Wheeler Mountain Tnc — Wheeler Mountain in Bibb County, Alabama. (Hunter Nichols / TNC)

On September 26, The Nature Conservancy in Alabama (TNC) announced that it has formally acquired a 596-acre tract of Bibb County’s Wheeler Mountain. Here’s what you need to know about this exciting new preservation project.

A $2M purchase on Wheeler Mountain

Through a partnership between Resource Management Service, LLC (RMS) and a three-month campaign through TNC’s Ireland Opportunity Fund, $2M was raised to purchase the beautiful tract of land in the woods of central Alabama.

This huge purchase means that the forest will be protected from potential threats of conversion such as development.

“Our revolving loan fund enables us to quickly mobilize resources to protect vulnerable lands such as this, and we are grateful to those who supported this endeavor.

We will now work to manage and restore this tract’s natural habitat and ensure its assets are protected for generations to come.”
Mitch Reid, State Director, TNC in Alabama

Unique features of the Bibb County land

This beautiful land tract in Bibb County has huge montane longleaf pine forests. (Hunter Nichols / TNC)

Each parcel of land in Alabama has its own unique biodiversity and natural beauties—and this land is no exception.

Here are just a couple of the features that make this land magical:

80-to-100-year-old montane longleaf pine forests
Gully Creek—a trubituary of the Cahaba River and one of the longest free-flowing rivers in the South

“The Wheeler Mountain property is one of the most diverse natural longleaf pine stands in Alabama. From its hardwood bottom with rich flora diversity and aquatic diversity in Gully Creek to the top with its natural stone arch formation, Wheeler Mountain is a true natural gem.”
Jimmy Bullock, Senior Vice President, Forest Sustainability for RMS

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