By Gary Lloyd
PINSON — Turkey Creek Nature Preserve in Pinson will host two naturalist walks the next two Sundays.
On Sunday, Nov. 16, the preserve will host “Discovering Turkey Creek” at 3 p.m. Those who attend will explore the ecology and beauty of Turkey Creek on a guided naturalist walk.
The cost is $5 per person or $20 for families of four or more. Those who attend should meet at the preserve’s front gate.
The next Sunday, Nov. 23, the preserve will host “Small Wonders Children’s Nature Hike” at 3 p.m. Those who come will join naturalist Ashley Couch to explore the wonders of Turkey Creek on a child-friendly hike. The walk will include storytelling, crafts and a few adventures.
The cost is $5 per person or $20 for families of four or more. Those who attend should meet at the preserve’s front gate.
Turkey Creek Nature Preserve recently was awarded a $60,160 grant to improve recreational and educational opportunities.
The funds will enable the Southern Environmental Center to extend and improve a multipurpose trail at the preserve. The preserve is located within 466 acres of property acquired by the Freshwater Land Trust and Alabama Forever Wild Program.
The Southern Environmental Center, an outreach program of Birmingham Southern College, will widen and improve 1.4 miles of existing trail and extend the length to 3.2 miles. Funding will also help in the design and layout of 11 miles of mountain biking trail. The center is working with the Birmingham Urban Mountain Pedalers, a private organization that promotes the sport of mountain biking, to develop the biking trail.
That announcement comes on the heels of Turkey Creek Nature Preserve Manager Charles Yeager in September addressing the future of the preserve in a post at www.turkeycreeknp.wordpress.com, writing that about 100,000 families, kids and outdoor enthusiasts pass through the preserve’s gates each year, yet donations are “almost never” received from the public.
“We have worked very hard to develop an experience for our guests that is unique in the state of Alabama and are constantly working to add new features that will further enhance that experience,” Yeager wrote. “However, in doing so, we have come up short in helping our visitors understand how we operate. The truth is that without more public support, TCNP could be forced to close its gates one day for good!”
Yeager ended the post by writing that the only solution is for people who use the preserve to consider giving, “because if everyone who used the Preserve gave just a little, we would have no problems reaching our funding needs.”
For more information, visit http://turkeycreeknp.wordpress.com/support-2/.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.