The Resilience Project conducts research at three locations in the US and with community groups in various underdeveloped countries, most intensively in Malawi. One US site lies in a valley that is approximately 3 miles long and 1 mile wide. The stream running through it, meandering from north to south, is named Meadow Creek and flows into the Little Red River. The cliffs on the west and east side of the meadow rise 300 to 500 feet above the valley floor, reaching an elevation of around 950 to 1250 feet above sea level and providing awe-inspiring views.
Meadowcreek is located within the Boston Mountains of the Ozarks, which in spite of being referred to as a mountain range, are actually part of a deeply dissected plateau. The story is that settlers named them the Boston Mountains because of the terrains rough nature and “a Boston” was slang in the American West for any difficult task. In the course of millions of years, waves slowly deposited layers of sand and mud onto an ancient seabed, which eventually hardened into sandstone and shale. Tectonic activity uplifted the plateau and erosion started to take place. Rivers formed deep gorges and arresting valleys. In many places, bluffs provide an insight into the geological history of the Boston Mountains, as is the case at Meadowcreek. The Ozark highland region covers nearly 47,ooo square miles and stretches over the states Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas.
The property functions as a wildlife refuge for the purpose of keeping open space and wooded corridors available for this region’s dwindling, precious natural habitat. Four hundred of these acres are reserved for research and education in resilient agriculture and housing students and staff.
Resilience 