Proposal would add 1,600 acres to Oak Mountain State Park
A proposal to add 1,600 acres owned by EBSCO to Oak Mountain State Park would put the park's total size well beyond 10,000 acres. (contributed)
Oak Mountain State Park (OMSP) could soon add more than 1,600 acres to its massive 9,000 acres if a proposal being considered by Alabama Forever Wild is accepted.
The land is owned by EBSCO, a Birmingham-based information services company, which announced earlier this year that it had nominated the Alabama Forever Wild Land Trust to receive the property as an addition to the park.
If approved, the spacious plot of land would expand the boundaries of the park toward the Chelsea and Greystone communities.
OMSP Superintendent Kelly Ezell said the land would boost the variety of activities available to the increasing demographics of people visiting the park.
Oak Mountain State Park already occupies more than 9,000 acres. (Shannon Harney)
“It is in the early stages, we are not there yet, but I do think it is something that would be a real opportunity for the people who use OMSP right now,” Ezell said. “We have a large user group who ride bikes, we have a lot of hikers as well and people who ride horses, and all of those could be adapted to this property.”
The area has a dynamic range of features including King’s Chair, which overlooks the entire area known as the Belcher Tract that is often used by hikers and nature enthusiasts.
“This will do many positive things for the park and the public in general,” Ezell said. “It will protect the absolutely beautiful view-shed from King’s Chair and provide many opportunities for people in the Birmingham metropolitan area to recreate, especially as our attendance continues to grow.”
The proposal is supported by environmental groups, such as The Nature Conservancy, that use their volunteer base and influence to protect nature and wildlife throughout Alabama.
The Nature Conservancy praised the move by EBSCO, explaining that the addition to the park could bolster hiking, the biking trail complex, fishing and backcountry camping.
The project is in its infancy and will take appraisals and other steps by Forever Wild to move toward the purchase.
This story originally appeared in the Shelby County Reporter.
