Rare plants in Alabama need your help—how you can preserve pitcher plant bogs

Have you heard of a pitcher plant? They’re carnivorous plants (similar to a Venus flytrap) that, unlike other plants that synthesize energy from the sun and soil, eat bugs from the environment for energy.

Some species of these rare plants are native to Alabama’s coast and need your help.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) of Alabama has just three months to raise $40,000 to save the bog—here’s what we know.

Splinter Hill Bog: An Introduction

The Splinter Hill Bog is an over 2,100-acre tract of preserved land in Baldwin County managed by TNC. It sits next to a Forever Wild tract of land in Baldwin and Escambia Counties.

The bog is home to ecosystems from longleaf pine forests to coastal swamps. The crown jewel of the bog is the impressive (and rare) collection of pitcher plants, which cover a large swath of the land.

“We believe this bog is probably the largest remaining complex of white top pitcher plant bogs in the Gulf Coast of plain region.”

Keith Tassin, The Nature Conservancy

The Splinter Hill Bog is also home to a decent population of Wherryi’s Sweet Red Pitcher Plant, a rare plant believed to only occur in the Gulf Coast area.

The current situation

Smack dab in the middle of those 2,100 contiguous acres is about eight or so acres that are privately owned. For the past 15+ years, those owners let TNC manage the land, largely with controlled burns.

Now, that land is up for sale.

“We’ve been very fortunate that the current landowner has allowed us to burn it and manage it as part of our restoration that we’re doing down there. We’ve actually tried to buy it several times, and they finally decided that it’s time for them to sell.”

Keith Tassin, The Nature Conservancy

But the for-sale sign didn’t mean TNC could immediately take possession of the land.

“The landowner wants to close fairly quickly on the property. So we are trying to have a mini little campaign to see if we can’t raise the $40,000 that we need to acquire the property in the next 90 days.”

Keith Tassin, The Nature Conservancy

So how can you help?

• Donate: TNC is accepting check donations at their main office, The Nature Conservancy, 3700 1st Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama 35222. Please designate it for Splinter Hill Bog Land Acquisition. If you would prefer to make a credit card donation, please contact Jessica Mitchell at jessica.mitchell@tnc.org.
• Spread the word: Send this post to someone who loves rare + native plants in Alabama.

Together we can save the pitcher plant bogs. These funky plants deserve a place to thrive.

Have you visited the Splinter Hill Pitcher Bog? Post a pic and tag us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn!