Central Arkansas Group (CAG)

• CAG Meetings
• CAG News
• CAG Management
• Campfire Calendar (CAG Events Only)

Also, check the CAG Facebook Group for additional news.

The Central Arkansas Group of Sierra Club is one of two groups of the Sierra Club Arkansas Chapter. Central Arkansas Group (CAG) boundaries are roughly the southeastern half of the state with our sister group the Ozark Headwaters Group covering the northwestern half. (See map for boundaries.) People who live within CAG boundaries are automatically enrolled in our group when they join the national Sierra Club.

Photo shows part of the boardwalk through the Clark Wetlands, located just northwest of the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock. The Central Arkansas Nature Center is at left of photo (next to the Arkansas River) just beyond the Interstate-30 bridge. Photo was taken from a 100-year old former railroad bridge (across the river) that was recently converted for walking/biking use.

 
May 14, 2015 - Boardwalk submerged during high water.

For info and photos of the December 2015 flooding, click HERE.

The current CAG membership is made up of approximately 1550 members.  For more information about the CAG, visit their Facebook Group

CAG Meetings

2026 CAG Meetings

Meetings on the third Tuesday of most months are open to all. Arrive at 6 pm to enjoy the wonderful food at the Star of India Restaurant. Program at 7 pm. Location: Star of India, 301 N. Shackleford Rd. Ste C4, Little Rock, AR 72211. Future meetings are announced via e-mail messages from Chair George Wise. If you do not receive the messages, please contact George at bgcdwise@swbell.net     No CAG meetings in August or December. Programs:

3/17/26 - Tu - 6 pm to eat and socialize - 7 pm for important meeting. We need a good crowd. Please come. All are invited. 
Program: Rep. Denise Ennett, who's getting two proposed data centers in her district, will speak about information available to date and how she is dealing with the costs and benefits of a data center, and what is best for her constituents.

Currently, bills are offered in some 30 states to put moratoriums onto new data centers or to withdraw incentives to attract a data center. it appears there is little oversight by officials; no planning or zoning has been provided. Questions:
What tax revenue does a data center bring? Have incentives waived those revenues?
What is the impact on school tax millages? Do incentives work or are they a waste of effort?
Is there a risk of pollution of water, air, and noise, and surrounding area problems?
How many jobs are actually created? Will Arkansas rush into large centers, only to see them fail, leaving behind an expensive cleanup? Come: Ask your data center question.

2/17/26 - Tu - Program: Alan and Janet Nye will discuss their trips to view the Sandhill Cranes. Whether stepping singly across a wet meadow or filling the sky by the hundreds and thousands, Sandhill Cranes have an elegance that draws attention. These tall, gray-bodied, crimson-capped birds breed in open wetlands, fields, and prairies across North America. They group together in great numbers, filling the air with distinctive rolling cries. Mates display to each other with exuberant dances that retain a gangly grace. Sandhill Crane populations are generally strong, but isolated populations in Mississippi and Cuba are endangered.

1/20/26 - Tu - Kristen Bartlow and the book she co-edited, River to Ridge, Arkansas’s Wildlife Management Areas. Kirsten’s love of the outdoors and wildlife began in childhood and evolved into a career in conservation. She has worked for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission since 2000. As the watchable wildlife coordinator, she develops nature trails and water trails around the state and teaches people about wildlife conservation through TV and radio spots, magazine articles and public programs. 

General information on CAG Meetings

Please join us for our monthly meeting. All are welcome to attend. You do not have to be a member of the Sierra Club to attend. The Central Arkansas Group (CAG) normally meets on the 3rd Tuesday of every month except August and December in Little Rock.

Come early at 6:00 to enjoy the wonderful food at Star of India Restaurant. We meet in the banquet room. Thank Sammy for allowing us to meet in the banquet room. Star of India is located at 301 N. Shackleford Rd. STE C4 Little Rock, AR 72211 (Separate banquet room entrance is located to the right of main restaurant entrance.) Program normally starts at 7:00.

Most meetings are held at the Star of India Restaurant, 301 N. Shackleford Rd., Little Rock. An occasional meeting may be held at the John Gould Fletcher Library, 823 N. Buchanan St., Little Rock. If announced in e-mail message, an occasional meeting may also be available via ZOOM! Please check the Home Page a few days before each meeting to confirm location/program/speaker(s).

Future meetings are announced via e-mail messages from Chair George Wise. If you have not been receiving the messages, please send an e-mail message to George at bgcdwise@swbell.net     (No meeting in August or December.)

Past Meetings:     2015  -  2016  -  2017  -  2018  -  2019  -  2020  - 2021  - 2022  -  2023  -  2024  -  2025   

CAG News

CAG news is now included with the chapter digital newsletter. For a selection of past CAG paper newsletters, click on the links below. For reports on events or outings, check Activity Reports under the News tab on the navigation bar.

2014 Apr-Aug     
2012 Jan-Apr     2012 May-Sep     
2011 Jan-Apr      2011 May-Aug     2011 Sep-Dec
2010 Jan-Mar    2010 Apr-Jun      2010 Sep-Dec
2009 Jan-Mar   2009 Apr-Jun     2009 Jul-Sep     2009 Oct-Dec 
2008 Oct-Dec    2007 Fall-Winter

CAG Management

The management of the affairs and activities of the Group is in the hands of an Executive Committee (ExCom), consisting of 7 members elected by the group membership for terms of two years. A Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Chapter Delegate and Alternate are selected from ExCom Members. Other officers and positions are selected from Group members but need not be ExCom members. A pdf copy of the group bylaws (formatted to fit on 5 pages) is available HERE.    

NOTE: 12/21 elections have been delayed and will likely occur in March 2022.

Group Representatives to Chapter ExCom

CAG Officers

CAG Executive Committee (ExCom) Members (Elected)

Candidates on Ballot for CAG ExCom: 

Standing Committees

Other Committees

Typical Election Deadlines (a guide for the future):

Jul. ExCom Meeting - Nominating Committee (NomCom) appointed
10/1 - Receipt of potential candidate names for consideration by NomCom 
Oct. ExCom Meeting - NomCom reports names of nominees to ExCom
Oct. General Meeting - Names of NonCom nominees reported to members 
Nov. ExCom Meeting - Election Committee appointed
Nov. General Meeting - Receipt of candidate petitions 
Nov. General Meeting - Receipt of ballot issue petitions 
12/01 - Production of eligible voter lists
12/01 - Ballots electronically mailed
12/31 - Deadline for receipt of ballots
Jan. ExCom Meeting - Deadline for counting ballots
Jan. General Meeting - Results announced to membership

Campfire Events Calendar (CAG Events Only)

The Calendar on this page (below) includes only CAG events.
For other Arkansas Chapter events, go to the Club Events page.

Outing Policies (notices required by the Sierra Club, a California entity):

• Activities identified as Sierra Club outings are led by a certified Outings Leader. All participants on such outings are required to sign a Sierra Club Liability Waiver form. If you would like to read the Liability Waiver before you choose to participate on an outing, please go to http://content.sierraclub.org/outings/local-outdoors/resources, then click on Sign-in Sheet & Liability Waiver or contact the Outings Department at (415) 977-5528 for a printed version.
• Carpools transportation is at the sole risk of the participants, both driver and passengers, even if they are leaders or staff of the outings or activity.
• CST 2087766-40. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.

Events on the Campfire calendar are updated independently of this web site by the Executive Committee - or (for outings) by the CAG Chair or Outings Chair.

To see a brief description of all events in a printable format, click on Print View below.
In Map View, click on a flag (circle), then on the individual event for more info.
In List View, click on Activity (title / link) for detailed info. (Recommended!)
If available, click on Map or Directions at the right.

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