July 2, 1999
1) Forever Wild Purchases Large Sipsey Swamp Tract
2) Water War Talks Accelerating
3) Jefferson County's "Dump" Hotline - A Success
4) Enviro Notes Across the State : New Websites, River Walk Exhibit,
New
Enviro. Advocacy Group Formed, New CLEPP Office, New Scenic Alabama
Director
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"We should preserve every scrap of biodiversity as priceless
while we learn
to use it and come to understand what it means to humanity."
- from the book
"The Diversity of Life" by Alabama native E.O. Wilson
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1. Forever Wild Purchases Large Sipsey River Swamp Tract
- In June, Forever
Wild added an additional 3000 acres to its system with the purchase
of the
"Sipsey Swamp-Sullivan" Tract in Tuscaloosa County.
The Sullivan tract is
located within the alluvial plain of the Fall Line Hills district
of the Gulf
Coastal Plain physiographic section. The tract is located on the
east side of
the Sipsey river and is conducive to canoeing, hunting, fishing,
nature study
and hiking. A large "intact" property, the preservation
of this land will
help protect a great diversity of mussel species and for everyone's
enjoyment, large Cypress trees on the land, along the river. This
is the
first Forever Wild acquisition in West Alabama.
Many environmentalists helped make this acquisition possible,
but I want to
especially recognize Maxie Bryant of the Tuskaloosa Audubon Society.
For 2
1/2 years Maxie attended and made comments at every Forever Wild
meeting from
Florence to Fairhope, to make sure the Board bought the Sipsey
tract. As a
Board member of Forever Wild, I can truly say her tireless and
passionate
efforts made a difference.
For more information about the Sipsey Swamp-Sullivan purchase
please contact
the Forever Wild at 334-242-3484.
2. Water War Talks Heating Up - This week the Tri-State
Water Compact
negotiations were rekindled with the announcement and scheduling
of 8 ACT/ACF
River Basin meetings. The public is invited to attend and observe
these
negotiations. People are also allowed to provide public comments
at
designated times. Here are the scheduled meetings:
Alabama -Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) Scheduled Meetings
July 7 - Technical Meeting at the Anniston City Meeting Center,
9:00 A.M.,
topic - water schedule
July 19 - Committee Meeting in Georgia
August 4 - Committee Meeting in Alabama
August 18 - Committee Meeting in Georgia
Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) Scheduled Meetings
July 15 - Previously scheduled technical meeting, will now
be a committee
meeting, 10:00 eastern time in Tallahassee
July 28 - Committee Meeting in Georgia
August 12 - Committee Meeting in Alabama
August 27 - Committee Meeting in Florida
These negotiations will determine the environmental/ecological
future of
almost a half of Alabama riverine systems. Please contact the
Office of
Alabama Water Resources for additional meeting details and updates
on the
negotiations. Their phone number is 334-242-5507.
3. Jefferson County Dump Hotline - A Success Story -
Frustrated by the
thoughtless trash littering too many roads, the Jefferson County
Commission
has stepped up its campaign to tackle illegal dumping, littering
and other
related environmetnal abuses with the creation of a new hotline
for public
reporting.
Citizens may call the 24 hour a day hotline by dialing 253-2687,
which spells
out "CLEAN UP," to alert the County to problem sites
and ileegal dumping.
Since the creation of the hotline in April, the County has made
over 150
cases. Every suspected dumper has voluntarily agreed to clean
up the site
associated with their case when confronted with evidence by the
Sheriff's
Department. Callers to the hotline can expect to reach a voice
mail system
that will record incoming complaints. The information is checked
daily and
forwarded to the appropriate authorities for investigation and
prosecution.
4. Enviro Notes Across the State -
New Websites - BEN has come across two impressive Alabama Conservation
websites this past week. Please check these sites out over the
holiday.
South Alabama Birding Association - Lower Alabama's largest
birding
organization, this site is a must for people who care about birding
especially in the 38 counties in South Alabama. Birdlists, Great
links,
Upcoming events this site's got it all. Please visits the site
at:
http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/contents.htm
Alabama Wildlife Federation - AWF has a new website up and
running detailing
the organization's many exciting projects and activities. A great
site!
please visit at: http://www.alawild.org
River Walk Exhibit Comes to B'ham - Photographer Beth Young's
highly
acclaimed River Walk Exhibit will shown in the Birmingham Public
Library's
4th floor gallery from July 11 to August 28th. There will also
be a Brown
Bag luncheon series set up this summer. For more details visit
http://www.cahabariverpublishing.com
New Enviro Advocacy Group Formed - Longtime environmental attorney
and
advocate Ansel Strickland has founded "Direct Action"
a non-profit
environmental advocacy and public interest law firm concentrating
on clean
water, clean air and toxics in Alabama. Direct Action will be
working on a
variety of issues including; the restoration of abandoned coal
mine lands,
hog factories (CAFO's), hydropower relicensing, limitations on
the use of
herbicides on roads and forests, enforcement of the Clean Water
Act in
Alabama and public health issues, such as ending childhood lead
poisoning.
Direct Action consults with individuals and with other environmental
groups
and provides legal representation.
If you want to know more about this important new group, contact
Ansel
Strickland, executive director at Direct Action, P.O. Box 371111
Birmingham,
Al. 35237; 205-251-4775 or e-mail anselstrickland@mindspring.com
New CLEPP Office - The Citizen's Lead Education and Poison
Prevention
Organization (CLEPP) in Birmingham, has a new office. CLEPP's
director Lynn
Battle can be reached at 205-254-8006. The new office is located
at 700 8th
Ave.West, Birmingham, Al. 35204. CLEPP is leading the movement
in Alabama to
protect children and families from lead poisoning.
Scenic Alabama Has Moved and Hired a New Director - Scenic
Alabama has hired
Joe Watts to be its new executive director. Joe was previously
employed by
Southern Progress and has been an active leader in the Cahaba
Group of the
Sierra Club. Welcome aboard Joe!
On July 1, Scenic Alabama moved its offices to: Magnolia Office
Park, Suite
220, 2112 11th Ave. South Birmingham Al. 35205. Fortunately the
group's phone
number and e-mail remains unchanged at: 205-322-2120 and scenical@aol.com
Please share BEN with friends and fellow conservationists.
If you have any questions about BEN, contact Pat Byington at
205-226-7739 or pkbyington@aol.com
