More than a square mile of hardwood forest in south Madison County is now under permanent protection, the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust announced Thursday.

The 769-acre White River Headwaters Preserve is in the Ozark Highlands Karst region, an area known for its caves and springs. The area is critical to the Beaver Lake watershed, according to a statement by the nonprofit Land Trust. The lake provides water to more than 500,000 residents of Northwest Arkansas.

The property, located between St. Paul and Pettigrew, was purchased with funding through the U.S. Forest Service Forest Legacy Grant program, the Beaver Water District and The Conservation Fund, according to the Land Trust. The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission will manage the property with agreed upon deed restrictions. The Lan

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