A grant from EBSCO Industries will support projects by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Alabama over the next five years, designed to bolster conservation efforts on the Alabama, Cahaba and Locust Fork rivers and reduce the impact of stormwater runoff in the Birmingham area.

“We strive to create science-based solutions for urgent conservation issues, and this transformational gift will allow us to better protect both Alabama’s world-class freshwater resources and the communities that rely on them,” TNC in Alabama State Director Mitch Reid said in a news release.

TNC and partners are working to “ecologically reconnect” 266 miles of the Alabama River and 150 miles of the Cahaba River to revive what TNC officials describe as “one of the most important waterways in the world.”

Working with local, state and federal partners — as well as members of Black Belt communities and other nonprofit organizations — TNC will help plan and coordinate the construction of fish passage projects at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ dam at Miller’s Ferry in Wilcox County and the Corps’ Claiborne Lock and Dam, near Monroeville in southwest Alabama.

The spot where the Cahaba River joins the Alabama River. Both waterways will benefit from projects by The Nature Conservancy in Alabama. (Hunter Nichols / The Nature Conservancy)

TNC officials said the projects will “positively impact current threatened and endangered species and will reduce the likelihood of other species being listed — all while providing benefits to the Gulf of Mexico.”

The funding from Birmingham-based EBSCO will also support restoration work on the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River system, where TNC has already been working on conservation efforts.

In 2020, TNC received a renewable $1 million Regional Conservation Partnership Program grant to support ongoing work in the Locust Fork watershed that includes engaging with local landowners to help them repair and protect sections of the river and its shoreline. Despite the efforts, increasing development and other pressures continue to threaten the biological diversity of the waterway. The funding from EBSCO will help enhance the conservation efforts along the river.

Wildlife on the Locust Fork. The Nature Conservancy is working to protect biological diversity in the Locust Fork watershed. (Hunter Nichols / The Nature Conservancy)

In addition, the funds from EBSCO will support efforts in Birmingham to address aging stormwater infrastructure, which has led to periodic flooding and other problems that can affect water quality and drinking water supplies. As Birmingham officials gear up to begin the infrastructure projects, TNC will assist the city in prioritizing the work, with the goal of strengthening their positive, ecological impact.

“We’re happy to continue supporting TNC and its ability to turn ideas and conversations into action and conservation,” said Dell Brooke, EBSCO Community Impact Committee chair.

Reid added: “Meaningful, impactful and lasting conservation efforts require both time and money, but without the support of companies and individuals, the long-term costs could be exponentially more.”

To learn more about TNC in Alabama, click here.