Looking to the future

City leaders wisely protect Lincoln Lake

We join the millions of folks who’ve seen the Buffalo River and love it anew every time we get a chance to touch its waters. And Hawksbill Crag, aka Whitaker Point, is said to be a candidate for the most photographed spot in Arkansas. It’s always a sight to see.

These locales are deserving of all the hoopla, but we’re occasionally reminded Arkansas, and particularly our part of it, is chock-full of lesser-known but awe-inspiring destinations where natural beauty almost overwhelms. One of the many outstanding places is Lincoln Lake.

The lake is a man-made reservoir, but it serves as a perfect centerpiece to the beautiful natural spaces around it.

Unbelievably, there were times when the city of Lincoln, which owns the nearly 400-acre property, considered selling it. That, according to Mayor Doug Hutchens, is what got him involved in local politics. And his involvement and that of others has now led to some considerable protections for Lincoln Lake.

Last month, the Lincoln City Council unanimously agreed to enter into a conservation easement agreement with the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust, an organization that’s sheltering natural areas of

Northwest Arkansas from development today and long beyond.

Anyone who has visited the lake and its surroundings knows its value extends beyond Lincoln to all of Northwest Arkansas. Massive boulders and jagged cliffs decorate the lake, which is surrounded by wooded areas perfect for hikes or biking. The lake itself is a perfect size for paddling and quiet fishing.

It’s not always easy to know what impact a decision today will have five, 10 or 100 years from now, but it’s no guesswork what a monumental decision the Lincoln City Council and the Land Trust made. With projections of a million people in the region in the next 20 or so years, the place will hardly be recognizable. But through this easement, Lincoln Lake will be preserved and conserved. That is a great gift for today and for many tomorrows to come.

With so many beautiful places just a short drive from urbanized areas today, it’s easy to assume they’ll always be there. That’s a bad assumption. The work of the Land Trust is preserving key properties that would be, eventually, subject to the pressures that come with a heavy influx of people. The trust is legally locking them down, ensuring Northwest Arkansas won’t entirely pave paradise to put up a parking lot.