Alabama Ecological Services Field Office

13/07/2026

🌿🐾 Big news for coastal conservation in South Alabama!
The South Alabama Land Trust is partnering with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to help protect one of our most vulnerable coastal species — the Alabama beach mouse. This tiny native mouse plays a huge role in keeping our dune ecosystems healthy, stable, and resilient.

This partnership is a powerful example of what happens when local organizations and federal agencies work together for the good of our coastline. Protecting the Alabama beach mouse means protecting our dunes, our beaches, and the natural beauty that makes Baldwin County home.

The South Alabama Land Trust will take over managing the fees paid by developers who consume the endangered mouse's habitat.

08/07/2026

Partners like CAWACO RC&D are helping turn species recovery into a reality for plants and wildlife protected under the Endangered Species Act. By working together with our partners under the umbrella of the Alabama Rivers & Streams Network, we can restore habitats, protect biodiversity, and make a lasting difference for future generations. Together, we truly can make a difference!

07/07/2026

Check out our neighborhood wildlife!

We’ve been spotting some beautiful broad‑winged hawks soaring around our office lately, and wow — they are incredible to watch. Moments like these are such a cool reminder of the wildlife that shares our community. If you see them around, take a moment to look up — nature never disappoints! 🦅🌿 Photos by Erin Sasser, USFWS

03/07/2026

Sad news to hear about the passing of Dr. Ken Marion.

We’re so saddened at the passing of Dr. Ken Marion, one of Freshwater Land Trust’s board members since 2021. Dr. Marion was a Professor Emeritus, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and was a diligent member of FLT’s Land Committee, recently serving as the Co-Chair of that committee and, as a result, a member of FLT’s Executive Committee.

Dr. Marion’s interests in the field and environmental areas of biology have their roots in his childhood growing up in the Ozark foothills of Missouri, where he played in the creeks and rivers and turned over rocks and logs looking for critters. This led to him desiring to pursue an academic and research career where he could continue and expand his early interests. He was at UAB for 40+ years and taught Introductory Biology, Natural History of the Vertebrates, Ecology, Environmental Biology, and Biology Study Away courses. His research interests focused on the natural history of various reptiles, amphibians, and fish, with particular emphasis on human impacts on these species. Dr. Marion was Chair of the Department of Biology from 2000-2008 and served on a number of boards of local and state environmental organizations, including Forever Wild of Alabama. He also served as President of the Alabama Fisheries Association, the Alabama Academy of Science, and the Association of Southeastern Biologists.

FLT greatly appreciates and admires the accomplishments of Dr. Marion. He will be missed dearly by our staff and board, and we send our most sincere condolences to his family and friends.

30/06/2026

Big news for Alabama’s natural treasures!

The Cahaba River has just been named “Fishiest River” by National Geographic in celebration of America’s 250th birthday! 🎉🐟
Home to more fish species per mile than almost any river in North America, the Cahaba is a true biodiversity gem — and it’s right here in our backyard. This recognition shines a spotlight on the importance of protecting and celebrating the ecosystems that make our state so special.

Here’s to the Cahaba, to conservation, and to 250 years of America’s incredible natural heritage! 💙🌿


(After clicking the link, scroll down a bit to read the article!)

To mark 250 years of the United States’ independence, we’re celebrating the grandest, wildest, strangest bits of geography and culture all across an eclectic country.

25/06/2026

🌞📚 Summer Reading Fun at Daphne Library! 📚🌞
Our team had an awesome time at the Children’s Summer Reading Junior Program at the Daphne Library! We got to hang out with a great group of K5–rising 2nd graders — about 20 to 30 enthusiastic young wildlife explorers! 🐾
We focused on gopher tortoises (GTs) and packed in plenty of hands-on fun:
•Biologist Erin Lentz read a gopher tortoise story the kids loved
• We built a burrow model to show all the cool critters that share a GT’s home
• And the big hit… a real gopher tortoise for the kids to see up close and even touch! 🐢💛
Thanks to everyone who joined in — we loved sharing wildlife wonders with our youngest nature fans!

23/06/2026

Happy birthday to four members of the Alabama Field Office: Bill, Phil, Matt, and Evan! Thank you for your dedication to conservation!

01/06/2026

This is the story of Noodle — a black pine snake on the road to recovery — and the biologists who stepped in to give this rare species another shot at survival.