Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcome to this installment of the Know the news podcast. I'm your host, Chris Swindle, metro editor for the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. In this week's podcast, we speak with Pam Morgan with the Northwest Arkansas master naturalist about the new Firefly sanctuary at Kohler Mountain Bike Preserve in Bentonville. This is in advance of a story on the topic that we'll publish in an upcoming edition of the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
Today on Know the news, I am joined by Pam Morgan with the Northwest Arkansas master naturalist and Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette staff writer Thomas Sinte, and we're going to try to shine a light on the new Firefly sanctuary at Kohler Mountain Bike Preserve. Thank you both for joining me today. Pam, as I understand it, your group, the NWA master naturalist, was instrumental in making the sanctuary a reality and locating it at Kohler Mountain. Can you tell us a bit about that process and how the decision was made to have it there?
[00:01:09] Speaker B: Sure. Well, the master naturalists are volunteers who are dedicated to improving the natural world in Arkansas, and we do all sorts of projects around the area, such as removing invasive plants or setting up bluebird boxes, etcetera. And I got together with a group of master naturalists who also live in Bentonville, and we wanted to do a project that was close to home. So we sat around brainstorming what some possible projects could be, and we realized that there are no firefly sanctuaries in Arkansas.
And I had kind of been looking into fireflies at the time, so I knew there were a couple around the country, mostly on the east coast, and there's none in Arkansas. So we thought, what a great project to set up a Firefly project here in Arkansas, here in Bentonville. And again, we just kept brainstorming and thinking of what some possible locations for this Firefly sanctuary would be. And we immediately thought of Kohler because it's a very natural area that's maintained for wildlife as well as people, mountain bikes, of course, and recreation. So we went and visited just to take a look and confirm that we thought it was, would be a good location. And a couple people have seen a lot of fireflies there, so they agreed it would be a good location.
We approached the people at Peel Compton foundation to suggest the idea, and they really, really liked it. Their mission is all about connecting people to the outdoors through education and recreation and conservation. And this fit in just really perfectly with the mission of Peel Compton Foundation. Peel Compton owns Kohler, as well as a couple of other properties in town, such as Osage Park, Compton Gardens, and the Peel Museum.
So after that, it just went really fast and really smoothly. They liked the idea. We were all on board, so we talked about how this would work, and they already set up various programs, so they agreed to set up some programs where we could lead Firefly walks for the public to educate people about fireflies and also let them experience the sanctuary.
[00:03:41] Speaker C: With this being the first designated Firefly sanctuary in the state, I was curious, you know, I don't know a lot about how your group works with other similar groups throughout the state or nationwide. And I'm curious as to whether or not you have plans to do more sanctuaries of this nature and get them designated in other parts of the state or other parts of the region. Do you have anything like that on your radar right now?
[00:04:07] Speaker B: Yes, actually, that is the plan. And there is another Firefly sanctuary that will be opening up soon in another part of Arkansas. But I don't want to steal their thunder, so I'm not going to say where that is.
Leave them a cliffhanger.
Right. So look for that. And in June, the master naturalists have their annual conference. It's called bioblast. And at that time, our team here with the northwest Arkansas master naturalists are going to present a challenge to master naturalists around the state to open up Firefly sanctuaries in other areas of the state.
You're the first to hear it. They don't know about this yet.
[00:04:51] Speaker C: They're going to find out.
Maybe you could expand a little bit on what does it mean in simple terms, to have an area designated as a firefly sanctuary?
[00:05:05] Speaker A: What comes with that?
[00:05:07] Speaker B: Sure.
A firefly sanctuary is someplace that is designated as safe for fireflies. So the Kohler, for example, already manages their property so that it's safer fireflies, even though they didn't really realize they were doing it. Some of the things that are really important for a firefly sanctuary are to use no pesticides, because pesticides will kill insects and also the food that insects eat. And one important thing that a lot of people don't think about is to have no lights. In the Firefly sanctuary area along the greenway in Kohler, there are no lights. So lights are really harmful for fireflies because they use their flashes to attract a mate. And when there are outdoor lights, such as porch lights or street lights or lights along a trail, they can't find a mate very easily. So polar is dark in that area. So that is one important thing for a fireflying sanctuary. Another important element is water. There's a really clean stream that runs through the park, and fireflies need either some source of water or at least for some species, it's okay to just have a damp area with leaf litter because firefly larva eat snails, slugs, and worms, and their food requires some sort of moisture, and Kohler just has a really good stream running through it. Other things that are important for the sanctuary are having long grass and native shrubs and plants.
The fireflies spend most of their life as larva, and during that time they hide in the leaf litter and they hide under long grass, and the adult fireflies will also perch in the long grass and hide under it during the day. So those are some other important things.
[00:07:11] Speaker A: We're going to take a quick break and then come right back. Stay with us.
[00:07:15] Speaker D: If you're enjoying this podcast, consider a newspaper subscription to the northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette or the River Valley Democrat Gazette. We have a special offer for our podcast listeners, so visit nwa online.com nwapodcast to get started. You can also click the subscribe button on our websites, nWA online.com and rivervalleydemocratgazette.com. Or call us at 479-684-5509 and be sure to say that you're a podcast listener. Now back to the show.
[00:07:47] Speaker C: Growing up in Arkansas, I was always excited when the fireflies, or as we called them, lightning bugs, would come out in the summer. And I'm sure at this sanctuary there will be some beautiful displays, and there's.
[00:07:59] Speaker A: More to it than just the visual appeal. Why is it important to have an.
[00:08:03] Speaker C: Area designated as a firefly sanctuary in the first place?
[00:08:07] Speaker B: Well, the beauty of it is one important thing. It connects people to nature, and it's been proven that going out in nature is really good for people's mental health as well as physical health and emotional well being. So getting out at night in nature and observing the fireflies is just a really wonderful experience.
And nowadays a lot of people sit in front of the tv in the evenings, myself included. And this is one way of getting them out and getting them to experience the night and nature, that there's a lot of other animals and wonderful things out at night, such as bats and owls and other insects, and you can see the stars. So reconnecting people with the night is an important part of the firefly sanctuary.
Another important part is just fireflies are an indicator species of a good habitat. So like I said, Kohler has a really clean stream and no lights, which really supports a lot of wildlife. But if that stream became degraded, the fireflies would probably disappear. So that would be a really good clue that something about that habitat is not right. So other areas where you're seeing fireflies, and then all of a sudden you don't see fireflies, that is an indication that something is going on with the habitat.
[00:09:39] Speaker C: And as you mentioned, there are firefly walks being planned out there at Kohler Mountain for people who want to enjoy the lights and learn something. Is there anything more you want to say about that, about what that's going to look like and just how people, what people should expect when they go.
[00:10:00] Speaker A: Out for those, sure.
[00:10:02] Speaker B: So we're doing four walks this summer in late June, and they're actually already full in terms of registration.
And the reason we limited it to four walks this summer is because we want to make sure that we have the exact timing right.
Fireflies in other sanctuaries, they have usually a week or so where they're really peak, and the show is really spectacular. So we're not sure exactly when that is this year, and we're going to be watching and deciding when that is. And so next year we will probably offer more walks. But this year is, is our inaugural year, and we're kind of feeling it out on what the best timing is and how the program is going to work. But for those people who are already signed up, we are going to be starting at the pavilion and talking a little bit about fireflies and then leading people along the path to the sanctuary area. It's a very short walk along a paved greenway.
The planned program of talking about fireflies and leading people along the walk should take about 30 minutes or so. And then we want people to just enjoy the fireflies, just observe them, experience the magic of the fireflies, and reconnect with nature.
[00:11:31] Speaker C: Thomas, I'm going to switch to you for a minute here, and I know it's been a busy week, always is in the news business.
And so you're really just now getting.
[00:11:39] Speaker A: Down to putting all the reporting you've.
[00:11:40] Speaker C: Done on this story into story form.
And so I go in with that caveat at this point. What can you tell us about what is the most interesting thing that stuck out to you thus far as you've.
[00:11:54] Speaker A: Started working on the article?
[00:11:57] Speaker E: Well, I think that I've spoke with Pam Morgan and a couple of people over at Kohler for this story, but I also reached out to one Richard Joyce, an endangered species conservation biologist with organization called the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. It is kind of give a little insight into lack of firefly sanctuaries and fireflies, generally. Now, growing up in Little Rock, I am new of fireflies. Of course, I've seen fireflies, been around fireflies. But I guess.
I guess it just never really occurred to me that there could be, you know, sanctuaries dedicated to preserving fireflies. Not only preserving them, but providing people opportunities to learn more about them. I'm looking through the email that Richard had emailed me just now and for the story, and apparently Arkansas has at least 23 firefly species.
And that just kind of, kind of took me aback. I mean, I guess I just, even though I've been around fireflies my entire life, I guess what I'm trying to say is that through doing this story, I realized how little I actually know about them.
[00:13:24] Speaker C: I understand.
To accompany this story, you and I, we brainstormed and we did that quiz and to test people's knowledge of, of fireflies. And as I was looking up all that data, I had no idea that firefly eggs and larvas can sometimes glow completely unaware of that, or that you find fireflies on every continent except Antarctica. So you grow up around them, you see them all the time. You just don't really think about all.
[00:13:54] Speaker A: These little bits and pieces.
[00:13:57] Speaker E: Right, right. And Pam had mentioned in our, during our interview yesterday that fireflies, or at least some species of fireflies, can actually be, be toxic, which, you know, is something I didn't, I've never really thought about either. But then I get, you know, when you consider their kind of, you know, their makeup or physiology, I guess that kind of makes sense.
And she also was kind enough to mention a couple of the names of these species of fireflies. And I thought that they were really funny. And Pam, stop me if I get any of them wrong. A couple of names she had mentioned was a spring treetop flasher and, let's see, and a big dipper firefly, which I thought was very creative and fun to learn more about.
[00:14:48] Speaker B: Yeah, the spring treetop flasher is out there flashing right now, so you can actually go to Kohler anytime the park is open, I believe, until eleven and walk around and see the fireflies right now flashing in the trees.
[00:15:03] Speaker C: Well, I'm going to keep an eye out. You guys have got me very excited about looking around for fireflies this late spring and summer.
[00:15:13] Speaker A: Well, thank you both for joining me.
[00:15:14] Speaker C: And telling our listeners all about this project.
[00:15:16] Speaker A: I really appreciate it.
[00:15:18] Speaker B: Thank you for having me.
[00:15:19] Speaker E: My pleasure.
[00:15:21] Speaker A: In other news coming soon, Campbell Roper and Lydia Fletcher tell us about the annexation plans in Rogers and Cave Springs that have some area residents upset. Stacy Ryburn writes about the winning entry for the latest mural installment. Along Nelson Hackett Boulevard in Fayetteville, Ron Wood explains how local law enforcement agencies are using social media to help solve crimes. Tom Sissom looks into plans for expanding jail space in Washington county. In the River Valley, Monica brick reports from a symposium in Fort Smith focused on human trafficking, and she tells us about a $500,000 contribution to update the Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center. Sadie Licicero writes about a new discount for people 62 years old or older and active or retired military to use the Ben Gurion golf course in what's Up, Becca Martin Brown previews upcoming performances of the Spitfire Grill in Bentonville and Fat Ham in Fayetteville. Monica Hooper writes about the upcoming home Sweet Home music festival in Bentonville, as well as the April 23 performance by John Baptiste. Yep, you heard that right. John Baptiste at the momentary in Bentonville. In profiles, April Wallace shares the story of Michael Scupp, a guild historian for the Northwest Arkansas Handweavers Guild and a military veteran who began weaving as a way to help with his PTSD. All of this and more will be available to our subscribers on our tablet and smartphone apps and at our websites nWA online.com and rivervalleydemocratgazette.com. I really appreciate you listening to this point and want to thank you for your support of local journalism. Know the news is a weekly podcast brought to you by the newsrooms of the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette and the River Valley Democrat Gazette. Again, I'm Chris Swindle, your podcast host for this week. Have a great weekend, and until next Friday, so long.
