David Hall, Reporter
david@southerntorch.com
The Land Trust of North Alabama is seeking community support to purchase a 91-acre property in Jackson County. The property covers about two-thirds of a mile of Paint Rock River.
They need to raise $223,000 by November 1, in order to acquire the property. Over half of that goal has already been reached.
The Land Trust of North Alabama’s land committee said in a statement, “North Alabama’s Paint Rock River is known as one of the Southeast’s last free-flowing rivers and one of the most biologically diverse in the world with around 50 state- or federally-listed species found within the river and its tributaries.”
Once they heard about the land’s availability, the Land Trust of North Alabama’s land committee reached out to the owners about purchasing the land. Paint Rock River has been an area of interest for the committee for some time.
The Land Trust of North Alabama continued, “The Paint Rock River Valley as a whole is incredibly important in terms of conservation value due to the high diversity of species, particularly aquatic and plant life, found there.”
Just over 23 of the 91 acres are already enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program administered by the Farm Service Agency. To provide a buffer from erosion and runoff, trees have been planted or preserved along the river.
The long-term plans the Land Trust of North Alabama has for the property include an extensive wetland restoration project, allowing the property to maintain a more natural condition as a bottomland hardwood forest.
The property would not be open to the public since it’s a conservation property.
Donations for the project can be made at landtrustnal.org/preserve-paint-rock.
With further questions about this land preservation project, contact questions@landtrustnal.org or 256-534-5263.