers can help fill the gap.
Bell said the wilderness areas suffer from invasive species, illegal trails, insect infestations, trash deposits, noise pollution and many other problems.