A Guided Tour of Alabama's Longleaf

In October 2007, Alabama’s Forever Wild Land Trust Program purchased 9,746 acres of the Coosa Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Coosa County, one of Alabama’s oldest established public hunting areas. The tract lies within the Weogufka and Hatchet Creek watersheds located above the Fall Line, in the Piedmont physiographic region, about ten miles (as the crow flies) east of Clanton and bordered by the Coosa River (Mitchell Lake) to the west and Hatchet Creek to the south. The representative climax forest stands include mature, montane longleaf pine along ridge tops and upper slopes with mixed hardwoods occupying drainages. The longleaf pine forest here are situated at the southern extent of the greater montane longleaf pine ecosystem found from northeast Alabama and northwest Georgia. In 2013, a second contiguous parcel, the Hancock Phase II Tract, was purchased by Forever Wild adding another 842 acres to the Coosa WMA complex along the south side of Hatchet Creek.   

There are three extant stands of mature longleaf pine forest, one on the western end (~330-acres), a larger separated contiguous stand toward the east (~700-acres), and a small, isolated stand on the north end of the Hancock Phase II tract (~50-acres). The upland mature longleaf pine areas were separated by plantations of dense loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) upon acquisition in 2007, but have been harvested by the previous property owner. These areas were replanted back with longleaf as part of the restoration objectives here. Land along the north and south banks of Hatchet Creek and adjacent to the Forever Wild property, is owned by Alabama Power Company (APCO). Their lands contains several hundred more acres of mature longleaf and are contiguous with Forever Wild property.

The State Lands Division (SLD) and the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division (WFFD) of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) are stewards of these Forever Wild tracts and manage them under the principle of multiple-use. Primary objectives focus on the conservation of this rare community-type through a variety of specific management actions and provide the public with both consumptive and non-consumptive recreational opportunities.

The Forever Wild portion of the Coosa WMA is the only state-owned property harboring an active red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW) population in Alabama. The RCWs on Coosa WMA currently represent 4 of the approximately 15 total active clusters that make up the entire Lake Mitchell population in Coosa and Chilton counties. The remainder of the population occurs on privately-owned land adjacent to Coosa WMA. Since 2008, the SLD has implemented a recovery plan through targeted management and monitoring of RCWs on the Coosa WMA. These actions are completed through a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), WFFD, and APCO.

Specific onsite management actions include:

• Removing mid-story hardwood trees in favor of more openly-spaced, mature longleaf pine in and surrounding active clusters to improve forest structure conditions for nesting and foraging.
• Implementing controlled burning throughout the tract every 2 years to enhance the diversity of herbaceous groundcover while keeping woody shrubs and trees from encroaching. 
• Installing RCW artificial cavity inserts to provide ample nesting and roosting cavities; offsetting loss of existing cavities by natural causes and helping to "recruit" birds to increase/grow the population. 
• Monitoring populations to measure the success of management actions and guide future habitat management decisions. 

These continued actions have resulted in measurable improvement of habitat conditions and increased numbers of rare species seen on Coosa WMA since 2008. Management occurring on Coosa WMA is contributing to a larger collective effort by different stakeholders responsible for the stewardship of the Lake Mitchell area, including both state and private entities that work closely together in consultation with the USFWS to maximize success. 

The expected benefits and long-term objectives of this project are to increase the Lake Mitchell RCW population to a sustainable level and improve and expand the montane longleaf pine habitat for other imperiled species that are recognized as Greatest Conservation Need Species such as Bachman's sparrow, coral snake, eastern slender glass lizard, and spotted skunk. Many game species also benefit from these management actions such as fox squirrel, wild turkey, and Northern bobwhite. 

The SLD developed an 11.4 mile thru-hike trail on the Forever Wild portion of the Coosa WMA. The trail meanders along WMA roads and through the forest providing occasional scenic views of Mitchell Lake and Hatchet Creek. The trail is free to use and open year-round to hikers only -- no horses or mountain bikes are permitted. Trailheads and parking areas are conveniently located on either end of the trail (see map).

Two primitive campsites can accommodate 8 to 10 campers each along the trail. The west-end campsite is located just off the trailhead and the second campsite is located at the trail’s midpoint - both accessible via hike-in. There are currently no fire rings, but campfires are allowed. Camping is free and no registration is necessary.

The east trailhead is located just north of the Hatchet Creek bridge on Coosa CR 29. To access the west trailhead, travel north on Coosa CR 29 from the Hatchet Creek bridge for about 2.5 miles, and take a left onto Coosa WMA Road 15. Travel west on WMA 15 for about two miles and take a left onto WMA Road 153. The gravel parking lot and trail kiosk will be on the left. WMA road conditions can depend on the weather.

In the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, you will find the largest and one of the most biodiverse state parks in Alabama. Originally established by the Alabama State Lands Act of 1927, Oak Mountain State Park has grown to 9,940 acres and is home to some incredibly important flora, including longleaf pine. This park has a rich history, with countless hours spent by the Civilian Conservation Corp. building this beautiful recreation area. Many trees growing in the park were used to construct cabins and other structures, but luckily many of the longleaf were spared.  

The longleaf pine habitat found throughout Oak Mountain is considered montane forest and is one of the largest remaining in the state. Some of the pines here are over 100 years old but appear younger due to the soil and rocky terrain causing slow growth. This longleaf habitat at one time supported Red-Cockaded Woodpecker populations and some of their old cavities can still be seen today. As part of a planned restoration effort, the park will soon begin re-introducing controlled burns into the longleaf forests. This will greatly improve the health, biodiversity and beauty of the forest, and restore habitats that in time can again provide homes for the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker and other important longleaf-dependent species. Educational signs are being planned for the upcoming restoration project and will highlight the importance of fire in a healthy longleaf forest. 

The best access to view longleaf pine in the park is the 2.4-mile North Lakes Connector Trail, serving both hikers and mountain cyclists. As you hike up the mountain, you will see larger stands of pines. 

There is plenty of parking with restrooms and a changing room at the trailhead. To help pay for the facilities and improvements, this park charges a modest $5 entrance fee for adults and $2 for children.

The hard and tireless work of decades of restorative efforts are visible on the trails of Cheaha State Park and the surrounding Talladega National Forest. Although Cheaha State Park only contains a small community of longleaf, it is surrounded by the Talladega National Forest’s rolling green ridges and valleys which encompass over 300,000 acres of forests. A primary focus of Cheaha State Park is to maintain healthy and natural forests, creating crucial habitat for numerous plants and animals while supporting great outdoor recreation opportunities.

Play is an important part of life and Cheaha State Park is a giant playground. Located in the middle of the Talladega National Forest, this recreation area is a great place to stop, explore, or utilize as a home-base for exploring the incredible surrounding natural areas. Cheaha Lake day use area offers picnic tables, grills, bathrooms, a swimming area with a beach and hiking trails! There is also a large playground with campsites nearby. This site offers the perfect base for a day or weekend of adventure.

Since the area surrounding Cheaha Lake was historically occupied by longleaf pines and naturally experienced frequent fires, park staff are in the initial stages of re-introducing fire back into the forests. As a result, this site provides a great example of how years of fire exclusion changes a forest’s natural composition and structure. Some of the largest, oldest longleaf pines in the State Park can be viewed on the Lake Trail which connects Cheaha Lake to Rock Garden. This 1- mile trail is very steep and rugged, making it fun and challenging, but make sure you have proper footwear for tackling this adventure!

Cheaha State Park has an entry day use fee: (Age 0-3: Free), (Age 4-11: $2.00), (12 and older: $5.00), (Seniors 62 years+: $2.00). Park admission is included in all overnight accommodations. 

Just south of Duncanville, AL in the Oakmulgee Ranger District of the Talladega National Forest, approximately 6,000 acres of forest have been specially designated as a "Walk-In Turkey Hunting Project Area". This project is the result of a collaborative partnership between the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), Alabama Department of Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries and U.S. Forest Service. The objective is providing optimal wild turkey brood-rearing habitat through the implementation of prescribed fire, thinning, planting and other land management practices. 

Since 2011, there have been just over 2000 acres of longleaf pine restored via hand planting. This site offers visitors excellent examples of longleaf restoration in action and lets you explore longleaf in a variety of stages. Longleaf can be observed in its early grass stage as it has recently been restored to sites that were previously dominated by loblolly pine, as well as sites that have middle aged and older longleaf that have been enhanced through the use of thinning.

Healthy longleaf forests are a critical component to high quality wild turkey habitat, largely as a result of their resiliency to fire. Burning longleaf stands proves vital to wild turkeys and other wildlife species due to their preference for early successional grasses and forbs, which provide ideal bugging habitat for wild turkey poults that require 80% insects for their initial diet. Not only are wild turkeys positively impacted by prescribed fire, but the opening of overcrowded mid-story and under-story result in prime conditions for threatened and endangered species such as red-cockaded woodpeckers. Our native game and non-game wildlife species evolved with fire, and reintroduction of fire to these sites will improve habitats and promote healthier forests.

While this project area offers many great examples of active longleaf restoration and management, access can be limited pending weather impacts on the unpaved forest service roads. Three access gates with gravel pull-offs provide some of the best access to longleaf restoration sites in the project area. 

While longleaf pine once extended over a vast area in the Southeast, only in Northeast Alabama and Northwest Georgia did these forests extend beyond the Coastal Plain, through the Piedmont and deep into the Blue Ridge Mountains. While Coastal Plain longleaf pine commonly occurs on deep sands, the mountain longleaf pine forests grow on steep rocky slopes and along upland ridges. They are considered the most endangered of the remaining longleaf pine communities. Refuge forests contain the finest remaining fire-maintained mountain longleaf pine stands and are one of the few remaining old- growth forests outside the Coastal Plain.

Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge protects the largest stand of mature Longleaf Pines north of the state’s coastal plain. This refuge was legislatively established on May 31, 2003 within the former military training base of  Fort McClellan  – which closed in 1999. On October 23, 2003, additional property was added to the refuge, bringing the total to 9,016 acres of property.

Many unique habitats and natural features can be found within the refuge, such as spring seeps, and hardwood bottoms, with longleaf pine forests dominant across much of the landscape. There are existing stands of old-growth longleaf pine as well as many naturally regenerated second-growth forests where the herbaceous ground layer, in many situations, is intact and comprises an extremely diverse native fire-adapted plant cover. Our records indicate the no tree planting has never occurred within the refuge and genetic contamination is not an issue, making this site incredibly unique. Additionally, fire has continually been a part of the landscape under army ownership for the previous hundred years.

Longleaf pine trees are a key species in a complex fire-dependent ecosystem in the Southeast. These forests primarily owe their existence to lightning-related wildfires that were augmented by Native American practices of burning the forest. The former pre-settlement forest is believed to have evolved through lightning fires that occurred from May through July at an interval of two to eight years. As a result, primary restoration on the refuge consists of the reintroduction of fire back into the forests. Areas where hardwoods have encroached into the natural longleaf forests, invasive pines have become established or where seedling stocking is low require more intensive restoration efforts.

It’s important to note that about two-thirds of the refuge is closed to the public because of ongoing remediation from the former Fort McClellan. As part of the base closure process, the Army is surveying and characterizing all training lands for potential presence of unexploded ordinance (UXO) and other environmental concerns. Within the legislative transfer of land to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, stipulations were made that the Army remains responsible for the remediation of all UXO within the refuge. The removal of the UXO is still ongoing, so you will likely see many contractors out while driving on the refuge. The area to the west of Ridge Road is closed to the public, which is about two-thirds of the refuge. Area closed signs are clearly posted and easy to find along the boundary of the closed areas. When UXO cleanup is completed in the years to come, the remainder of the refuge will be opened up to the public as well. 

Unfortunately, none of the large longleaf stands are currently accessible due to the UXO closures. Even so, great views of this refuge’s longleaf forests can be seen from the road. The best view of a mature forest can be seen on Bains Gap Road as you drive through the heart of montane longleaf country.

In coordination with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the refuge provides the public with recreational opportunities including hunting, wildlife observation, and photography. The refuge also provides opportunities for scientific research and education.

Kathy Stiles Freeland Bibb County Glades Preserve is home to 61 rare plant species, river-front hardwood forest, mountain longleaf pine forests, and whitewater shoals river habitat – protecting the rare ketona dolomite glade habitat and it’s many unique organisms. Amazingly, eight of the plant species found in these Glades are recently new to science which includes new species of rosinweed, blazingstar, prairie clover and indian-paintbrush. The Little Cahaba River, which flows through the preserve, also harbors dozens of rare and imperiled aquatic creatures. 

As you can imagine, Kathy Stiles Freeland Bibb County Glades Preserve has gained fame among naturalists due to the large number of rare and interesting wildflowers and shrubs found living in the rocky, dolomite glades on the banks of the Little Cahaba River. Accompanying these floral marvels are rocky outcroppings, oak-hickory forested bluffs and longleaf pine crested ridges. While this area has extensive montane longleaf uplands dissected by open ketona dolomite glades, soil conditions on portions of this preserve are on the far end of pine comfort levels, many areas with a pH of 7.4-7.6. The individual longleaf growing in the glade systems are surviving in the harshest conditions a tree can tolerate. Historically, the tract was selectively managed for timber, however, the property has only been burned since being acquired by the Nature Conservancy approximately 20 years ago.

The Nature Conservancy manages this site to help ensure proper stewardship and preserve the sensitive plant and animal communities. Visitation is limited to walk-in foot traffic only and the preserve is actively managed – carefully restoring and maintaining the habitat utilizing prescribed burning and species monitoring and inventory. Interesting to note, this preserve also contains the remains of Brighthope Furnace, the earliest ironworks built in the State of Alabama. With its vast array of ecological diversity and historical significance, this site is considered by some akin to visiting a "lost world". It is also considered the most biologically diverse piece of land known in the state of Alabama!

Open to the public during daylight hours, visitors can park at the entrance gate and walk to the Little Cahaba River. Actively managed longleaf stands in the Glade can most easily be accessed via Fullman Lane, just North of the Glades entrance on County Road 65. Please be mindful of fragile plants. Planned events allow visitors to participate in stewardship and educational activities throughout the year. Additional information about any upcoming events can be found via the links below. 

In September 2014, The US Forest Service and The Longleaf Alliance (LLA) entered into a Stewardship Agreement on the Oakmulgee Ranger District to restore and maintain upland longleaf pine forest and woodland communities, aid in the recovery of federally listed threatened and endangered species, and to improve natural habitats. Stewardship contracting utilizes natural resource management practices to shift the focus of federal forest and rangeland management towards a desired future resource condition. They also enable federal agencies to better contribute to the development of sustainable rural communities, restore and maintain healthy forest ecosystems, and promote a closer working relationship with local communities by providing a continuing source of local income and employment.

When the project began, these stands were understocked with longleaf and overstocked with off-site loblolly, hardwoods and some shortleaf. Through the careful thinning work conducted, these stands have benefited from a much more diverse native understory and the forest canopy will see a healthier upland longleaf pine woodland interspersed with longleaf savannas. This also increases habitat for game and non-game species of wildlife. The endangered red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) population has benefited from the installation and maintenance of some 80 artificial cavities installed in July 2018. This work increased the size of active clusters and created new recruitment areas for this recovering species. In the year following (2019) a significant increase in nest survival was noted as a successful outcome!

Longleaf Restoration

93 acres of off-site pine and hardwoods were harvested while retaining what scattered natural longleaf remained in this stand. Site preparation was conducted in September 2016 to reduce an overaggressive brush layer and allow desired native species to thrive. Some 62,400 containerized montane longleaf pine seedlings were hand planted in February 2017. 

Longleaf Woodland Enhancement 

A much larger area of some 831 acres was enhanced by a careful thinning operation designed to favor longleaf pine while reducing overall tree “stocking” levels. This reduction in forest density allows much more sunlight to reach the ground, enabling the native understory species to expand and reproduce. Prior to treatment, these areas were overly dense with a hardwood and shrub layer that was degrading habitat for many species of wildlife. Following the careful application of mechanical, chemical and fire treatments, annual monitoring has documented a significant increase in the diversity of native flora and positive changes to both the understory and midstory conditions. 

Groundcover Monitoring

Monitoring has continued annually from 2015 to 2019, with LLA staff conducting quantitative annual vegetation assessments to monitor midstory and groundcover responses to the management treatments. These assessments have documented what visual observation suggests, that the successful management of two frequently problematic species that can quickly get out of balance results in healthier habitats. On the Oakmulgee, these include loblolly pine seedlings (when too abundant result in “doghaired”, fire-prone conditions) and overabundant wild grape vines (tangling and smothering other species). This information gathered from monitoring will help determine future treatments for healthier forest conditions. Photo points are also taken at each monitoring plot to record qualitative changes in the stands over time. 

These restoration areas now provide exceptional demonstration sites for people to explore and experience year-round how partners can help restore the native forest conditions experienced by our grandparents both efficiently and successfully. Visits throughout the seasons provide very different experiences, and the opportunity to better understand the diversity of life in a healthy and developing stand. Hiking, trail walks nature photography, birding and botanizing are some ways that visitors can better experience the natural world of the Oakmulgee. The Forest Service will maintain these habitats with prescribed fire on a 2 to 4-year fire return interval. 

Suggested routes:

From Site 1 (Rd. 704), walk south along 709 for spectacular views of longleaf enhancement and RCW habitat. 

At the end of Pine Flat Road, more examples of longleaf enhancement and RCW habitat can be viewed on both sides of the road.

Not far from Cheaha State Park is Lake Chinnabee Recreation Area. This 17-acre lake is fed by Cheaha Creek. Lake Chinnabee Recreation Area offers sanitary facilities, hiking, picnicking, and fishing. Upstream from the picnic sites, the Chinnabee Silent Trail winds beside Cheaha Creek and ends 6 miles away at Caney Head atop Talladega Mountain. It is popular because of the spectacular views of flowing streams, rock outcroppings, and waterfalls. Lake Chinnabee is an ideal spot to enjoy nature for daytime recreation.

Coming into Lake Chinnabee, along the paved entrance (Forest Road 646) you will see lots of mature longleaf on both sides of the road. Some of the longleaf is mixed with other upland hardwood species like chestnut oak and pignut hickory. In 2016, a large wildfire fueled by windy conditions and a severe drought occurred just to the north of Lake Chinnabee and the effects are still very evident. 

Torched stands of longleaf and loblolly timber are visible along the Lake Chinnabee entrance road as well as County Road 42. These timbers are a prime example of how catastrophic wildfires impact the forest canopy, but it is also a testament to the resiliency of fire-adapted plants and animals in longleaf forests. As part of a restoration effort, the USFS has underplanted many of the fire-killed timber areas with containerized longleaf seedlings to get a jumpstart on the next generation of longleaf forest.

Lake Chinnabee is open to the public March 1st thru December 1st with an admission fee of $3.00/day for day use only. Don't forget to check out the " Know Before You Go " website for the most up-to-date information on any potential alerts or closures. To view the post-wildfire longleaf recovery areas there is no fee since you do not have to enter the official recreation area.

Bull's Gap is located at the intersection of Hwy 148 and 601-A, as the highway crosses over the Rebecca/Horn Mountain chain. This site is interesting as it illustrates an absence of fire in old montane longleaf forest. The established, mature longleaf here is encroached with large hardwoods such as chestnut oak, blackjack oak, red maple, hickory, and black gum, as well as other less fire tolerant pines such as Virginia pine.

Bulls Gap is a listed Alabama Birding Trail site, with a kiosk and parking area to access the Pinhoti Trail located a short distance off Hwy 148 on Rocky Mt. Road. This site is a good place to observe many species of songbirds in the Spring. Black-throated green warblers, black-and-white warblers, and worm-eating warblers are all common here during the breeding season in the mixed xeric longleaf-hardwood canopies. 

This fire-suppressed site is starkly contrasted by the actively managed longleaf stands down Hwy 148 about one to two miles to the west where the USFS maintains open, thinned, burned longleaf stands which are home to red-cockaded woodpeckers (RCW), bobwhites, and other unique species. Several clusters of inhabited RCW trees are visible from Hwy 148. The openness of these stands mimics historic conditions and is the result of active forest management using commercial timber harvesting, midstory removal (chainsaw and herbicide) and frequent prescribed burning. The herbaceous understories here are extremely diverse and include several species of native bunchgrasses (including bluestems, yellow Indiangrass and plumegrass), in addition to abundant legumes and forbs.  

McDill Point is located on the Talladega National Forest within the bounds of an area designated as the Cheaha Wilderness. The Cheaha Wilderness, originally designated in 1983, covers approximately 7,245 acres of undisturbed landscape. Wilderness areas are congressionally designated as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain. An area of wilderness is further defined to mean in this  Act  an area of undeveloped Federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation, which is protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions. Trails are minimally blazed since evidence of human activity is minimized and provides a great primitive hiking and backpacking experience. 

This longleaf site is for those seeking a slightly longer excursion and can be accessed by hiking a short portion of the Pinhoti National Recreation Trail. The closest access point is the Cheaha Trailhead which puts you just south of the Cheaha State Park Boundary. The trailhead has the closest amenities which will be found in the form of restrooms.

While remnant longleaf pines still exist scattered across the Cheaha Wilderness, the real value of this area comes from being an exemplary wild place largely untrammeled by humans. Overlooking this designated wilderness area, one can take a step back in time.

From the trailhead, McDill Point can be reached via about a 2-mile hike (4-mile round trip), heading south on the Pinhoti trail. Plan to give yourself at least 3 hours for the hike, parking at the Cheaha Trailhead directly off highway 281. From there, you will find a beautifully built entry way - hike in about 1 minute and turn right heading up the hill. When you hit a fork in the road, take a left and continue following the Pinhoti trail. After hiking for a little while, you will see a trail sign for accessing the cliff for McDill point overlook. On your hike out to the overlook you will pass the remains of an old crashed airplane, an interesting landmark confirming you are going the right way. 

• Note: While enjoying this site, please do your part to keep this wilderness area a pristine place. Do your best to leave no trace! There are no routes available for mountain bikes, horses or motorized vehicles in the Cheaha Wilderness.