The Alabama Tortoise Alliance (ALTA) seeks to foster an increased level of communication, collaboration and conservation among the stakeholders to actively manage and conserve gopher tortoise populations and habitat in Alabama so that the species no longer warrants state or federal protection. Conservation and recovery of the gopher tortoise through the implementation of this alliance will require the cooperation of non-industrial private landowners; local governments; state, and federal agencies; non-governmental organizations; and business interests.
Although this effort was initiated by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, in collaboration with the above-mentioned stakeholders, it cannot be successfully implemented without significant direct involvement of all Alabama stakeholders. This first stakeholder meeting was sponsored by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians and Sustainable Forestry Initiative in December 2017. Meeting objectives were meant to inform participants about gopher tortoise conservation efforts in Alabama and are stated below:
- Inform participants of outcomes and activities of the Population Viability Analysis Symposia,
- Solicit input for how to best represent Alabama activities at the gopher tortoise Minimum Viable Population (MVP) meetings,
- Generate an information network and repository for gopher tortoise conservation activities and accomplishments in Alabama, and
- Create an adaptive action plan for future tortoise conservation efforts in Alabama.
If you have questions or comments please contact Ericha Nix at Ericha.Shelton-Nix@dcnr.alabama.gov.
