Pea Ridge National Military Park: Cultural Landscape Report and Environmental Assessment, Pea Ridge National Military Park, National Park Service

Pea Ridge National Military Park was established in 1956 in order to preserve the landscapes and resources associated with the Battle of Pea Ridge, and to help interpret the battle for its integral role in the social, political, and military history of the Civil War. The two-day altercation, which was also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, was the largest Civil War battle west of the Mississippi River. The Union victory secured northwest Arkansas and the state of Missouri for the Union. The 2006 General Management Plan for the park included objectives to return the battlefield landscape to the 1862 appearance, to interpret the historic significance of the park landscape for visitors, and to refining cultural and natural resource management strategies. The Cultural Landscape Report (CLR) provides guidance for preserving the cultural landscape of Pea Ridge Military Park while implementing the park’s cultural landscape management goals. The CLR provides baseline documentation of the changes that have occurred to the landscape since the time of the battle, which occurred on March 7th and 8th of 1862. This includes both natural and designed changes. The report documents the history of the landscape over time, aids in the transfer of knowledge, and provides integrated guidance for long-term stewardship of the cultural landscape. The selected treatment alternative includes measures to protect cultural resources, improve visitor experience, and produce long-term conditions necessary for sustaining the natural and cultural resources of the park. Alternative 2, Revealing the Battlefield Landscape, is considered to be the environmentally preferred alternative because it would result in the least damage to the physical environment while protecting, preserving, and enhancing the historic, cultural, and natural resources of Pea Ridge National Military Park. The Cultural Landscape Report and Environmental Assessment were prepared by the National Park Service to document compliance with national environmental and preservation regulations. The Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) describes alternatives the NPS has selected for implementation, provides the rationale for its selection, and explains why it will not have significant impacts on the human environment. The FONSI concludes compliance processes with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and implementation of the management plan can follow as funding and personnel allow.

Pea Ridge National Military Park: Cultural Landscape Report and Environmental Assessment, Pea Ridge National Military Park, National Park Service

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