Foley gets $4M grant to expand Graham Creek Nature Preserve
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The state’s largest municipal nature preserve is set to get even bigger, thanks to a recent grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Foley’s Graham Creek Nature Preserve is seeking a major expansion after the city received a $4 million federal environmental grant.
“They award very few of these every year nationally, and this year, we finally got notice that we received $4 million to go towards the acquisition of coastal lands for conservation.”
Leslie Gahagan, Foley sustainability and natural resources director
Gahagan said the city has been working with NOAA on the project for over a year. The funding comes from the Coastal Zone Management Habitat Protection and Restoration Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, known as the BIL.
Graham Creek Nature Preserve
Currently, the Graham Creek Nature Preserve is about 650 acres near Wolf Creek Drive in southeast Foley. The preserve includes:
- 10 miles of hiking trails
- 4 disc golf courses
- 2 handicap-accessible boardwalks
- Kayak launch
The preserve is also home to a nature center and an outdoor c
“Everything got behind this. It was important. It was incredible that Alabama got this grant with us. It was very special that this grant was handed down this way. Leslie worked very, very hard on it.”
Ralph Hellmich, Foley mayor
Foley’s funding is the first NOAA grant approved for Alabama but the city hopes there could be more funding in the future, furthering the preserve’s expansion.
“There are a lot of good things going on down in that quadrant. We have a lot of partners, whether it’s the Forest Service, conservation department, even the governor’s office, I think they all really like what Foley’s doing with that nature preserve. It’s kind of like a state park that the state doesn’t have to operate or pay for it. So they’re very, very happy with us. And I think Leslie deserves a lot of the credit for this.”
Ralph Hellmich, Foley mayor
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