The Southern Environmental Center (SEC) at Birmingham-Southern College will host a dedication ceremony for the new 466-acre Turkey Creek Nature Preserve at 3906 Turkey Creek Road in Pinson on Saturday, May 9, at 10 a.m. The ceremony will be held at a facility that will serve as the preserve’s interpretive center.  The event is free and open to the public.

Turkey Creek, a tributary of the Locust Fork River, is one of the most biologically diverse habitats in North Central Alabama.  The waters of the creek are home to three endangered species of fish, the Rush Darter, Vermilion Darter and Watercress Darter. The SEC will present educational programs at the center and use the preserve as an outdoor classroom for hands-on environmental education.

The Turkey Creek Preserve is owned by Forever Wild, the state of Alabama’s public lands program.  It is managed by Forever Wild, the Freshwater Land Trust, the SEC and a community group called the Society to Advance the Resources at Turkey Creek (START).

The Land Trust, according to their web site, was instrumental in raising the funds necessary to secure the preserve and make it a part of Forever Wild.  The Land Trust helped to secure approximately $1.5 million from the Jefferson County Greenways Program and about $750,000 in private landowner contributions.

Turkey Creek Preserve is now open daily. It is closed occasionally for special events, education programs, maintenance or research. For more information, contact preserve manager Taylor Steele at (205) 680-4116 or tsteele@bsc.edu.