ROYAL, Ark. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District proudly awarded the 2025 Excellence in Partnership Award to the Friends of Lake Ouachita (FOLO) during a ceremony yesterday recognizing the citizen-led nonprofit’s extraordinary contributions to local infrastructure, accessibility, and environmental stewardship.
FOLO was honored for its exceptional leadership in rebuilding the Watchable Wildlife Elevated Walkway and fishing pier at Lake Ouachita. The original wooden structure, which served for over a decade as a window into the area's vibrant wetland ecosystems, was recently demolished after sustaining severe damage from years of flooding and weathering.
Operating as a volunteer-driven nonprofit, FOLO took immediate action to restore this vital community asset. By securing grants of $409,000 from the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) and $80,000 from Owens Corning, FOLO managed the complete execution of the half-million-dollar infrastructure project including sourcing sustainable, 25-year resilient materials, hiring contractors, and overseeing daily on-site reporting. Their efforts resulted in the successful delivery of the new walkway at zero financial cost to USACE.
“The true strength of our environmental stewardship and public outreach missions does not just come from federal funding or engineering manuals; it comes from the people who live, work, and recreate in these communities,” said the USACE Vicksburg District Commander, COL. Jeremiah Gipson, during the award presentation. “FOLO didn't ask USACE to foot the bill. Instead, they rolled up their sleeves and helped get the project complete.”
The newly constructed elevated walkway and pier are fully ADA-accessible, ensuring that visitors of all abilities, including wounded warriors, senior citizens, and families with young children, can safely experience the unmatched beauty and wildlife of Lake Ouachita.
Gipson also extended gratitude to the broader coalition of partners that supported the initiative, including ARDOT, Owens Corning, the Trail Dogs volunteer group, local businesses, and community volunteers.
Since 2010, FOLO has donated over 22,000 hours of volunteer service and leveraged over $3 million in funding for the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail system and surrounding recreation areas. The 2025 Excellence in Partnership Award formally recognizes FOLO as the benchmark for synergistic public-private-federal coalitions.
For more information on recreational opportunities at Lake Ouachita or how to volunteer, please contact the Lake Ouachita Field Office at 501-767-2101.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District is engineering solutions to the nation's toughest challenges while advancing its commitment to building infrastructure, not paperwork. The district delivers vital missions across a 68,000-square-mile area spanning portions of Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Its area of responsibility includes nine major river basins and approximately 460 miles of mainline Mississippi River levees, supporting flood risk reduction, navigation, environmental stewardship, and resilient infrastructure for the region.