This publication provides citizens, private and public organizations, scientists, and others with information about terrestrial animals, plants, and biological communities in and near the national forests in the Ozark-Ouachita Highlands: the Mark Twain in Missouri, the Ouachita in Arkansas and Oklahoma, and the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests in Arkansas. The document examines the status and trends of vegetation, plant and animal populations, forest management, and biological threats to forest resources in the Highlands.

Ozark Plants is a full-color field guide to over 500 plant species found in the Ozark Mountain region of southern Missouri, northern Arkansas, and the northeastern corner of Oklahoma. Illustrated with hundreds of color photographs, the book describes each plant followed by a discussion of the plant's distribution, habitat, and value for wildlife and livestock. A key is provided so that the reader may more easily identify unknown plant specimens. The Ozark region is a plateau and mountain area of more than 40,000 square miles at the western edge of the eastern deciduous forest, and host a rich assemblage of plant species. Overall, nearly 3,300 vascular plant species are known from the region, within approximately 1066 genera and 186 families. This diversity is due, in part, to a long presence uninterrupted by glaciation, varied site and soil conditions, and a midcontinental geographic position. This geographical location has resulted in many species with distributional centers outside of the Ozarks reaching their range limits here. For example, the range of certain plants from the southwestern United States extends to the Ozarks, typically in dry-soil environments such as the glades. On moist, north-facing slopes, plants from the northern and eastern United States may be found. Some typically southern species occur in special habitats, including many parts of the Boston Mountains.