Foley completes GOMESA fund purchase at Graham Creek

Foley completes GOMESA fund purchase at Graham Creek
1200 acre preserve is now the largest in Alabama

Following through with plans announced last November, the City of Foley has used $2.5 million in GOMESA funding to double the size of the Graham Creek Nature Preserve with the purchase of two tracts of land totaling about 580 acres. That will bring the total land that will be preserved to around 1200 acres smack in the middle of what is expected to be densely developed over the next 10 years.
“We’re very excited because once we hit that threshold, we will be the largest municipal-owned nature park in the state,” said Foley Environmental and Nature Parks Director Leslie Gahagan.
The had city already acquired 80 of the acres with a 2021 $3 million GOMESA grant from funds that gives four Gulf States – Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Alabama – some of the proceeds from gas and oil leases sold in federal waters for exploration. Alabama gets the largest allotment of funds. In 2021, a total of $35 million total came to Alabama with Baldwin County getting $3.2 million, Mobile County $3.8 million and the state $28 million. In the past, all of the money has been spent in the two coastal counties.
At its July 25 meeting, Foley City Council approved the purchase from Barber Investments of 500 acres to the south of Graham Creek that abuts the park and goes all the way to Wolf Bay. Barber owns a total of 1,619 acres in the area south of Graham Creek Nature Preserve in five tracts with the largest being 614 and the smallest 57 acres, according to 2021 Baldwin County tax records. Orange Beach owns 81 acres on the east side of Russian Road where it makes a 90-degree turn to the south and that property abuts one of the Barber tracts.
Mayor Ralph Hellmich praised Gahagan for her effort to secure grants that allowed Foley to purchase the land to add to the preserve, located off of Wolf Bay Dr., just east of the Foley Beach Express.
Since its opening, Foley has been steadily adding amenities to Graham Creek by expanding access and recreational opportunities including a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk that goes through its swamps and a second boardwalk across Graham Creek to give visitors fishing opportunities and access to the entire park and its 11 miles of trails.
Among the amenities at Graham Creek are: Archery park; Two playgrounds; Three disc golf courses; Kayak/canoe launch; Large pavilion; Interpretive Center; Outdoor classroom with stage; Kayak tours; Nature hikes; Wagon rides; Pitcher plant bogs.
Construction has already started on a 1,300 square foot facility to provide useful agricultural amenities for the property and surrounding community. The facility will feature a large enclosed walk-in cooler for the hydroponics department, a 600 square foot covered porch, storage space, bathrooms, offices, and an outside kitchen. This is the second project of its kind that The Highland Group, WAS Design, and Graham Creek Nature Preserve have partnered to complete in recent years.
“We’ll do educational programs on sustainable agriculture,” Gahagan said. “We hope to have all of that and a building with it completed within the next three months and be in production.”
“Graham Creek has been recognized as one of the most outstanding nature facilities in Alabama,” said Foley Mayor Ralph Hellmich. “And we look forward to this new addition that will help to further expand the ecotourism opportunities available here.”
Graham Creek Nature Preserve’s mission statement is to preserve and/or provide habitat for hundreds of rare plant and animal species and provide educational, recreational and venue rental opportunities for the community. More info: grahamcreekpreserve.org.