In May, a mostly unnoticed but mighty team of nature protectors worked together here to help secure the survival of the Ozark Big-eared Bat, Corynorhinus townsendii ingens. Deep in the wild, hardwood forest around Lee Creek Reservoir in Crawford County, the team worked as unobtrusively as possible, even hand-carrying tools and materials through the woods. They assisted one of only two experts in the U.S. who can weld special “bat gates” over the entrances to crevasses and caves where this endangered species is known to raise a single “pup” each spring. The barriers keep out humans – yes, we are the problem – while a specific design poses no obstacle to the natural flight of the bats. Invited to see the work in progress, This reporter spent an afternoon in a dense, green Ozark forest, within 30 minutes of downtown Fort Smith, with a crew of people dedicated to preserving this imperiled species. Only about 2,000 of these bats are currently know to exist. The care being taken to protect them is difficult, but encouraging.