By Lee Weyhrich
The Pinson City Council last week approved of allocating $20,000 to continue Birmingham-Southern College’s resident management agreement for Turkey Creek Nature Preserve.
The $20,000 is for a one-year period.
Birmingham-Southern handles the daily on-site management, maintenance and security.
Charles Yeager, who earned his bachelor’s in urban environmental studies in 2010, is the preserve’s resident manager. Taylor Steele was the preserve’s previous manager.
“For a couple years we have supplemented or assisted with the cost,” said Pinson Mayor Hoyt Sanders.
The city cooperates with Birmingham-Southern College with the resident manager program, Sanders said.
“Having a resident manager out there is just paramount to the safe and secure operation of it,” he said. “It works well and we all get along.”
It was announced last week that the preserve will begin providing pedestrian-friendly hours from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays
. During this period, the main gates will remain closed to motor vehicle traffic, but a side gate at the main entrance will be opened to allow pedestrian traffic. The main gates will open for vehicle traffic at 9 a.m.
Gary Lloyd contributed to this story.