Endangered Forest Preservation Benefits Marine Life and Ecosystems

More than 10,000 acres of longleaf pine forest across Alabama and Georgia will now be protected after The Conservation Fund completed the Stateline Forest project. The land straddles the Alabama/Georgia state border and connects the Talladega National Forest with the Paulding Forest west of Atlanta.

This project, announced on Monday, aims to protect a landscape that is biologically rich and increasingly threatened by development, according to Stacy Funderburke, vice president of the central Southeast region at The Conservation Fund.

The Stateline Forest will preserve nearly 45 miles of waterways that are home to rare freshwater mussels, fish, and other marine life. The longleaf pine forest ecosystem, one of the most endangered in the U.S., has seen a drastic reduction from 90 million acres historically to just 5.2 million acres remaining today, as reported by the Nature Conservancy.

The project is also critical for protecting species such as bats, which have experienced a population decline of 85% to 90% in Georgia over the last decade, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Alabama Forestry Commission will manage the newly preserved lands, ensuring public access for recreation and hunting. The Conservation Fund financed the acquisition using funds from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, the Alabama Forever Wild Program, and the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program, alongside additional funding from the U.S.

Forest Service's Forest Legacy Program. Alabama’s state forester, Rick Oates, emphasized the significance of preserving this forestland and waterways, highlighting the benefits for wildlife and public enjoyment.