The Forever Wild Board recently moved forward with several land acquisitions that will be used for public recreation. The Lauderdale Wildlife Management Area added 456 acres to the existing 15,931 acres that is prime hunting land and used for annual youth turkey hunts. The purchase of 2,031 acres of the Farquar State Cattle Ranch in Hale County and an additional 1,500 adjoining acres will enable us to restore the grassland prairie habitat so that the land can be used for public recreational activities including state-sponsored field trial areas and other outdoor activities.

I’m also pleased to announce that Alabama residents are no longer required to provide social security numbers to purchase licenses online or at retailers who issue licenses electronically. Resident license purchasers are still required to provide their driver’s license numbers when buying a license on the Internet or from an approved license retailer. Using this new procedure makes it safer for consumers to purchase licenses online and protects them from predators who steal the identities of citizens by illegally obtaining a person’s social security number or other personal information. Additionally, verifying driver license numbers helps cuts down on fraud.

Remember, funding from the purchase of hunting, fishing, and Alabama Wildlife Heritage licenses helps ensure that Alabama’s abundant natural resources will be available for future generations.