By DAVID RAINER, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
St. Clair County Commission Chairman Stan Batemon suggested an addition to the Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve on the outskirts of Springville, Alabama, which opened to the public last weekend. Batemon wants to erect a sign that says “Perseverance” to honor Doug Morrison, one of the primary people who fought to protect the biologically diverse property.
Morrison, Preserve Manager for the City of Springville, obviously adhered to Churchill’s admonition to “never give up.” He celebrated the long, tedious journey that resulted in the opening of the 422-acre tract that will provide public outdoor recreation, something in short supply in the area.
The tract was nominated in 2009 for purchase by the Forever Wild Land Trust, which is administered by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) State Lands Division. Easement obstacles had to be resolved, but Morrison and his passionate compatriots kept nominating the tract until Forever Wild purchased the initial 382 acres in 2018 and added 40 acres the following year.
Since the purchase was completed, a total of 7.3 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding have been built through a partnership among State Lands, the City of Springville and St. Clair County.
“On behalf of my boss, Governor Kay Ivey, I am tickled to be here.” said Chris Blankenship, ADCNR Commissioner and Chairman of the Forever Wild Land Trust Board of Trustees. “I was in Guntersville earlier to dedicate a big eagle statue and came down here to cut a ribbon. When you can cut ribbons in two parts of the state, that’s a pretty good day. I can’t believe the crowd, which goes to show what this means to the community.
“Of all the things I do as Commissioner, serving on the Forever Wild Board is one of the things I enjoy the most. Forever Wild has the opportunity to purchase property and set it aside for the people forever. This is an area that will provide trails and outdoor recreation for this community from now on. State Lands Director Patti McCurdy and Assistant Director Doug Deaton and all of the other State Lands staff do a great job of managing Forever Wild properties all over the state. This goes to show how important this is to people around the state.”
Commissioner Blankenship said when he was appointed in 2017, one of the first actions he took was to vote yes on the purchase of the Big Canoe Creek tract.
“Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve is a very special place that showcases Alabama’s incredible natural diversity,” he said. “We are blessed with all these species like the mussels and darters. I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been Commissioner about how important these species are to our ecosystem here in Alabama.”
Before an overflow crowd, Commissioner Blankenship applauded the efforts of the City of Springville and St. Clair County to realize how valuable these natural resources are to the health and well-being of the area.
“Everybody is trying to do economic development, to bring companies in, to bring families in to grow their communities,” he said. “It is rare to have a community like this that saw the potential for a place like this and set it aside for the people. As their community grows, they will have a place like this to provide the quality of life and provide a reason for people to move to this part of the state. Providing outdoor recreation opportunities like this in a community is a great form of economic development.”