CONWAY, Ark. (Sept. 7, 2011) – Hendrix College was recently approved for up to $122,640 in grant money from the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department’s Arkansas Recreational Trails Program.
The funds will be used to complete the trail system under development at Hendrix Creek Preserve, which borders The Village at Hendrix development adjacent to the Hendrix campus.
Hendrix Creek Preserve is a collaborative project involving The Village at Hendrix, Southwestern Energy, environmental studies and biology faculty, environmental engineers, and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.
An 18-acre multifunctional environment in the form of a conservation easement, it provides storm water management to prevent flooding within a 500-acre watershed area within the City of Conway, according to The Village at Hendrix website. Through selective plantings and controlled stream flows, water will leave the environment cleaner than when it enters. It will also collect and retain storm events to recharge the local aquifers. The constructed wetlands will promote nesting places for migratory birds and waterfowl. The improved habitat will function as an outdoor classroom to encourage the study of the natural systems. By redirecting and improving an existing overburdened stream, Hendrix Creek Preserve will create a natural public recreation area with trails and boardwalks.
“Hendrix Creek Preserve is an ecological, educational, recreational wonderland,” said Lawrence Finn, chief operating officer for The Village. “While most water management issues are resolved by installing drain pipes on city streets, The Village wanted to create a natural, educational, and practical solution.”
Founded in 1876, Hendrix College is a national leader in engaged liberal arts and sciences education. Hendrix is featured in the 2011 edition of the Princeton Review as one of the country’s best 376 colleges and is listed in the 2012 edition of the Fiske Guide to College as one of 25 “Best Buy” private colleges included. Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. For more information, visit www.hendrix.edu.