AR HCR1014

Arkansas leads the country in rice production at 50% of U.S. output, contributing over $6 billion annually to the state economy and employing more than 25,000 workers, with flooded rice fields providing over one-third of calories for wintering waterfowl.

More than 50,000 acres of greentree reservoirs in wildlife management areas require renovation and upgrades to their levees and water control infrastructure, as oaks are suffering severe water stress and damage after decades of use.

Waterfowl hunting generates an estimated $70 million annually in economic impact from over 100,000 hunters each year, contributing approximately $1 million per day during duck season.

The General Assembly supports collaborative conservation efforts for waterfowl and waterfowl habitat on public and private lands and encourages the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism to work with the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission to include bottomland hardwood restoration projects in the Arkansas Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan.

The North American Wetlands Conservation Act has conserved over 77,000 acres of wildlife habitat in Arkansas, with private-public partnerships identified as the most successful method for delivering resources to conserve waterfowl habitat.