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Ozark Mountain forests (WWF ecoregion NA0412)

east of Hartshorne, OK
Five miles east of Hartshorne, Oklahoma on Hwy. 1 (c) 2010 Ron Thomas


Source of bioregions data: Olson, D. M. and E. Dinerstein. The Global 200: Priority ecoregions for global conservation. (PDF file) Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 89:125-126.

Distinctiveness (1=highest,4=lowest): 2 (regionally outstanding)
The region has distinctive freshwater communities and the mountainous areas (Boston and Ouachita) have some of the best-developed oak-hickory forests in the United States.*

Conservation Status (1=most endangered, 5=most intact):  2 (endangered)
Only about 3% of the ecoregion is intact habitat and this is highly fragmented.  The remaining intact habitat is mostly at high elevations and is threatened by logging, fire suppression, and conversion to agriculture.*

Characteristic species*
 
Quercus alba (white oak)
Quercus rubra (northern red oak)
Carya texana and other Carya spp.
Pinus echinata (shortleaf pine)
Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar)

Some associated habitats

Forested hills, eastern Oklahoma
hills west of Talihina, OK west trailhead, Ouachita Trail, OK
(left) Hills and grassland 8.5 miles west of Talihina, OK,  (right) west trailhead of Ouachita Ntl. Rec. Trail. (c) 2010 Ron Thomas  hires  hires
 
Mixed coniferous and deciduous forest, Talimena Scenic Drive, Ouachita National Forest, eastern Oklahoma
 Talimena Scenic Drive, OK Lenox Vista Talimena Scenic Drive, OK Horse Thief Springs, Talimena Scenic Drive, OK Kerr Botanical Center, Talimena Scenic Drive, OK
(far left) Hwy 271& Hwy 1, (near left) Lenox Vista, (near right) Horse Thief Springs, (far right) Kerr Botanical Center  (c) 2010 Ron Thomas  hires  hires  hires  hires
 
Deciduous forest, Ozark National Forest, northwest Arkansas
Ozark Ntl. Forest near Cass, AR Ozark Ntl. Forest near Cass, AR Ozark Nt. Forest near Cass, AR
Hwy 23 near Cass, AR. (c) 2010 Ron Thomas  hires  hires  hires
Roadside, Buffalo National River, northwest Arkansas
Roadside near Boxley, AR; Buffalo Ntl. River
Near Boxley, AR. (c) 2010 Ron Thomas  hires
Agricultural use, Searcy County, northwest Arkansas
Osborne Rd., Searcy Co., AR Tomahawk Rd., Searcy Co., AR
(left) Osbourne Rd., (right) Tomahawk Rd. (c) 2010 Ron Thomas  hires  hires
Riparian habitats, northwest Arkansas
stream in Searcy County, AR Collier lookoff, Tyler's Bend, Buffalo Ntl. River, AR Dry Creek, Gilbert Co., AR
(left) stream in Searcy County, (center) Collier lookoff - Tyler's Bend, Buffalo National River in Searcy County, (right) Dry Creek - Buffalo National River in Gilbert County. (c) 2010 Ron Thomas  hires  hires  hires

* Ricketts, T.H., E. Dinerstein, D.M. Olson, C.J. Loucks, et al.  (1999) Terrestrial Ecoregions of North America: A Conservation Assessment.  World Wildlife Fund - United States and Canada.  Island Press, Washington, D.C. pp. 164-166.

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