Turkey Creek Nature Preserve

08/28/2026

We didn't want the season to end without recognizing our interns who brought energy, dedication, and a great attitude to our team this summer. 🫶

Swipe through to meet these future environmental leaders, who spent the summer doing hands-on fieldwork in conservation and environmental stewardship, helping make our greenspaces enjoyable for all who visit and live here.

A special thank you to our sponsors, Cawaco RC&D , Legacy, Partners in Environmental Education , and Sierra Club - Alabama Chapter for making these opportunities possible! 🌿

08/22/2026

Another great day at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve with students from UAB Honors College!

Students split into two groups for a day of hands-on conservation: one helped propagate native plants—including the always-popular oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) and pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba), whose prized fruit provides an important food source for wildlife—while the other group helped clean up the creek. 🌱💧

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who helps care for this beautiful space and supports propagating native plants to strengthen our local ecosystem. Your hard work makes a difference! 💚

08/21/2026

What a wonderful discovery of wildlife all found on a small patch of partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve. A great reminder to slow down and make time to appreciate the richness of nature.

A grasshopper was observed on the same flower for several days and on the fourth day it had molted, nearly doubling in size!😀

Want to add native plants, like partridge pea, to your yard? Shop our upcoming Native Plant Sale happening every Saturday in October and support local wildlife.🦋🦎🐝


Thanks to Van Coffey for the photos!

08/19/2026

Book an outdoor field trip with Jefferson County Greenways and experience the wonder of nature!

"If our future generations don't believe that greenspace is important, then there will be no one after us to protect our preserves from development and destruction."
-Emily Hutto, Lead Naturalist and Wildlife Care Specialist at Jefferson County Greenways

https://loom.ly/_-IqVPo

According to the National Wildlife Federation, the average American child spends as little as 30 minutes per day engaging in unstructured outdoor play, and up to seven hours per day on a screen. Some studies suggest that children may be spending as little as four to seven minutes per day outside. He...

08/14/2026

Thanks to an incredible partnership more greenspace is protected in Jefferson County!

Learn more about the partnership and the protected habitat that is home to several imperiled species, and the community's long-standing commitment to protect the area.
https://loom.ly/p0Ak57c


Forever Wild Land Trust The Nature Conservancy in Alabama

08/10/2026

Did you know that August is National Water Quality Month? Come to The Elements Learning Series - Water on August 13 at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve to learn about the importance of water quality to our local ecosystems and communities, and to Alabama as a whole. We will have representatives from Jefferson County Greenways, Alabama Water Watch, and Black Warrior Riverkeeper on a moderator-led panel to discuss their organizations' work and answer questions about water quality.

Register at https://loom.ly/MnO5_vg

08/05/2026

A big thank you to Mountain High Outfitters for sponsoring our Moth Night events. We enjoyed moth-filled nights of fun and exploration! We found 48 moth species at Ruffner Mountain and 36 at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve. A few Rhinoceros beetles (Dynastinae), cicadas, and millipedes didn't want to be missed, either.

08/04/2026

What do art, water, spiders, birds, and trails have in common? They're all part of our August programs! Join us for one (or a few!) of our outdoor events.
Don't forget that members receive discounts on all programs.

Registration is required to attend most of our programs. See our full calendar linked and reserve your spot today. https://www.jeffcogreenways.org/programs/calendar

➡️ Tuesday Night Trails - Red Mountain Park, Every Tuesday in August
➡️ MAPS Bird Banding Program - Ruffner Mountain, August 5
➡️ The Elements Learning Series: Water - Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, August 13
➡️ Spider Hike - Ruffner Mountain, August 21
➡️ Nature Print Making Workshop - Ruffner Mountain, August 22
➡️ Spider Hike - Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, August 22
➡️ Pilates & Hiking Program - Ruffner Mountain, August 23

Special thanks to Mountain High Outfitters for sponsoring the Spider Hikes!

07/29/2026

New land acquisition expands Turkey Creek Nature Preserve to approximately 1,030 acres!

Celebrate this conservation milestone to help protect one of Alabama's most biologically diverse habitats for future generations to experience.

📆 Wednesday, Aug. 5
🕙 10 a.m.
📍Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, 3906 Turkey Creek Rd,, Pinson, AL 35126

07/27/2026

Meet Jefferson County Greenways member and volunteer, Ashlie Ithurburn. She and her family love spending time at Ruffner Mountain and Red Mountain Park and have many precious memories from their time there. For Ashlie, it's important to give back to the greenspaces that mean so much to her family.
Learn more about membership at www.jeffcogreenways.org/membership