Two Gulf Shores parcels approved for BP Grant aquisitions

Two Gulf Shores parcels approved for BP Grant aquisitions

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) approved $63 million for six projects in Alabama, including two projects in Gulf Shores, as part of the fourth round of grants from the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund established to restore natural resources damaged during the 2010 BP oil spill. The Gulf Shores acquisitions will eliminate the likely risk of future development in those pristine natural habitats.
The number of projects approved for funding from the GEBF in Alabama now stands at 19, with a total value of more than $115 million. All projects were selected for funding following extensive consultation with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, FWS and NOAA.

Bon Secour – Oyster Bay Wetland Acquisition: $12.5 Million

This acquisition project will protect and restore approximately 935 acres of diverse coastal habitat in the City of Gulf Shores that play a crucial role in the water quality and ecological function of the Oyster Bay, Bon Secour and Little Lagoon watersheds. The tidal marshes, maritime forests, and freshwater swamps located in this project area are important habitat for threatened and endangered species such as the Alabama red-bellied turtle and the eastern indigo snake. The properties will be protected in perpetuity for conservation purposes, and a comprehensive habitat management plan will be developed and implemented. Restoration and management actions will include fire management, invasive species removal, improving hydrologic connectivity, and native vegetation plantings.

Gulf Highlands Conservation Acquisition: $36 Million

This project proposes to acquire, conserve, and manage 113 acres with 2,700 feet of Gulf frontage beach/dune habitat on the Ft. Morgan peninsula – the largest, privately held, undeveloped beachfront parcel remaining in coastal Alabama.
Protection of this key habitat would benefit nesting sea turtles, migratory birds and shorebirds, and allow its continued function as refuge for the endangered Alabama beach mouse. The quality and extent of the dune system contributes to the parcel’s unique ecological benefits. Acquisition and permanent conservation would also prevent a permitted residential condominium complex with associated amenities on the parcel.
In addition to the direct acquisition cost, the project budget includes funding to support future management and stewardship of these important coastal habitats.
Once acquired, the parcel will be deeded to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, State Parks Division for long-term management and inclusion in their Ft. Morgan Parkway management area. The parcel’s proximity to the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge enhances both properties’ value as critical beachfront habitat for coastal birds, sea turtles, and the (pictured) endangered beach mouse.
The Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), supports projects to remedy harm and eliminate or reduce the risk of harm to Gulf Coast natural resources affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. To learn more about NFWF and the other Alabama projects it funds, go to nfwf.org.
The Alabama projects address high-priority conservation needs, including the acquisition and restoration of significant coastal habitats in key focal areas, and the continuation of fisheries monitoring. The target parcels include important coastal marsh habitat that will be protected in perpetuity and be open to the public for passive recreational use.