By: Belle Norton
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) — The construction of a new parking deck at Fayetteville High School has raised concerns among residents and environmental advocates after the removal of several mature trees.
The multi-level parking structure is part of the district’s long-term infrastructure plan to address a critical parking shortage. With 2,600 students and 300 staff members, Fayetteville High School’s current 850 parking spots are not enough. Of those, 300 are reserved for staff, leaving only 550 for students. Fayetteville Public Schools officials say the project will add more than 300 new parking spaces on the west side of the school.
However, to make room for the structure, a portion of the school’s green space and mature trees had to be cleared, leading to community concerns about environmental impact.
For many, the trees were more than just part of the landscape. Willa Thomason, an urban forester with the City of Fayetteville, said the visibility of the project contributed to the strong public response.
“A lot of people walked by those trees and loved those trees,” Thomason said. “I think it’s an attachment that you form to specific trees when you see them often.”
Fayetteville has been designated a Tree City USA, a designation given to cities that demonstrate a strong commitment to urban forestry. The city has worked in recent years to increase tree preservation efforts, particularly in growing areas like the high school district.
Thomason noted that while the newly planted trees will take time to mature, the city remains committed to long-term urban forestry management.
The school district acknowledges the impact but emphasizes its commitment to reforestation. Fayetteville Public Schools Superintendent David Mulford said nearly four times the original preservation area will be restored in the remaining green spaces on campus to offset the loss of trees.
“No one likes the fact that trees were having to be removed,” Mulford said. “But at the same time, we’re going to take those in that preservation area, which was about six-tenths of an acre, and replace that with almost four times the amount of tree preservation.”
As part of a mitigation plan, the district will plant 55 new native trees and implement additional landscaping improvements. Urban forestry officials will oversee the process to ensure proper planting and long-term maintenance.
While environmental concerns remain, district officials argue the parking deck will provide significant benefits for students, staff, and parents. The structure is expected to ease congestion during morning drop-off and afternoon pickup, particularly along busy streets like Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Buchanan Avenue.
Construction on the parking deck is set to begin this summer and is expected to take two years to complete.