Cahaba River supporters excited about new park

Advocates for the Cahaba River are excited about plans by Shelby County and the state’s Forever Wild Program to develop a park alongside the Cahaba River in western Shelby County near the Bibb County line.

Yesterday, the Shelby County Reporter newspaper published a detailed story about the new “Cahaba River Park.”

Jo Lewis, Natural Heritage Section Chief at the Department of Conservation and Natural Resource State Lands Division,  in an interview with Bham Now, confirmed that a memorandum of understanding (MOU) had been signed between Shelby County and the state’s Forever Wild Program to work jointly on the project.  The proposed park will provide access to the river and increase recreation in the area.

The news of the a planned Cahaba River Park was enthusiastically endorsed by advocates of the state’s longest and most biologically diverse river.

“The Cahaba River Society is so pleased that Shelby County and Forever Wild are working together to establish a public park along the Cahaba River.  That is a beautiful part of the Cahaba that hikers, paddlers, and anyone else who enjoys the outdoors will really appreciate,” stated Randy Haddock with the Cahaba River Society to Bham Now. 

According to Lewis, Forever Wild recently closed on an additional 734 acres adjacent to the present 460 acres Forever Wild Shelby County Park tract. Together, both Forever Wild tracts will conserve 1194 acres.  The Shelby County portion of the park is 127 acres.

To get an idea about where the Forever Wild tract is located, check out Forever Wild’s interactive map of its properties (the 734 acre portion is not yet in the system).

Below, is a map of both properties (Forever Wild & Shelby County) that was published in the Shelby County Reporter