Hobbs State Park still recovering from Memorial Day weekend tornado

ROGERS, Ark (KNWA/KFTA) — As the area continues to recover from multiple tornadoes that hit the area, the cleanup has been slow for some spots in Northwest Arkansas.

Mark Clippinger, Hobbs State Park superintendent, is navigating a challenging recovery effort following devastating tornadoes that swept through the area over Memorial Day weekend.

Despite quickly reopening the main facilities within a week, the cleanup of debris has proven to be a slow process for the park.

The tornadoes left an impact, downing nearly 2,200 trees across Hobbs State Park’s extensive 54-mile trail system. Clippinger highlighted the difficulties faced in clearing these trails, noting the narrow paths and intertwined trees that complicate machinery access and pose risks to workers.

“Sometimes workers have to trek two to three miles with their equipment just to reach a work site,” Clippinger mentioned, emphasizing the hazardous nature of the cleanup operations in remote locations.

Assistance has poured in from various groups including the Arkansas Forestry Commission, AmeriCorps, and several volunteer groups, yet Clippinger indicated a need to bring in skilled contractors. Despite these challenges, Clippinger expressed concern that many visitors remain unaware of the extent of the damage.

“There’s many people I know that come in from out of town or even live in states that adjoin us or even Arkansas. They don’t are not aware of what happened up here,” he said.

The impact of the tornadoes goes beyond fallen trees; nearly 200 root balls have uplifted trail surfaces, necessitating extensive rebuilding efforts. Clippinger compared the Memorial Day tornadoes to the ice storm of 2009 but noted that the current cleanup operation is more complicated than previous efforts.

“In 2009, snapped the tops particularly the pine trees broke up limbs off everywhere, but this is twentyfold worse if not greater,” he remarked.

The road to full recovery for Hobbs State Park is expected to be long, with Clippinger anticipating an extensive, multi-year effort to safeguard the forest from insect infestations and pathogens post-cleanup.

“After cutting down the trees, the park will have an extensive multi-year or even multi-decade program,” he said, emphasizing the park’s commitment to restoration and preservation.

Despite the challenges, Clippinger reassured the public that the park is open, though some beloved trails may remain closed for cleanup.

“We want the public to know that the park is open… but the trails you may love and are used to may be closed for cleanup,” he clarified.

For updates, Clippinger encouraged visitors to monitor the Friends of Hobbs State Park’s Facebook page or visit their website.

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