By Terry Schrimscher
After more than a decade of planning, the Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve in Springville will officially open to the public on February 3. The ribbon cutting for the park will be on Friday, February 2 at 1 p.m. The Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve is located on 422 acres at 1700 Murphrees Valley Road in Springville.
Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve is a project of the Forever Wild Land Trust (FWLT) in collaboration with a wide range of public and private partners.
“I have been involved with the Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve project since 2009 when I was a board member of The Friends of Big Canoe Creek,” said Doug Morrison. Friends of Big Canoe Creek was the grassroots organization that nominated the property to Forever Wild.
After receiving board approval, Forever Wild contributed more than $1 million to the land purchase in 2018 adding the preserve to its list of projects in the state. FWLT has secured more than 284,000 acres of land in Alabama for public use since the Trust was established by constitutional amendment in 1992.
“In 2022 the City of Springville hired me as Manager of the Preserve, a Forever Wild property,” Morrison said. “We are finally ready to open and welcome the public to enjoy the beauty of Nature and Alabama’s incredible biodiversity. Our goal is to have a place for relaxation, recreation, bird watching and conservation education,” he added.
Morrison also serves as Chair of Big Canoe Creek Preserve Partners, a nonprofit charitable foundation created in 2022 to support the nature preserve. The foundation is one of many public and private partners listed on the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources website, Outdoor Alabama, who made the project a reality.
The City of Springville has invested heavily in the project, contributing funds toward the purchase of the land along with the St. Clair County Commission. Springville also created a permanent position to manage the property.
“The Nature Preserve is quickly becoming the crown jewel in Springville’s crown of jewels. The city is already gaining attention well beyond our community, as nature enthusiasts across the country are spreading the word,” said Springville Mayor Dave Thomas. “The city has provided for the trail construction, the entrance construction, the signage, picnic tables, benches, and special features like the bio-retention area in the upper parking area. We’ve also hired personnel to manage and maintain the preserve, not to mention the equipment necessary to do the job,” he added.
Calling the preserve a “generational project,” Thomas said the city has helped with the vision of the project and said there is “much more to come” including a pavilion that will serve as an outdoor classroom for school field trips and solar power. He noted the support the project has received from a variety of sources.
“The county commission also put up a substantial amount toward the purchase. They also provided the resources necessary to construct the driveway and parking lots.” Thomas said. “Numerous people and businesses have donated money, time, and effort to make this dream a reality,” he added.
“We anticipate a positive economic impact for Springville, but it’s really more about conservation, education, and recreation.,” Thomas said. “We’re improving the quality of life for our residents; and as responsible stewards, we’re leading by example.”
The nature preserve will feature walking trails for hikers and trails for horseback riding and mountain biking. The property is already a popular spot for kayak and canoe paddling. The Preserve opens February 3 and will be open at 7 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday each week. The park will close at 5 p.m. during the winter months of November through February and will remain open until 7 p.m. during the rest of the year. Learn more by visiting bigcanoecreekpreserve.org.