Cahaba River Coalition acquires 151 acres for conservation in Bibb County

It’s an exciting day for conservationists in Alabama! Today, the Cahaba River Coalition—a local nonprofit dedicated to protecting and preserving the Cahaba River—announced that it has purchased 151 acres of critically-important land adjacent to the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge in Bibb County.

Cahaba River Coalition acquires 151 acres adjacent to Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge

Stretching 194 miles from its headwaters in Birmingham to the Alabama River near Selma, the Cahaba River is the longest freeflowing river in the state of Alabama—and the “fishiest river in the U.S.,” according to National Geographic. As the home of more species of native fish per mile than any river in North America and the source of most Birmingham residents’ drinking water, the Cahaba River is an incredibly important freshwater system—which makes the Cahaba River Coalition’s new acquisition so impactful.

According to David Butler, Executive Director of the Cahaba River Coalition, the 151-acre property was purchased from Jim Wadsworth, a longtime conservationist who engineered the 1,164-acre expansion of the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge in 2021 through a series of purchases.

“We have had the privilege of knowing Jim for more than a decade, and his vision and effort to identify, acquire, and protect large tracts of land in the Cahaba watershed will benefit generations to come.  We can’t think of a better platform to expand our work to protect the Cahaba and are humbled that Jim has trusted the Coalition with its stewardship. ”

David Butler, Executive Director, Cahaba River Coalition

The purchase is the first land acquisition by the Cahaba River Coalition, which formed in 2025 through the merger of the Cahaba River Society and Cahaba Riverkeeper.

What the acquisition means for the Cahaba River

The acquisition and preservation of the 151-acre property is a major conservation victory that will help protect an important stand of Cahaba lilies and rare mussels along the Little Cahaba River.

“We are thrilled to become the caretakers of this amazing property.  Owning this land gives us the opportunity to develop a long-term approach to protecting the amazing biodiversity that it supports, while giving us a platform to attract researchers and students from around the world.

This is an incredible step forward for the Coalition, and we couldn’t be more grateful to our members and donors for supporting our vision to make the Cahaba the most studied river in the Southeastern United States.”

David Butler, Executive Director, Cahaba River Coalition

According to the David Butler, the acquisition will enable the group to set up a permanent year-round Field Station to conduct comprehensive research and provide educational programming. Examples of potential uses include:

• Research on aquatic species, including the Cahaba lily and Cahaba bass
• Increase rare mussel propagation 
• Research and implement invasive species control methods and address invasive species such as taro, privet, and the Asian clam
• Restore native cane habitat
• Expand the Coalition’s award-winning educational programs

In the coming months, the Cahaba River Coalition will work to map out next steps for the new property.