Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge is a 9016 acres (36 km²) National Wildlife Refuge
located in eastern Alabama
, near Anniston, Alabama
on the former site of Fort McClellan
. It takes its name from some of the last remaining mountain longleaf pine
(Pinus palustris) forests in the southeastern United States.
Approximately 3,000 acres (12 km2) of the refuge is open to the public during daylight hours. The remaining 6,000 acres (24 km2) will open after the clean-up of environmental contaminants has been completed. The facility has a small two person staff with a $250,000 annual budget. Future plans call for a budget of approximately $900,000 with a ten person staff. Mountain Longleaf NWR also administers the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge
& Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge
.
in the southernmost portions of the Appalachian Mountains
.
and the gray bat
.
Other than the mountain longleaf pine, other plant species warranting special attention include the white-fringeless orchid, an endangered species candidate, as well as 11 species of flora and 21 species of fauna which are considered rare.
Mountain Longleaf is a relatively new wildlife refuge and, as such, has not yet developed any sizable tourist facilities. A single information kiosk is located at the junction of Bain's Gap Road and Ridge Road South. Additionally, part of the reserve is closed to the general public, pending environmental cleanup. Otherwise, there are limited opportunities for hiking, photography, and wildlife observation at the refuge.
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the world's premiere system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants...
located in eastern Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, near Anniston, Alabama
Anniston, Alabama
Anniston is a city in Calhoun County in the state of Alabama, United States.As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 24,276. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 23,741...
on the former site of Fort McClellan
Fort McClellan
Fort McClellan, originally Camp McClellan, was a United States Army post located adjacent to the city of Anniston, Alabama. During World War II, it was one of the largest U.S. Army installations, training an estimated half-million troops...
. It takes its name from some of the last remaining mountain longleaf pine
Longleaf Pine
Pinus palustris, commonly known as the Longleaf Pine, is a pine native to the southeastern United States, found along the coastal plain from eastern Texas to southeast Virginia extending into northern and central Florida....
(Pinus palustris) forests in the southeastern United States.
Approximately 3,000 acres (12 km2) of the refuge is open to the public during daylight hours. The remaining 6,000 acres (24 km2) will open after the clean-up of environmental contaminants has been completed. The facility has a small two person staff with a $250,000 annual budget. Future plans call for a budget of approximately $900,000 with a ten person staff. Mountain Longleaf NWR also administers the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge
Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge
The Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge is a 3,577 acre National Wildlife Refuge located in central Alabama, along the Cahaba River downstream from Birmingham, Alabama. The refuge was established on September 25, 2002. Additional purchases were approved that will potentially increase the size of...
& Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge
Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge
Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge located in Jefferson County, Alabama, within the city limits of Bessemer. Watercress Darter NWR consists of a pond known as Thomas Spring which is essential to the survival of the endangered watercress darter. A second pond...
.
Topography
Mountain Longleaf NWR is located on the former military training lands of Fort McClellan. The mountains of the refuge, Choccolocco and the Talladega Mountains, are a part of the Blue Ridge MountainsBlue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
in the southernmost portions of the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
.
Wildlife and protected species
Mountain Longleaf serves as a home to several endangered species including the red-cockaded woodpeckerRed-cockaded Woodpecker
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is a woodpecker found in southeastern North America.- Description :About the size of the Northern Cardinal, it is approximately 8.5 in. long, with a wingspan of about 14 in. and a weight of about 1.5 ounces...
and the gray bat
Gray Bat
Myotis grisescens once flourished in caves all over the southeastern United States, but due to human disturbance, Gray Bat populations declined severely during the early and mid portion of the 20th century. At one cave alone, the Georgetown Cave in Northwestern Alabama, populations declined from...
.
Other than the mountain longleaf pine, other plant species warranting special attention include the white-fringeless orchid, an endangered species candidate, as well as 11 species of flora and 21 species of fauna which are considered rare.
Facilities