Press Release

Forever Wild Land Trust Acquires Bayou Jasmine in Mobile-Tensaw Delta

April 13, 2005

Alabama’s Forever Wild Land Trust expanded its holdings in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta with acquisition of the 184-acre Bayou Jasmine Tract. A $1 million North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant from the USFWS made this latest purchase possible.

The Bayou Jasmine Tract is along one of the most popular routes on the Bartram Canoe Trail. The land is an addition to the Upper Delta Wildlife Management Area. One of the most significant features of this tract is the state’s champion Bald Cypress tree, the largest known of the species. Certified by the Alabama Forestry Commission in 1989, the tree measures 324 inches in circumference and is 131 feet high.

The Forever Wild Program is funded by a percentage of the interest earned from state royalties on offshore natural gas leases belonging to Alabama. Administered by the State Lands Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the program’s purchasing power is increased significantly by utilizing federal funding and grants that are matched by Forever Wild state funds.

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through five divisions: Marine Police, Marine Resources, State Parks, State Lands, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries.

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