"The state’s Forever Wild program has recently acquired hundreds of acres of biologically important forest in Jackson County, Ala. The 535-acre Sims, Swaim and Johnson addition to the Walls of Jericho Forever Wild tract was purchased in May 2010 from the Alabama Chapter of The Nature Conservancy with support from a $640,000 Forest Legacy grant from the USDA Forest Service. The land is located along the Estill Fork tributary to the Paint Rock River and is adjacent to the James D. Martin-Skyline Wildlife Management Area.
The Sims, Swaim and Johnson addition will be used for public recreation and conservation efforts, and will increase public access to the popular Walls of Jericho trail system located near the communities of Skyline and Hytop. State lands managers have documented more than 15,000 hiking and horse trail users annually on the growing trail system. New land acquisitions such as this ensure the public's access to the property and enhance the quality of life that state lands afford Alabamians.
Considered one of the most biologically diverse and important regions in the United States, the Walls of Jericho Tract supports several species of birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians and plants recognized under the Alabama Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy as species of highest conservation concern. As part of the Paint Rock River watershed, this area contains several springs and more than 3,000 feet of perennial stream habitat along Estill Fork Creek. The habitats within and along the Estill Fork waterway support some of the last remaining populations of several species of fish and mussels protected under the federal Endangered Species Act."
The preceding was a release from the Alabama Forever Wild program. My only concern here is that the more people that come to this area the more ecological damage that can be done. Of course, I am being selfish.
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