The Caulk Island property is in the southeast portion of Desha County, Arkansas, on the east side (Mississippi Side) of the Mississippi River and the unprotected (batture) side of the Mississippi River mainline levee system.
Lake Whittington forms part of the boundary of the island. This lake, formerly Bolivar Bend, was cut off from the main channel of the Mississippi River by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1937.
Though the property is within the boundaries of Arkansas, the land is accessed through Mississippi. The easement is approximately 10,712 acres and is Mississippi Land Trust’s largest easement.
This property consists of
- bottomland hardwoods (45%)
- emergent forest/shrub/scrub (21%)
- open water (13%)
- hardwood restoration (8%)
- cottonwood plantation with hardwood under-planting (6%)
- open field (3%)
- out parcels (2%)
- pine forests (2%)
Caulk Island’s owners have consistently applied silviculture techniques to enhance the forest. These include reforestation, under-planting, timber-stand improvement, herbicide treatment of undesirable forest competitors, and tree shelter installation. A monument has been placed to commemorate the reforestation efforts at Caulk Island.
The owners promote hunting on Caulk Island to provide recreational opportunities, owner equity, and wildlife population control through sustainable harvest. The property has a high-quality white-tailed deer population.
Caulk Island is also home to nesting bald eagles and a black bear population.
Success Stories
Read through the stories of 12 landowners and the success that the conservation easements had.