St. Clair County Commission Chairman Stan Batemon proposed an addition to the Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve outside Springville, which opened to the public last weekend. Batemon wants to erect a sign that reads “Perseverance” to honor Doug Morrison, one of the key figures who fought to protect our biologically diverse property.

Morrison, the conservation manager for the city of Springville, apparently heeded Churchill's advice to “never give up.” After a long and tedious journey, he celebrated the opening of a 422-acre property that will provide public outdoor recreation that has been lacking in the area.

The area was designated for purchase in 2009 by the Forever Wild Land Trust, managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation's State Lands Division. Easement hurdles had to be worked out, but Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his zealous compatriots held on to the land until Forever Wild purchased the first 382 acres in 2018 and added 40 acres the following year. continued to nominate.

Since the purchase was completed, a total of 11.3 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding have been constructed through a partnership between state lands, the City of Springville, and St. Clair County.

“On behalf of my boss, Governor Kay Ivey, I am pleased to be here,” said Chris Blankenship, ADCNR Secretary and Chairman of the Forever Wild Land Trust Board of Directors. “I was previously in Guntersville to dedicate the big eagle statue, and I came here to cut the ribbon. If you can cut the ribbon in two parts of the state, that's a pretty good day. . I can't believe the crowd. It shows what this means to the community.

“Of all the things I do as a commissioner, serving on the Forever Wild Board is one of the things I enjoy most. This is an area that will provide trails and outdoor recreation for this community in the future. State Lands Director Patti McCurdy, Assistant Director Doug Deaton, and all other State Lands staff members , is doing a great job managing the Forever Wild properties in the state. This shows how important this is to people in the state.”

Commissioner Blankenship said one of his first actions when he was appointed in 2017 was to vote in favor of purchasing the Big Canoe Creek area.

“Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve is a very special place that showcases Alabama's incredible natural diversity,” he said. “We're blessed with all kinds of species, including mussels and darters. Since I've become chief, I've learned a lot about how important these species are to the ecosystem here in Alabama.”

Addressing the packed crowd, Secretary Blankenship praised the efforts of the City of Springville and St. Clair County to recognize how valuable these natural resources are to the health and well-being of the community.

“Everyone is trying to grow the community by developing the economy, bringing in businesses, bringing in families,” he said. “It's rare to find a community that sees potential in a place like this and has secured it for its people. As their community grows, places like this provide a quality of life that people “It's a great reason to move to this part of the state. Providing outdoor recreation opportunities like this to our community is a great form of economic development.”

Mr Morrison, who was hired as reserve manager in 2022, said the reserve was a labor of love with long hours and tremendous support from volunteers, local leaders, businesses and other partners.

“This journey started a long time ago,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. “We formed Friends of Big Canoe Creek in 2008. I want to talk about love of nature, community, networking, perseverance, champions, partners, destiny, and gratitude. There was a group of citizens who lived on or near Big Canoe Creek. We cared about the stream. We wanted to know more about biodiversity. We (Alabama) We're No. 4 in the nation for biodiversity, but No. 1 for aquatic species. The thing is, this community cares, and they stepped up.

“I've been doing this work for almost 15 years. Seeing all these people makes my heart so happy. People want to be out in nature. St. Clair County has There is nothing like this. This will be huge for this province. In the process, we will be able to get the message out about our biodiversity and teach our children about the species that live here. If we can, I think that’s one of the biggest things we can do for this region.”

Big Canoe Creek is home to the endangered Canoe Creek crabshell mussel, as well as a variety of other aquatic species, including spotted bass and numerous species of darters. The Big Canoe Creek watershed is home to more than 50 species of fish, including the endangered trispotted darter. The reserve contains a mix of upland hardwood and pine forests, providing prime habitat for a variety of wildlife species commonly found in the state.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the reserve land was originally intended for development, but the economic downturn in 2008 gave the Friends group the opportunity to put it forward for purchase by Forever Wild.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison thanked the partners who helped make the Big Canoe Creek Nature Reserve a reality. This includes ADCNR and its Office of State Lands, Forever Wild Land Trust, City of Springville, St. Clair County Commission, Big Canoe Creek Preserve Partners, and the Friends of the is included. Big Canoe Creek, Freshwater Land Trust, Greater Birmingham Community Foundation, EBSCO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, Norris Paving, School Engineering, Homestead Hollow, United Way of Central Alabama, and KEBCO.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his words of gratitude were always on his mind. He said he is grateful for programs like Forever Wild, which allows him to acquire land reserved for public use, such as protected areas. He added that Forever Wild has built about three and a half miles of trails within the preserve.

Springville Mayor Dave Thomas emphasized the educational opportunities the preserve provides the community and surrounding areas.

“This is a great opportunity to protect the ecosystem along Big Canoe Creek here in Springville,” Mayor Thomas said. “More important to me is conservation education, which educates students and their parents about what it means to work in conservation and share that knowledge and passion with the next generation.Frankly, we It's early days. We didn't know what kind of crowds to expect. If this Friday afternoon is any indication, we can't wait to see what the weekend holds. This is not just for Springville, but for the entire county and region. It's going to have an impact. This is a really big deal.”

The preserve is open Wednesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. from November to February, and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from March to October.

Batemon, a former ADCNR Conservation Enforcement Officer who patrolled St. Clair County, was a key figure in the development of the preserve and said the preserve is critical to St. Clair County's economic and community development. Ta.

“This is the basic level of economic development,” Batemon said. “This is what we need and we need more of it. Doug, thank you for your persistence.”

In addition to current trails and wildlife viewing opportunities, plans for the preserve include construction of a pavilion to host outdoor educational events. The shelter has pet waste stations, benches, trash cans, and picnic tables in the upper and lower parking areas, and two portable toilets in the upper parking area.

The preserve is located at 1700 Murfrees Valley Road in Springville, about 30 miles northeast of Birmingham.

For more information about Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve, including trail maps, visit Springville Parks and Recreation online. http://springvilleparksandrec.com/WildPreserve.aspx.