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The
Amazing Botanical Wonder
Imagine unknowingly approaching, by canoe, what is now known as one
of the most significant, biologically important reservoirs in the
United States. In 1992, a Georgia botanist named James Allison,
under contract with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, organized a
canoe trip in Bibb County, Alabama. Exploring the unexplored,
Allison and three of his friends --Timothy Stevens, Jim and Debi
Rodgers-- began their adventure along the Little Cahaba River. What
they found during their exploration was truly a monumental
biological discovery!
The Cahaba River
Photo Courtesy of Greg W. Evans
While exploring along the Little Cahaba River, a tributary of
Alabama's longest free-flowing river and one of the most
biologically rich rivers in the nation, Allison and his friends
discovered a glade community unlike any that had ever been
discovered before. Glades are rocky sites that, because of their
rare, unique geology, serve as a habitat for communities of plants
that are absent throughout the rest of the world. Since the
discovery of this "botanical lost world" in the Bibb County glades
of central and northwestern Alabama, more than 61rare plants, eight
of which were entirely "new to science," have been found there. The
botanical explorations by Allison and others that have taken place
since 1992 have revealed that Bibb County is blessed with more
rarities than anyone could ever have imagined. More than any other
single county in the temperate southeast, Bibb County supports the
broadest range of rare plant species. So, one may ask these
questions: "Why is this little county in Alabama blessed with such
an extraordinary botanical bounty?" "Why do these eight newly
discovered plants make their home only in the glades of Bibb County,
Alabama?"
Beautiful and biologically rich
Known to many as the "most floated river in Alabama," the Cahaba
River Basin covers 1,870 square miles. The name Cahaba River was
derived from the Choctaw word oka, meaning "water" and aba, meaning
"above." The Cahaba River served as a territorial boundary for the
Choctaw and Creek Indians. Enjoyed and loved by generations of
Alabama residents and visitors, one quarter of Alabama's population
drinks, cooks with and bathes in treated water from the Cahaba every
day. The river begins on Cahaba Mountain as a small, spring-fed
stream. The upper part of the river runs through elevated banks and
rugged outcroppings of rocks until it crosses a geological boundary
called the Fall Line. This Fall Line marks the end of the
Appalachian Mountains and the beginning of the coastal plains. The
river slows, widens and deepens as it runs down to the lower
portion, creating a shoreline that is similar to sandbars and
swamps. Most other rivers have been dammed for
hydroelectric power,
but not the Cahaba.
Flowing for 190 miles from its headwaters in St. Clair County, the
Cahaba River runs through Jefferson, Shelby, Bibb, Tuscaloosa,
Chilton, Perry and Dallas counties. Most of the river can be
traveled by canoe and is frequently used by canoeists, fisherman and
others for recreational purposes. Within its waters are 131
different species of fish, snails and mussels that cannot be found
anywhere else in the world. The Cahaba River has more different
species found per mile than any other river of its size. There is a
high diversity of extraordinary plant life above the water in Bibb
County as well. With over 61 rare plant species in the Bibb County
glades, it is safe to say that the Cahaba River and the glades
located along it and its tributaries make up a beautiful "botanical
lost world.”
Preserve the beauty
When you think of
biodiversity, would Alabama be one of the first on
your list, or perhaps one of the first places that pops into your
mind? Alabama ranks 5th in the nation for biological diversity,
being both beautiful and biologically rich. However, it is truly
unfortunate that Alabama also ranked 1st in the continental United
States for extinctions of plant and animal species. Alabama also
ranks 4th in the nation for risk to its native species, with 15
percent of its species in danger of extinction. Truly a blessing is
the fact that the glades of Bibb County are preserved by the Nature
Conservancy, which holds in its protection 303 acres of land on the
Cahaba River and focuses on saving the last great places on Earth.
Also, on September 25, 2002, The Cahaba River National Wildlife
Refuge was established to protect the 131 species of fish as well as
to manage a unique section of the biologically significant Cahaba
River, totaling 2,997 acres. The Nature Conservancy has been working
with federal partners to protect all lands that are within the
boundaries of the refuge. In 2003, a
congressional appropriation
of $3 million dollars was used to purchase 1,278 acres, which
brought the total acres protected to 2,977 of the 3,800 acres
planned for the refuge.
The
Nature Conservancy currently considers this particular site to be
the most diverse piece of land in the state of Alabama. Information
obtained from the Nature Conservancy indicates that their strategies
for preserving the site include the control of visitor use,
restoration, prescribed burning, monitoring and taking inventory.
Their protection goals for the site include completion of land
acquisition at this site and partnerships with neighbors and
landowners, as well as improved opportunities for compatible
recreational and educational uses by improving access, parking,
signage, trails and other facilities. The Cahaba River National
Wildlife Refuge has long range plans for preservation as well. These
plans include developing and implementing environmental education
and interpretation programs that focus on ecosystem management and
helping everyone understand the truly amazing benefits of this
treasure. With this being the case, the "botanical lost world," home
to over 61 rare plant species and dozens of unique aquatic species,
will remain a breathtaking site for many years to come.
Visiting this extraordinary "botanical lost world"
Butterfly on
Ketona Tickseed
Photo courtesy of Kathy Stiles Freeland
Bibb County Glades Preserve
Visiting this preserve will prove to be an adventure, never before
embarked on, due to the fact that eight of the plant species found
on the glades were previously unknown. So, seeing these plant
species would certainly be a unique experience. This preserve allows
visitors to participate in educational activities throughout the
year, such as wildlife observation, fishing, hiking, photography and
canoeing. Also, when visiting the site, you will view the Little
Cahaba River at a place both scenic and historic, sight of the
Brighthope Furnace, the earliest ironworks built in the state of
Alabama.
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