Turkey Creek Nature Preserve

Outdoor Recreation Site

A rich ecological treasure established through a partnership between Alabama's Forever Wild Program and the Freshwater Land Trust and is co-managed by the Southern Environmental Center at Birmingham Southern College. The rich history of the preserve dates back to documented prehistoric Native American inhabitants. During the early days of Alabama statehood, the preserve played a key role in the birth of industry in this area by the works of early entrepreneur and industrialist David Hanby. The Hanby family ran a grist mill and a small iron forge on the banks of Turkey Creek. David Hanby's forge made horseshoes for the Confederacy until he was killed by Union Soldiers on April 19th, 1865. The preserve contains some of the most biologically diverse habitats in this region of Alabama. The waters of Turkey Creek are home to three endangered species of fish: the Vermilion Darter (Etheostoma chermocki), the Watercress Darter (Etheostoma nuchale), and the Rush Darter (Etheostoma phytophilum). The Rush and Vermilion Darters occur only in Turkey Creek and nowhere else in the world. The vermilion darter is found only in Turkey Creek, a tributary of the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the vermilion darter as an endangered species because their preferred habitats could be adversely affected by increased sedimentation from surrounding land development in the upper Turkey Creek watershed.

For more information visit:
http://www.bsc.edu/sec/ecoscape/turkeycreek.cfm

• Open Aug.-Mar. W-Sat. 8-5, Apr.-July W-Sun. 8-6. Entrance closes 30 min. before posted closing time

• Not provided