The State Parks Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources was recently awarded a $25,000 grant from the Alabama Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils to cover the purchase of prescribed fire equipment to expand its habitat restoration program.
“The new equipment increases our prescribed fire capabilities and helps us manage a variety of native habitats including the restoration of longleaf pine throughout the State Parks System,” said Evan Lawrence, natural resource planner with ADCNR’s State Parks Division. “We are grateful to the Alabama Association of RC&D Councils for awarding us this grant. It will allow us to make significant habitat improvements at our parks.”
The newly purchased equipment includes drip torches, blowers, a chainsaw, hand tools, safety equipment, signage, a branded trailer to store and transport the new gear and a 130-gallon water tank with a specialized pump and hose for managing the burns. The new equipment will also increase the division’s ability to reduce wildfire risks at State Parks and assist its partners with other prescribed fire projects and wildfire suppression throughout the state.
Prescribed fire is an important land and wildlife management tool used to restore and improve natural habitats. A robust controlled burn program benefits wildlife by stimulating new plant growth that serves as food for several species including wild turkey, white-tailed deer, bobwhite quail, fox squirrel, woodpeckers and bluebirds. It is also an effective way to reduce wildfire risks, control invasive plants and maintain healthy forest ecosystems.
Tasha Simon, natural resource section chief for Alabama State Parks, said the new equipment allows the division to further its conservation efforts and improve the visitor experience at the parks.
“Our Natural Resource Section manages all of the land, water, plants and animals within Alabama’s 21 State Parks,” Simon said. “Our mission is to preserve natural habitats and provide visitors with the best experience possible. The new trailer and prescribed fire equipment will help us fulfill that mission. We are thankful to the RC&D councils for this generous award.”
The AARCDC includes nine regional councils throughout the state that utilize the leadership, abilities and unique skills of individuals within the communities they serve. The work of the organization is primarily made possible through its volunteers.
Clara Romine, grants director for AARCDC, said Alabama State Parks was chosen to receive the funding because its habitat restoration program aligns with the Association’s board-approved priorities and directly impacts three or more of the nine AARCDC council regions.
“We are proud to award this grant to Alabama State Parks in support of its habitat restoration program,” Romine said. “We have a great partnership with State Parks that benefits both the Alabama Association of RC&D Councils and the citizens of Alabama. By supporting a single project with statewide reach, the Association continues its mission and vision to promote, protect and develop the natural and human resources for the state of Alabama. This project will help make Alabama a better place to live, work and play for all.”
ADCNR’s State Parks Division depends on the many partnerships that support its long-term efforts to remove and control non-native plant species and mitigate wildfire risks.
“Partnerships are crucial to our mission to preserve natural areas and educate the public about the state’s natural environment,” Simon said. “Through our partnership with RC&D we can now increase the acreage we can manage with prescribed fire annually. This is a huge boost for the restoration of native habitats within our parks. We are very grateful for their support of our habitat restoration program.”
The focus of the AARCDC grant program is to accelerate the conservation, development and utilization of the state’s natural and human resources; foster economic and community growth and development; and to enhance the environment and standard of living of all Alabamians. Past grant recipients include the Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series, Alabama Mural Trail, Alabama State Games, North Alabama Trails and Recreation, Alabama 4-H Center, W.C. Handy Music Festival, and others.
