Natural Resources Management

Natural resource management is a mission essential task for Lake Ouachita Field Office.  The Natural Resource Team utilizes sound environmental stewardship practices during all management activities.  Some of these activities include:

• Prescribed burns for timber and wildlife habitat improvement
• Wildlife surveys
• Wood duck and blue bird box program
• Fish shelters
• Aquatic resource and vegetation control
• Wildlife habitat improvement areas for deer, quail, and turkey
• Tree planting

Buckville and Cedar Fouche Area
Photo by: Dan Valovich

Lake Ouachita is located within the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains adjacent to the Gulf Coastal Plain.  Approximately 20,000 acres of Lake Ouachita forest land are managed through techniques that include selective thinning, prescribed burning and timber stand improvement.  Through these practices wildlife habitat and aesthetics are greatly enhanced. In addition, annual timber sales provide economic stimulus for the local timber industry.

Many species of wildlife make their home at Lake Ouachita.  White-tailed deer, black bears, bobcat, raccoons, opossums and skunks are common mammals found around the lake.  Birds you may encounter include bald eagles, many duck species, coots, loons, herons and wild turkeys.

The staff at Lake Ouachita is actively involved in managing these resources through wildlife population surveys for predators, bobwhite quail, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, squirrels and bald eagles.  We provide nesting boxes for wood ducks and eastern bluebirds.