A New American Town - Bentonville, Arkansas

Arkansas’s First Firefly Sanctuary Lights Bentonville with Natural Wonder

• Visit Bentonville • Season 7 • Episode 12

Share episode

Join the conversation with NWA Master Naturalist—Pam Morgan— for an illuminating look at Bentonville's brand-new Firefly Sanctuary at Coler Mountain Bike Preserve.

Hear how Coler became the first certified firefly sanctuary West of the Mississippi, the magic and ecology behind Bentonville’s landscape, tips for prime firefly viewing, and more information on what Master Naturalists do around the whole state.  

Whether you're an outdoor enthusiast or just appreciate nature's simple wonders, this episode lets you experience the enchanting glow of lightning bugs right in Bentonville. 

You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, CastBox, Podcast Casts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Podcast Addict.  

Don't forget, Visit Bentonville is here to assist you in finding things to do, where to eat and stay, and find out what's going on in the city. Visit our website visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our enewsletter here.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and LinkedIn.  

You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, CastBox, Podcast Casts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Podcast Addict.

Find us at visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.

Jaclyn House:

Welcome to A New American Town, a podcast proudly presented by Visit Bentonville. I am your host, Jaclyn House, broadcasting from Haxton Road Studios near Bentonville Square. Join us as we share captivating stories and updates from our city, connecting you with the locals that make this town worth visiting. Now, today I'm visiting with Pam Morgan. Pam is an NWA Master Naturalist. Welcome to the podcast. Yeah, absolutely, let's talk about what does it mean to be a master naturalist?

Pam Morgan:

Okay, sure. So master naturalists are volunteers that go through a program to learn all about the natural world here in Northwest Arkansas. So we go through a program that's about 3 months long and in that time we take classes every week. Most of the classes are online and they're by local scientists, biologists, naturalists, and we learn about birds, insects, the geology of the area, the weather, just anything natural a lot about native plants. So at the end of that time we graduate and become official certified master naturalists and then to stay certified we need to volunteer 40 hours every year and we volunteer with local organizations doing things like removing invasive species, planting flowers, teaching kids through interpretive programs or adults through interpretive programs, or doing various citizen science projects like counting insects or maintaining bluebird boxes throughout the area.

Jaclyn House:

Okay, so you're really involved with kind of keeping our natural state beautiful and natural. Yes, okay, I love that. How did you get into that?

Pam Morgan:

I've always loved nature. But then I had a career and just worked behind a desk like a lot of people and just you know it was limited to going out on the weekends and going for hikes and I always sort of stayed involved. But then we moved to Bentonville about 3 years ago and it's just so amazing here, such great natural resources, and I heard about the master naturalist program and I said I want to do that. So I signed up and ever since then it's just I'm just outside all the time and I've learned so much and I'm continuing to learn a lot more about the natural world, but I just love the whole program.

Jaclyn House:

Yeah, speaking of learning things, I'm just learning today about the Master Naturalist program that we have here in Northwest Arkansas, but then also your involvement with Coler and a Firefly Sanctuary designation yeah. Tell us more about that.

Pam Morgan:

Yeah, absolutely. So this is something brand new we're doing this year and Master Naturalists are encouraged to not only volunteer for organizations who have a need, we're encouraged to start our own projects. So the Master Naturalists here in Bentonville wanted to do a project that's in town sometimes we go to Hobbs or Devil's Den or Rogers or Bella Vista and we wanted to do a project that is in Bentonville and that is very Bentonville and we at the time it was summer last year, so of course the fireflies are out and we heard that there are no firefly sanctuaries in Arkansas and in fact there are none west of the Mississippi. So we just started researching hey, what would it look like to have a firefly sanctuary in Bentonville? And we approached the folks at Peel Compton Foundation who own Coler Mountain Bike Preserve and they loved the the idea.

Pam Morgan:

And Kohler is perfect for a firefly sanctuary because there are a lot of fireflies there and it has all of the elements really necessary for a sanctuary. So they loved the idea of having a firefly sanctuary at Kohler. So really great people to work with made it really easy for us to just say, hey, let's, let's do this. And and one thing we love to do as Master Naturalists is share our knowledge and education with other people. So we're going to do some interpretive programs where we're going to do firefly walks at Coler. And again, Coler loves doing programs, so they encouraged us and they're partnering with us to get those programs going.

Jaclyn House:

I just love fireflies. Nothing says summer to me like fireflies. That's how I know it's summertime when I see fireflies and I'm still a kid at heart sometimes, and so I like to catch them. You know, in my hand. Peek in there and let them go and I just I think they're very fascinating. It could be very dark and the fireflies just light up and it's just very, very beautiful. Why fireflies?

Pam Morgan:

That why— exactly why people find them magical. I mean, I find them magical and everybody I mentioned this project to you can just see their eyes start to light up, like I will tell them that I look at native plants and they just kind of look. at me Unless they're other plant people, or butterflies or bees or birds I mean a lot of people, like all of those creatures as well. But if I mentioned fireflies, people just light up. It's remembering what you did as a kid, I guess, and then so I thought I don't know much about fireflies. I know what they look like, I know that they light up and they flash and they're beautiful. And I started researching fireflies and you just said they're fascinating creatures. They're very fascinating, but not many people know exactly how fascinating they are, and that's one thing we want to share at this, at these firefly walks, is just how interesting these insects are.

Pam Morgan:

For example, I wanted to plant some things in my garden to attract more fireflies, because I do that for butterflies and I do that for bees. Did you know that adult fireflies do not eat anything? They don't eat plants and they don't nectar on flowers. So at first I was a little disappointed. I planted this for you. Right?

Pam Morgan:

There isn't just one plant I can plant for a firefly. So I started researching and learned that fireflies spend most of their lives as larva under the leaf litter or in the soil. They spend up to two years as larva and then they spend maybe three to four weeks as an adult and as larva. They don't eat plants either. They don't eat leaves, like a caterpillar, for a butterfly will eat leaves, but a larva of a firefly eats slugs, snails and worms. So there are a lot of things I can do in my garden for fireflies, but it's not about planting a particular plant. I can leave a leaf litter, I can grow some grass for them to hide in during the day, but it's not about just one plant. So those are things that I certainly didn't know, and when I talk to people they don't know that either.

Jaclyn House:

Yeah, the conversation with Coler, when you all approached them and says, hey, here's kind of our idea. What was their feedback?

Pam Morgan:

Oh, they were just really, really excited. One, the site is just perfect. And two, everybody loves fireflies. So their eyes lit up and they're like oh, we can do something with fireflies and the fact that the fireflies are there already. They didn't have to do anything. They didn't have to change the site at all. It is a firefly sanctuary. We're just designating it to make sure it stays that way, and things that they need to continue to do is not use pesticides or herbicides. There's a nice clean water source with the stream going through there. There's lots of native plants. They don't clean up the leaf litter and one of the most important things for a firefly sanctuary is to have no lights. So it is dark at Kohler at night. They have a light at the parking lot and at Airship Coffee, but the rest of the place is dark, and that's really really important for fireflies.

Jaclyn House:

But now they know that. So they won't put a whole bunch of lights along the greenway, because it won't be a firefly sanctuary if there's lights. Ok, that was going to be. My next question is you know how will Coler and you all work together to take care of those, the fireflies that are there?

Pam Morgan:

They're doing everything they are supposed to do right now and now. We gave them a talk on fireflies, so educated the staff there at Coler about fireflies, so now they know.

Jaclyn House:

Okay, as we're all enjoying Coler, as we're, you know, walking, biking, strolling along the trail, what can we do, just as humans, just to make sure that that space stays safe for the fireflies?

Pam Morgan:

The best thing to do is just stay on the trails because, as I said, the larvae are there in the leaf litter and under the soil, and so if you go off the trail you could be trampling the larvae and I know sometimes you have to or you can but just be aware that that's where they are. They're hiding there all year round, in the winter and the summer and the fall. So just stay on the trails. That's really the only thing, as visitors, we need to do.

Jaclyn House:

Okay, Tell us more about the Master Naturalist program. If people are listening and they want to learn more. Tell us again how that process works.

Pam Morgan:

Sure, so we're the Northwest Arkansas chapter of the Arkansas Master Naturalists and they have one class every year, one graduating class, I believe. They start taking signups for the class in December and then the class starts in January and goes through early April and you go to one class per week, either on a Saturday morning or a Tuesday evening. The same class repeats, Like I said, it might be a class on birds, for example, so it's usually a Zoom lecture. There are some classes in person and I think this year the class is about 60 people that are going to graduate my class maybe was about 60 as well and then there's a big retreat where they go to ONSC that's Ozark Natural Science Center. There's a big retreat where they go to ONSC that's Ozark Natural Science Center and have some more in-person classes and just celebrate graduating and then, once you've graduated, it's just this incredible network of people.

Pam Morgan:

I've met the most amazing people. Some people are already scientists, Most people are like me who just are interested in the natural world and we just learn together so much and we go on hikes together and we volunteer together and it's just. We have inquiring minds about the natural world and it's all about conservation. We want to keep the natural state natural and a wonderful resource, like it is today Sure.

Jaclyn House:

Any other spaces, natural spaces here in Bentonville that the Naturals Program is helping preserve? Maybe is there a spot over at Crystal Bridges? Because I know they have a lot of great wooden areas and natural spaces over there.

Pam Morgan:

We have done some programs at Crystal Bridges. I think we've done a few talks there for the public and we really just partner with people who reach out to us and say we need some volunteers. For example, Compton Gardens we go, they have a volunteer day usually once a month and we go and we help them in the greenhouse, we help them remove invasive species or plant some natives. And I just this past Saturday was at Osage Park and we were planting some dogwood trees and removing invasive species.

Jaclyn House:

So we we go out and help wherever people ask us to come as you're giving these talks and these classes for people in the community, what's something that you hope that they come away with?

Pam Morgan:

Just how amazing the world is, how fascinating the creatures in it are. Before I became a master naturalist, I used to go on hikes and it was mostly about being outside but exercising and just going fast, getting my heart rate up and just enjoying being outside. But now I go so slowly my husband laughs at me because we just like spend so long on hikes. Because I'm looking at everything. I want to identify every plant, I want to turn over rocks and see every insect I can find. I want to look at the trees and observe their leaves, and we just want to share that.

Pam Morgan:

You don't have to go anywhere far away. All of this is right. Here in Bentonville there are so many trails you can go hiking on. There's something new to see every single time you go out every different season, or then you might go on a trail and see a flower that wasn't blooming last week when you were there and just spend some time. It's been proven that being out in nature is really good for people's mental health, physical health, well-being, and just getting out in nature and calmly enjoying and observing that we're not the only people on this planet. Well, persons on this planet. We might be the only humans on this planet, but all the insects and other life share this planet with us and we need to be mindful of that and consider them when we're doing things like developing or spraying pesticides.

Jaclyn House:

It seems like this is a great way to connect with things outside of yourself. To your point, if you're outside and you're just out there just because you just want to be outside maybe take that a little bit further and observe the things that are around you, listen to the you know the creeks or the birds singing, or maybe even bend down and see kind of what insects that you see as you are out and about.

Pam Morgan:

Yeah, it's definitely a way to get outside of yourself and outside of your own problems, because you've got your own problems. But then you go out there and you see the birds just living their lives and it's very calming. I've just started to get a little more into bird watching so that you have to really focus on what you're hearing. So it's very much thinking about all of the different songs you're hearing and trying to identify which bird and then going and looking for them. So it's very much thinking about all of the different songs you're hearing and trying to identify which bird and then going and looking for them. So it's a treasure hunt as well, and you just forget everything that's going on in your life because you're so focused on listening and looking at things.

Jaclyn House:

Is there a sweet spot at Coler that you would recommend, maybe where there's the most gathered fireflies?

Pam Morgan:

Yeah, so we've only designated part of Coler as a firefly sanctuary, and it's right as you, if you park at the South Gateway parking lot on Northwest 3rd, you walk over the singing bridge and then you will see the sign that says Certified Firefly Habitat. It's kind of a little boardwalk that overlooks the creek and you'll see a field, a grassy field. You'll see a creek and there's a lawn, so you can continue along the greenway and go down on the lawn as well and be down there with the creek. A lot of people take their dogs down there.

Jaclyn House:

That the firefly sanctuary, so that's the sweet spot, okay okay, good to know any other insects, um or um, bugs or even birds that the naturalist program is looking for.

Pam Morgan:

Maybe to do another designation here locally they've just added bluebird boxes at Osage Park. Okay, so they have a bluebird box program in Bella Vista and so they, just in the last month or so, came and started training the folks at Osage Park to manage the park for bluebirds and put up some bluebird boxes. So that's one thing.

Jaclyn House:

What do you think are the long-term impacts things like this program could have here on our community? You know, having a firefly designation, the bluebird box, what are the long-term impacts you think we'll see in our community?

Pam Morgan:

Well, I think it allows people to think before they do things in their own lawns. Or maybe developers who are you know, just give a little bit of consideration with the other creatures that we share this planet, with native plants and I've done this before in other places I've lived and you just see so many more birds and butterflies and bees and it's amazing. And most lawns are fairly sterile and there's no place for insects or birds to get food or shelter or anything. So there's a lot people can do with their own yards, just adding a few plants, a few trees. And if everybody does that in their own yard, that's going to make a really big difference for wildlife.

Jaclyn House:

Yeah Well, this podcast is presented by Visit Bentonville, and I always like to ask our guests some of their favorite things to do in Bentonville.

Pam Morgan:

Well, obviously I like to hike, so I like to go to Compton Gardens and look at all the plants. Osage Park we go out in the evenings and look for the beavers, and when we see the beavers we'll often see other wildlife like rabbits and bats and turtles and other creatures, and just walk along the bike trails as well. I do like to bike a little bit, but mostly just in town, not on the mountain bike trails. Going to Crystal Bridges is one of my favorite as well. Yeah that is definitely beautiful.

Jaclyn House:

If people want to learn more about the Master Naturalist Program, how can they do that?

Pam Morgan:

There's a website. I don't know the URL off the top of my head, but you just Google Arkansas Master Naturalists and then look up the Northwest Arkansas Master Naturalist chapter naturalist. Or if you are a nonprofit or a school who just wants a master naturalist to come do a program at your, at your site, there's a place where you can reach out to us there too. We also have a Facebook page.

Jaclyn House:

Okay! Well we hope you have a chance to check out that firefly designation over at Coler. Don't forget, Visit Bentonville is here to assist you, to navigate you with things to do, where to eat and stay and, of course, what's going on in the city. Give us a follow on social media and check out our website at visitbentonville. com. Thanks for listening.