Author: TurkeyCreekAdmin

Charles majored in Urban Environmental Studies while attending BSC, and obtained his BA in 2010. He is no stranger to Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, having spent many hours doing onsite GIS mapping and wetland restoration work, as an intern with Fresh Water Land Trust http://www.freshwaterlandtrust.org/. Charles also knows a thing or two about sustainable landscape design, and was actively involved in the construction phases of our North Birmingham & Seven Springs EcoScapes http://www.stoneshovel.com/ecoscapes.html Charles is married to Rebecca Yeager, a fellow BSC alum.

JeffCo H20:Rock, paper, garden

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Spring is here and summer is just around the corner.  But along with warmer days come issues like bare patches, aggressive weeds, soggy spots, and soaring water bills.  Before using yard chemicals to control pesky plants, giving up on too wet or bare areas, or dragging out the hose to water the landscape yet again, you might want to consider some stormwater friendly low maintenance options.

Bare, sloped or otherwise hard to maintain areas easily can be transformed into a yard feature by installing a rock garden.  If you don’t already have appropriate rocks in your yard, you can purchase them at a home and garden store.  Properly installed, the rock will help reduce weeds, hold in moisture, and stabilize the soil.  When choosing plants for your rock garden, make sure that they are suited for our local conditions, and all have similar water and sun requirements.

Rock Garden

A rock garden can help tame a difficult to maintain area of your landscape

You already may have a weed control solution at your home and don’t know it.  Correctly applied, layers of newspaper are an inexpensive and easy way to prevent weeds.  Spread the newspaper about 10 sheets thick over the soil and overlap the layers by several inches to eliminate gaps.  Work newspaper around existing plants, or poke holes in the newspaper to install new plants.  Gently spray the newspapers with water until they are soaked, then lightly cover with leaves or other mulch to give a uniform appearance and help hold the sheets in place.  The newspaper will prevent weeds from springing up, help keep soil moist and cool during the growing season, and add nutrients to the soil as it decomposes.

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Newspapers are an inexpensive, chemical free way to control weeds.

A rain garden is a great remedy for depressions (in your yard that is).  Placing water loving plants in low lying areas will help soak up the sogginess and create a beautiful and colorful area.  Installing a rain barrel to collect rainwater from your roof is an easy way to store up rainy day resources and reduce the cost of watering thirsty areas of your yard.  Rain barrels can be purchased at home and garden stores, ordered online, or homemade from food quality plastic drums.

What’s Happening?

Household Hazardous Waste Day – April 26 – Get ready to bring your HHW to McLendon Park (Legion Field), Birmingham from 8 to11 am.  Proper disposal will be available for paint, auto and alkaline batteries, used motor oil, electronics, ammunition, white goods, and paper shredding.  This event is free and open to all residents of Jefferson County.

Birmingham E-Cycling Day – May 8– Here’s another chance to properly dispose of your old, broken, or unwanted electronics.  Bring them to Linn Park from 8 am to 12 noon for recycling. Items accepted include personal computers, televisions, monitors, VCRs, stereos, DVD players, microwaves, phones, laptops, keyboards, mice, printers, ink/toner cartridges, remote controls, modems, projectors, and cameras. This event is free and open to citizens of the Birmingham Metro Area.   Call 787-5222 for more information.

Alabama Master Gardeners Helpline – Help for your home gardening challenges is just a phone call away!  Dial 1-877-252-GROW and select option 3 to speak to a master gardener volunteer serving the Birmingham area.

Lyn DiClemente
Jefferson County Department of Storm Water Management
B-210 Jefferson County Courthouse Annex
716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North
Birmingham, AL  35203
205.325.8741

 

The Darter Festival

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The Darter Festival is a lively celebration of the Watercress Darter—a gorgeous fish that lives in Birmingham and nowhere else in the world! The Darter Festival will be held on Saturday, April 5th from 11 am to 4 pm at Railroad Park. We will feature performances by blues pianist Clay Swafford, rising indie stars The Heavy Hearts, and world music and dance with Jon Scalici and Erynias Tribe. Good People Brewing Company will feature the limited edition Darter Spring Ale, and the Fish Market will provide specialty dishes and a children’s menu. There will also be kite flying, darter art, and a Watercress Darter Photo Booth, sponsored by the Alumni Association of Birmingham-Southern College. The Darter Festival is free and open to the public. Proceeds benefit the Southern Environmental Center at Birmingham-Southern College and the Railroad Park Foundation. VIP packages are available by calling 205-226-7740 or going to http://www.bsc.edu/sec/darterfest.cfm

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JeffCo H2O: Square Peg, Round Hole

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You saw a picture of what you consider to be the perfect yard and can’t seem to get it out of your mind – lush weed-free turf, abundant blooming flowers, and perfectly pruned shrubs.  You say to yourself: “I don’t care how much work or money it would take to have a yard that looks like that – it would be worth it!”  It’s easy to get carried away by the standards set in those pristine (and probably enhanced) photos you see in magazines.   Trying to force a set of standards on your landscape when natural conditions, your time, or your resources make it impossible for your yard to live up to those standards can be counterproductive, time consuming, expensive, and filled with seemingly endless tasks: watering, fertilizing, raking, spraying, clipping, bagging…the list goes on. 

Usually when we try to interfere with our landscape’s natural balance and attempt to take over what would best be left to nature, we are in effect trying to put that square peg (the perfect yard in the picture) in a round hole (the realities of our yard).  Our efforts inevitably set off a series of necessary and expensive ‘fixes’ which can include overuse of yard chemicals and extensive watering requirements.

Spring is nearly here and the frigid unpredictable winter weather of January and February  is safely in the past (we hope).  This is a great time to take stock of your landscape and consider making choices that follow the path of least resistance.  By letting the conditions in your yard – sun, shade, wet, dry, flat, sloped – dictate what grows where, you will go a long way toward creating a lovely and low maintenance yard.  You may want to read the wonderful 12 Lessons Learned by John Manion, Kaul Wildflower Garden Curator, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, to learn more about working with and appreciating the uniqueness of your yard.

12 Lessons Learned

By John Manion

Kaul Wildflower Garden Curator, Birmingham Botanical Gardens

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After many years of several types of gardening in many different locations, I have developed the following list of lessons I have learned that may be used to establish, preserve, or maintain a healthy and sustainable ecosystem:

  1. Work with what you have – versus trying to impose your wants on your landscape. If you have sun, plant sun loving plants; if you have poor drainage, plant species that like wet feet from time-to-time.
  2. Take your cues from nature; it knows how to do it best. Use native plants; they already know what to do!
  3. Develop an intimate relationship with your landscape over time. Study factors such as its light, moisture, and air flow.
  4. Think of your property as a stepping-stone, or corridor for wildlife – and thus provide safe passage.
  5. Plant a variety of plant species and group several of each species together. Many plants are reputed to repel certain pests and pathogens and larger clumps attract beneficial insects more effectively.
  6. Learn which plants are hosts to desired insects and animals, and then plant them in groupings of several plants.
  7. Always include a source of water, whether it is a bird bath, a pond, or a rock with an indentation that holds water.
  8. Avoid dedicating large areas to plants that require significant use of chemicals and/or fertilizers, such as lawns. Keep in mind that monocultures (an entire area with a single plant species) are host to a reduced variety of beneficial organisms.
  9. Avoid extensive use of synthetic fertilizers and significantly limit, or even consider ceasing, the use of chemically based herbicides and pesticides.
  10. Remember that many of the most beneficial organisms are microscopic, so maintain healthy soil.
  11. Compost, compost, compost! I believe that making and applying your own compost is the single best thing you can do for your landscape. Its benefits are countless.
  12. Be a lifelong learner and take advantage of the countless sources of information…online, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, public gardens, libraries, Master Gardeners and other plant groups.

What’s Happening?

Come on out to the Brown Bag Seminar Series, co-sponsored by Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Jefferson County Storm Water Management. This nine seminar series, which runs March through August, is free with no reservations required and light refreshments provided.  For more information, call 325-8741.

Upcoming seminars include:

Trees and Shrubs – March 26, Birmingham Botanical Gardens – 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  (Auditorium) Find out why planting the right plant in the right place at the right time makes all the difference!  Instructor: Mike Rushing

Eat Your Yard – April 2, Birmingham Botanical Gardens – 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  (Auditorium) Discover how to incorporate fruits, vegetables and herbs into your existing landscape.  Instructor: William Randle

Medicinal Gardening – April 9, Birmingham Botanical Gardens – 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  (Ireland Room)  Learn about herbal medicines and how to include them in your garden and everyday life.  Instructor: Cameron Strouss

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Lyn DiClemente
Jefferson County Department of Storm Water Management
B-210 Jefferson County Courthouse Annex
716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North
Birmingham, AL  35203
205.325.8741

TCNP Currents: Turkey Creek Nature Preserve visitor Questionnaire

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Turkey Creek Nature Preserve is still relatively new, in fact, we celebrate our 5th year in operation this year! We have a lot of plans in the works to provide new opportunities for the public to enjoy the Preserve. To help us with our planning, we wanted to give you the opportunity to let us know what you think. Below is a link to a survey. This survey will help us to better understand how you use the Preserve, and how we can continue to improve it.

Click Here to start survey!

If we get enough responses, for next month’s column, I will address some of the more popular questions or concerns that come up. So, if you have something to say, now is the time!

Thank you so much for your support.

Until then, we’ll see ya downstream!

Charles Yeager

Manager, Turkey Creek Nature Preserve
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2014 Tree Giveaway

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The Turkey Creek Nature Preserve would like to thank everyone that came out on Saturday, February 8th, 2014, the Turkey Creek Nature Preserve to support our first ever Tree Giveaway for the community of Pinson. This very special event was part of a statewide effort, lead by the Alabama Forestry Commission and the Arbor Day Foundation, to help communities impacted by the 2011 tornadoes. During our tree-age (triage, get it?) 1,500 trees were given away by the Friends of Turkey Creek volunteer group.  Also, on-hand to answer any tree care questions during the event, were horticulture experts from the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and the Jefferson County Storm Water Authority.

Trees provide many very important ecological services for our society, such as clean air, clean water, erosion control, and of course general beautification. Unfortunately, sever weather, and development contributes to the loss of many trees and the services they provide us, every year. We hope that these trees will help make our community a cleaner, greener place.

There are still a few trees left, if you are interested in one of these trees or have any questions about caring for your trees, please feel free to email TCNP at cyeager@bsc.edu or call us at 205.680.4116.

This event would not have been possible without the help of volunteers from the Friends of Turkey Creek that worked hard all morning to label and pass out trees. If you would like to learn more about how you can support the Friends of Turkey Creek, please visit their Facebook page!

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Pinson Tree Giveaway at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve

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The Turkey Creek Nature Preserve in Pinson, Alabama has partnered with the the Alabama Forestry Commission and the Arbor Day Foundation for a Tree Giveaway on February 8th. This event is part of a a statewide effort to provide seedlings to communities effected by the 2011 tornadoes.

The Turkey Creek Nature Preserve Tree Giveaway will be held at the “Falls” parking area starting at 10am on February 8th, and will continue until all the trees have been handed out.

The free seedlings available will include:

Flowering Dogwood

Shumard Oak

Eastern Redbud

Blackgum

Bald Cypress

For more information about the Pinson Tree Giveaway contact TCNP by phone at 205.680.4116 or by email at cyeager@bsc.edu

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JeffCO H20: Take the ‘Hazard’ out of Household Hazardous Waste

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The start of a new year often inspires us to get rid of clutter and organize our living space.  Sometimes we even become motivated enough to tackle what’s stacked in the garage, stuffed under the kitchen sink, or gathering dust in the pantry.  Often that includes a collection of old household products that we no longer need.  Before tossing these unwanted items into the trash, first take a look at what your collection includes.

Many products like drain openers, automotive fluids, adhesives, batteries, oil based paint, solvents, and cleaners containing bleach are considered to be household hazardous waste (HHW) because they contain corrosive, toxic, flammable, or reactive ingredients.  It is unsafe when these items are discarded with regular household trash, since some can emit harmful fumes or create a dangerous reaction if mixed with other chemicals.  And any of these products spilled on the ground can harm water quality in local creeks and streams when washed by rain into the nearest storm drain.  That’s why HHW requires special handling by a facility which accepts these items.

Some local municipalities offer opportunities for residents to drop off HHW.  If you live in an unincorporated area, the Alabama Environmental Center (AEC) website (aeconline.org/recycling) is a great resource for locating facilities which accept specific types of HHW.  One of those facilities is Mercedes Benz U.S. International (205-507-3300) in Vance which accepts HHW from the public at its Plant 2 on the third Friday of each month from 5 am – 8 am and 1 pm – 6 pm.

Certainly there are some household tasks that require specialized products for which there is no substitute.  When purchasing this type of product, try to buy just enough for the job to eliminate leftovers.  But in many cases, you can choose a less toxic approach to handle most household cleaning jobs.  Items found in your kitchen or bathroom easily can be used to make safe, inexpensive cleaners.  They are better for your family’s health and the environment, and they help reduce the need to purchase more toxic products.

There are many tips and recipes available online for making your own cleaning products.  Here are just a few:  Want to make your windows sparkle?  Mix a few tablespoons of white vinegar with water in a spray bottle, lightly spray the glass, and wipe dry with newspaper or a microfiber cloth.  Need to scrub the sink or tub?  A few sprinkles of baking soda or salt on a damp sponge should do the trick.  Add a splash of hydrogen peroxide to remove stains and mildew.  Time to disinfect the counter?  Heat 1 cup of undiluted white vinegar to 150º and carefully pour into a spray bottle. Spray the warm vinegar on the counter, let it sit for a few minutes, and wipe dry.  Got pesky streaks on the mirror?  Equal amounts of white vinegar, distilled water, and alcohol sprayed on the mirror and wiped clean with a microfiber cloth will give your reflection perfection in no time.  Fingerprints on the furniture?  A few drops of olive oil and white vinegar rubbed onto furniture with a soft cloth can make wood shine.  Want more?  A good place to start is GreenerChoices.org.

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Lyn DiClemente
Jefferson County Department of Storm Water Management
B-210 Jefferson County Courthouse Annex
716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North
Birmingham, AL  35203
205.325.8741

Drips, Dust, Rainbows and Suds!

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Did you ever see a rainbow in a parking lot after it’s rained?  These little reminders that oil and water don’t mix show up on paved areas as a result of vehicle leaks.  Their size may seem small, but their impact can be huge.  If just one drop of oil dripped from each of the 740,000 vehicles registered in Jefferson County, it would result in 64 quarts of oil capable of polluting 16 million gallons of water!  That’s why fixing even small leaks and properly cleaning up spills can make a big difference in our local water quality.  But cars aren’t the only culprits.  Lawn equipment and recreational vehicles also can be sources of sneaky leaks.  Regular maintenance and proper cleanup can reduce the effects of these problems.  If you change your own oil and fluids, make sure you carefully collect and take them to one of the many local businesses which accept these for recycling, and properly clean up any drips or spills.  Using a hose to clean the driveway carries oil and fluids into the storm drainage system which empties into local waterways.  A better solution is to sprinkle some absorbent material like cat litter on the area, let it soak up the drips, sweep it up, and dispose of it in the trash. 

Washing vehicles and lawn equipment on paved areas produces a stream of detergents, oils, grease, fluids, and brake dust comprised of toxic heavy metals which – you guessed it – flows right into the nearest storm drain.  Consider washing vehicles and equipment on grassy areas to allow wash water and the substances it carries to soak into the ground rather than run off.  Another alternative is to take vehicles to a commercial car wash, since these facilities are required to treat wash water before it is released.

Making stormwater friendly choices like these can go a long way toward keeping our waterways safe and clean!

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Lyn DiClemente
Jefferson County Department of Storm Water Management
B-210 Jefferson County Courthouse Annex
716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North
Birmingham, AL  35203
205.325.8741

diclementel@jccal.org

JeffCO H20: Recycle, downcycle, upcycle, ecycle, precycle . . . What’s it all mean???

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According to the EPA, recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials which otherwise would be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products, thereby conserving raw materials, lowering energy consumption, curtailing littering, and reducing impact on landfills. 

Recycling is not a 20th century idea.  The first documented recycling program began in 1031 when Japan required that documents and other used paper be recycled.  Various forms of recycling came and went over the ensuing centuries, but it wasn’t until the all-aluminum beverage can was introduced in the late 1950s that recycling gained traction in America.  Today, many US communities advocate and provide recycling opportunities for residents.

530325_10150945940686155_1005889778_nPinson’s community recycling trailer located at City Hall

So how are we doing?  At 4.6 pounds of trash per day for every American, we generate much more trash than we recycle.  The EPA estimates that while 75% of America’s trash is recyclable, we only recycle about 30%.  So it makes sense that our country’s biggest export is . . .  trash!  China, our biggest customer, buys the material we throw away, reprocesses it, and sells it back to US manufacturers.  And then we buy new stuff, throw it away, sell our trash to China . . . you get the idea.

While there are many domestic companies which process recycled materials, companies in countries with low labor costs and lax environmental laws have been the major producers of cheap recycled plastic resin.  But China recently passed ‘Green Fence’ restrictions which prohibit its import of plastics #3 – #7.  This could mean that here in the US, many more plastics will be headed for landfills.

When we do recycle, are these recycled materials used to make more of the same products?  The answer is . . . it depends.

According to the Container Recycling Institute, US consumers use 70 million plastic water bottles per day; 60 million of these are discarded as trash. The International Bottled Water Association reports that manufacturers currently are using just 50% recycled plastic in their containers.

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Some materials are downcycled to produce entirely different products with less value and recycling potential than the original product.  Many plastics and some paper fall into this category.  Some materials are upcycled to make products with more value than the original product such as countertops made from glass containers and fabrics made from plastic bottles.

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upcycled glass counter tops

Ecycling recovers usable materials from discarded electronics such as plastic, metal and wire, and valuable elements such as gold, silver, palladium, and copper which all can be reprocessed for use in new electronic components.  Ecycling also properly handles toxic materials found in electronic devices such as lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic which can leach from landfills and pollute groundwater.  According to the Electronic TakeBack Coalition, US consumers discarded 3.4 million tons of electronics in 2011 but recycled less than 25%.

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It’s even possible to reduce the need for recycling by choosing products which either can be reused or decrease the amount of waste generated. Precycling is making those choices which have some degree of sustainability or upfront waste reduction such as purchasing reusable rather than single use or disposable products; buying food, cleaning products, and other consumables in bulk to reduce packaging waste; or choosing items that can be repaired or refurbished rather than discarded.

Reducing the amount of waste we generate means less litter, trash and hazardous materials carried by rain into waterways.  Less energy used for manufacturing and transportation means less particulate air pollution deposited in surface waterways.  Putting a little effort into choosing wisely, reducing waste, reusing materials, recycling whenever possible, and conserving natural resources can have a big impact on improving our future on planet earth.

Speaking of Recycling . . .

Just in Time for the Holidays – It makes sense to de-clutter your living space before the coming weeks filled with family gatherings and house guests. Consider some alternatives for getting rid of unwanted items that are not in good enough shape for donation. There may be a better choice for them than the landfill!  Check out the Alabama Environmental Center’s (AEC) Recycle Alabama website for the lowdown on most things recyclable.  The site makes it easy to find out what AEC accepts, any material-specific guidelines, and other vendors which accept these materials.  AEC is one of the few collection sites in Alabama that accepts glass containers and textiles (yep, even your old t-shirts, undies and shoes).

Tree Recycling – When the ornaments come off, a live Christmas tree is just some mulch waiting to happen.  Find a tree recycling location near you.

Recycling Trailers – Recycling just got closer to home with drop off trailers placed in Jefferson County locations which do not have access to other recycling opportunities.  Find a recycling trailer near you.

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Lyn DiClemente
Jefferson County Department of Storm Water Management
B-210 Jefferson County Courthouse Annex
716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North
Birmingham, AL  35203
205.325.8741

diclementel@jccal.org

Clogs & Cascades & Critters. . . OH MY!

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If there’s one true thing about southern cooks, it’s that we can fry almost anything.  Give us a skillet, some cooking oil, fresh ingredients, and in no time at all, we’ll serve up a scrumptious home cooked meal.  That’s why it’s so hard to imagine that used cooking oil and grease from these legendary creations can make such a big impact on the operation of our sewer system and water quality in local waterways.  The problem (aside from all those delicious calories we are eating) is how we dispose of used cooking oil and grease.

Pour it down the drain, and it won’t take too long before you’re in a world of hurt.  The cost of a plumber to clear clogged drains or a sewage backup can really add up.  And on a larger scale, what happens at your home happens in Jefferson County’s sewer system.  Blockages can cause sewer system overflows where raw sewage gushes out of a system manhole and makes its way to yards, streets and waterways.  These events are costly to repair and unhealthy for people and the environment.

Pour it outside on the ground, and it’s nothing but an invitation to a variety of critters like snakes, rats and opossums to visit your yard.

So what should you do with your used cooking oil and grease?  You could collect it and put it into the trash for pickup.  But rather than treating it as waste, why not treat it as a resource and recycle it?  When you recycle used cooking oil and grease at one of Jefferson County’s 19 collection stations, it is picked up by licensed vendors, processed, and reused in other products such as animal feeds, pet foods, industrial operations, and biodiesel fuel production.

And besides being a smart thing to do, recycling used cooking oil and grease is easy and free!  Just pick up a new, clean, gallon jug at one of the collection stations and bring it home.  Next time you have used cooking oil or grease, allow it to cool and pour it into the jug.  When the jug is filled, drop it off at any collection station, pick up a new, clean jug, and repeat!

 What’s Happening?

America Recycles Day Nov 15 – Learn what and how to recycle, and discover how you can get involved in this national effort.

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Lyn DiClemente
Jefferson County Department of Storm Water Management
B-210 Jefferson County Courthouse Annex
716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North
Birmingham, AL  35203
205.325.8741

diclementel@jccal.org

Get Some ‘Re-Leaf’ this Fall

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By now, it’s probably becoming impossible to ignore all those leaves falling in your yard.  If you tried mulching leaves last year, you probably found that you saved yourself some serious time and money by using your mower to mulch leaves into your lawn (free nutrients) and by re-purposing excess leaves (free mulch) to provide cover for your landscaped areas.

If you’ve never tried these techniques, maybe this is the time to move on from hours of blowing and bagging, the cost of buying mulch and fertilizer, and the effort involved in loading and bringing all these materials home – to that solution that just fell into your yard! It’s best to mulch leaves into your lawn every week or so to make the volume of leaves more manageable for you and utilized more efficiently by your lawn.

Try using your lawnmower with the bag attachment on to shred and collect leaves prior to spreading on landscaped areas.  Shredding before spreading reduces matting and creates a more uniform appearance.  If you simply can’t let go of the more manicured look that commercially produced mulch gives your landscape, try spreading a thin layer of purchased mulch over a layer of shredded leaves.

What’s Happening?

Fall Plant Sale October 19-20 – Here’s your chance to stock up on native plants at Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Fall Plant Sale.  http://www.bbgardens.org/fall-plant-sale.php

 Birmingham E-cycle Day October 23 – Don’t doom your old gadgets to a landfill! Bring them to Short 20th Street North for recycling.   http://www.aeconline.org/blog

Prescription Drug Disposal October 26 – Here’s a safe way to clean out your medicine cabinet.  Bring unwanted medications to one of these locations.  http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/

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Lyn DiClemente
Jefferson County Department of Storm Water Management
B-210 Jefferson County Courthouse Annex
716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North
Birmingham, AL  35203
205.325.8741

diclementel@jccal.org

TCNP Currents: Bama Brookies

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Rare and Beautiful Jewels in the Heart of Dixie

Story By: J.T. Armstrong

Photos By: C.B. Crumpler

I continue rolling, eventually surpassing the shadows cast by the Birmingham skyline.   A short stretch on the interstate then take a left and go through the industrial district then through one of the poorer areas within the metro perimeter.  Turn left at the Jet-Pep with the bathrooms connected to the car wash and another few hundred feet and I’m by the creek.  I piece together the 5-weight and string my line through the guides, tie on some 5x.  Some bugs are coming off so I peruse through my box until I find it.  Something small, dark and can float.  Not too small, size 14, maybe 12.  I can never tell.

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I’m not a very good caster, or fisherman, but the majority of my casts fall within the banks, which (in theory) greatly increase my odds.  So I fling the fly around, and it sometimes lands in the water.  It takes a few drifts until something darts from the shadows and smashes the dry, taking it deep beneath the surface in one vicious exhibition of murderous intent.  The line tightens and sings and the rod bends and a few seconds later I lift the quarter-pound exterminator out of the water.  Blood red eyes and a fluorescent turquoise gill plate, some of the loudest colors I’ve seen on a fish.  And not a trout fish.  A bass fish. A redeye bass.

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The first time I heard the expression “Bama Brookie”, I was immediately disgusted.  Here in the heart of Dixie, when we slap our regional brand on an existing item it usually involves either making it accessible to the illiterate or deep frying it.  Maybe both.  My observations have shown there is a large overlap between people who are non-readers and people who like fried stuff.

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“Bama Brookie”seemed to equivocate a small bass with something that really is special, like the native brook trout that abound in Southern Appalachia.   The term brought to mind images of rednecks yanking half pounders out of a pond and considering their experience paramount to those who stalk fish high in the mountains of Tennessee.

I kept this notion until the first time I waded into this creek, the 65 degree current pushing past my knees.  I could still see my toes.  I ducked beneath overhanging limbs and branches of oak and pine and honeysuckle.  I think I tied on some yellow popper or something similar, something that I often use to catch dumb fish.  I began to cast and I watched multiple refusals so I began the countless iterations of explorations into the box and downsizing of tippets.  4x then 5x then smaller poppers and crawfish patterns and then a dry and then a dropper.  In some final attempt brought on by desperation I tossed a small foam hopper and dropped a stone fly on some tiny strand of tippet.  I made a tolerable cast upstream and mended up and then down, a driftless drag, and suddenly I saw the piece of foam jerk underwater and begin fleeing upstream.  When I finally pulled him out of the water I found a 4 inch fish hung on my size 8 stonefly.  I found some tiny, peacock colored bass who thought he was a trout in some river which thought it belonged in some other state, in some higher elevation.  I found something that felt very different than what I expected.

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Until recently, only one species has been recognized as the Redeye bass, but biological studies have shown that there are actually species-level variations that result in multiple different species comprising the “Redeye Bass” family.  The colors of each species vary from bright blue lateral lines to deep greens, from rich crimson eyes to stark and startling reds.  My first encounter was nearly frightening, staring into the hemorrhaging eyes of some small predator that seemed hell bent on escaping my grasp.  The colors and beauty only extend so far.  Underneath it is a slight reflection of the natives of this state: they can be fooled, repeatedly even, but they are never any less angry about it.

I spent some brief time with a local biologist who tried (God bless his soul) to explain the diet of these fish.  This resulted mostly in confusion and nausea on my part, but I managed to extract “hellgrammite” and “some other surface bugs” from the conversation.  Basically, these are small, beautifully colored fish that subsist primarily on insects with a propensity for looking up and thriving in cool flowing rivers.  Which kinda sounds similar to another highly sought after fish that thrives in cool mountain streams.  But these are, you know, in Alabama…

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For years I have been jealous of another city located about 200 miles east of where I live and work.  There is a large, cold flowing river that runs through it and rainbow and brown trout and shoal bass and striper thrive and are caught regularly.  The citizens post pictures of rose-cheeked fish and fish with dark spots surrounded by rings of bright red.  And I was always jealous of those anglers and what great opportunity they had.  To stop by after a day at the office to see what beautiful creatures they could conjure out of the water by using small flies and small tippets and complicated drifts.  But there are days when I sneak out of the office and drive down the interstate, past the Jet-Pep with the bathrooms connected to the car wash, and I stand in the cool waters and toss small patterns to skittish fish who view 4x like it’s rope.  And sometimes I catch them and look at their bright blue sides and angry red eyes and I’m not really jealous of anyone.

Story By: J.T. Armstrong

Photos By: C.B. Crumpler

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Editor’s Note: This piece was provided courtesy of Revive Fly Fishing Magazine. Please visit http://reviveflyfishing.com for more beautiful photo-essays and stories like this one.

Before your next visit to Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, please be sure you are aware of our Fishing Regulations.

Thank you so much Revive for sharing your piece on Turkey Creek, we hope to see you at the creek again soon!

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TCNP Currents: Trek Birmingham

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For well over a hundred years, the Birmingham area has been known for the vast wealth of natural resources that can be found in its surrounding mountains, valleys, and waterways. These resources contributed greatly to the area developing into one of the most productive industrial centers in the southeastern United States. Slowly catching attention is Birmingham’s other natural resource, greenspace. In fact, Birmingham leads the nation in per capita public greenspace, with 17.9 acres per 1,000 residents.  With so much greenspace, there are now more options than ever for residents (and visitors) to get active outside.

Birmingham area

To help visitors on their way, Birmingham-Southern College’s Urban Environmental Studies program has developed Trek Birmingham, an online guide for many of the area’s most popular outdoor destinations.

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The site features informative articles on each location’s attractions, activities, history, and natural features. The site’s developers have gone above and beyond to provide an in-depth look at what is unique or interesting at each site. For example, on the Turkey Creek Nature Preserve page, scroll to the bottom and be sure to check out the articles labeled: “ECOREGION”, “GEOLOGY”, “WATERSHED”, and “BIODIVERSITY”.

Here is a short excerpt from the Trek Birmingham article on Turkey Creek’s Biodiversity, by Dr. Scott Duncan, author of Southern Wonder: Alabama’s Surprising Biodiversity:

The rich biodiversity of central Alabama is the result of many complex and inter-related factors. As each kind of habitat supports a characteristic flora and fauna, a mosaic of different habitats as found in parts of Turkey Creek could contribute to more unique discoveries. In the case of Turkey Creek, biodiversity is expressed in the 3 unique darter fish. The conditions that allow these rare beauties refuge may also open other niches for other animals as well as plants.  Unique water quality and geology could also allow others to be found. TCNP and the State Lands Division carefully survey the property for unique plant of animal species and protect the area from disturbance.

For the rest of this article, and more about Birmingham’s amazing natural resources, please visit http://trekbirmingham.com. With so many options, Birmingham is sure to surprise even you. So get out and see it for yourself.

Until then, we’ll see ya downstream!

Charles Yeager

Manager, Turkey Creek Nature Preserve

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JeffCO H2O: P2 = Pollution Prevention

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Many people think that most water pollution in our rivers, creeks, lakes and streams comes from businesses and industries.  It might be surprising to learn that the number one source of water pollution in the United States is polluted stormwater runoff, and that it’s the result of each of us going about our everyday activities at home, work and play!

Making the connection between our actions and the water pollution it can cause is an important first step in doing the things that will help protect and improve local water quality.  One often overlooked source of water pollution is what we keep around our homes and on our property.  Household products such a fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, paint, pool chemicals or cleaners that are stored outside should always be kept tightly sealed in watertight containers and if possible, off the ground and sheltered from rain.  Not only will proper storage protect your investment in these products, it also will prevent stormwater from washing them into local waterways.

Each year, the importance of Pollution Prevention – also known as P2 – is recognized and encouraged during the third full week of September.  This year P2 is September   16-20.  Having a week set aside for pollution prevention is a great reminder to identify potential pollutants that are lurking around your property and home.  Take a few minutes to survey your outdoor areas to detect any possible sources of pollution, and take some stormwater friendly action to prevent these pollutants from leaving your property when it rains.  But the outdoor areas of your home are not the only potential sources of stormwater pollution.  You may want to check out some other helpful P2 tips for home, work, and on the road from the EPA.

Store Pesticideslocked cabinet storage

Keep household products and chemicals tightly covered and stored indoors if possible.  If you must store these products outside and do not have a covered area to protect them from the elements, consider investing in waterproof containers with lids to eliminate possible exposure to rain.

Lyn DiClemente
Jefferson County Department of Storm Water Management
B-210 Jefferson County Courthouse Annex
716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North
Birmingham, AL  35203
205.325.8741

diclementel@jccal.org

JeffCO H2O: Going from Bare to Flair is ‘Mulch’ Better!

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PetScaping

Summer is here, and a shady yard in which to pass those long hot afternoons is a wonderful thing, especially for pets. Petscaping your yard can help make it safer and more functional for your four legged friends while reducing the need for yard chemicals. However, sometimes in spite of our best efforts, shady areas show the symptoms of wear and tear from pet activities such as running, jumping, rolling and digging.
Areas under trees are often sparse or bare of any type of vegetation anyway. Not only can these hard to maintain areas be unsightly – they also can result in bare soil washing away from your yard. Eroded soil can create a build up of sediment in local waterways. Sediment in streams suffocates fish and other aquatic life.
There is an easy fix to bare spots in shady areas of your yard – APPLY MULCH. Mulch has many benefits: it retains soil moisture, stabilizes soil temperature, controls weeds, and reduces soil erosion.
The secret to keeping mulched areas looking good is to always maintain 2 – 4” of mulch. To complete the look, consider adding shade loving native plants that are hearty yet safe for pets and kids. If you used leaves this past fall for your mulching needs (which by now should have created some wonderful soil enrichment) this is the time to replenish these areas with mulch made from yard debris or purchased from a home and garden store.

What’s Happening?

August is National Water Quality Month. Many parts of the world do not have access to good quality water. What are you doing to protect water quality in Jefferson County’s 50 creeks and streams?

National Dog Day – August 26. ‘Paws’ for just a moment to celebrate our special bond with canines and commit to picking up and properly disposing of your pet’s waste.

From Soil to Supper: Homesteading the Dinner Plate – August 21.
Discover how easy and nutritious it is going back to the basics to prepare a delicious and nutritious meal for your family. Instructor: Jennifer Cole Conn, The Farmhouse. Free Lunch and Learn Seminar Series, 11:30 – 12:30, Birmingham Botanical Gardens Auditorium. Light refreshments served.

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Lyn DiClemente
Jefferson County Department of Storm Water Management
B-210 Jefferson County Courthouse Annex
716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North
Birmingham, AL  35203
205.325.8741

diclementel@jccal.org

TCNP Currents: A fresh S.T.A.R.T. for Turkey Creek, Part 2

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At the end of the last post about S.T.A.R.T. (Society To Advance the Resources of Turkey Creek), the grassroots organization and the community of Pinson had successfully prevented a prison from being built at Turkey Creek, but S.T.A.R.T. was left to decide, What can we do for Turkey Creek now?

S.T.A.R.T. formed not only to relocate the prison, but also with the goal of protecting the beautiful area around Turkey Creek for future generations.  The members of S.T.A.R.T. came to the conclusion that the best way to reach this goal would be to create a nature preserve, where people would have a clean, safe place to relax, walk, swim, and enjoy this beautiful part of Pinson.  S.T.A.R.T. had the support of the area’s commissioner, Bettye Fine Collins, who created the Turkey Creek Watershed Committee as a starting point for creating the preserve.

S.T.A.R.T. was not only interested in protecting the land for the benefit of people, but also in knowing what animals could be protected by a nature preserve.  With S.T.A.R.T.’s support, the Department of Fish and Wildlife began surveying Turkey Creek.  Turkey Creek is home to three unique and rare darters—the vermillion, watercress, and rush darters.  After much surveying, the vermillion darter, found only in Turkey Creek’s drainage and tributaries, was designated as an endangered species in 2003.  S.T.A.R.T. now had a commitment to create a preserve not only for the enjoyment of Pinson citizens, but also to protect the habitat of Turkey Creek’s irreplaceable endangered fish.

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After much discussion, S.T.A.R.T. and the Turkey Creek Watershed Committee decided that the best course of action would be to nominate the Turkey Creek land to Alabama’s Forever Wild Land Trust as a preserve.  While S.T.A.R.T. nominated the area to Forever Wild in 2000, the area was not selected because multiple land owners owned the property.  S.T.A.R.T. took this setback in stride and began to find a way to consolidate the land ownership for the Turkey Creek property.

This was not a task S.T.A.R.T. could handle on their own, so the group partnered with the Freshwater Land Trust in 2001.  After many meetings and discussions between S.T.A.R.T., the Freshwater Land Trust, and local property owners, the land for Turkey Creek Nature Preserve was acquired by the Freshwater Land Trust.  S.T.A.R.T. could now go back to Forever Wild and propose the preserve with a single landowner.  Forever Wild unanimously approved the creation of Turkey Creek Nature Preserve in 2003.  When accepting the preserve, Forever Wild specifically acknowledged and admired S.T.A.R.T.’s hard work and years of dedication towards creating the preserve.

With the land now protected from any future development, the newly developed partnership between S.T.A.R.T., the Freshwater Land Trust, and Forever Wild reached out to Birmingham-Southern College’s Southern Environmental Center to provide onsite management and environmental education. Today, Birmingham-Southern College continues to provide some of the best opportunities for hands on, environmental education to thousands of students annually. Additionally, this partnership has lead to the further enhancement of the preserve’s recreational opportunities and overall safety.

Educational Programing: Aquatic Ecology Class
Educational Programing: Aquatic Ecology Class

It is due to the dedication of the Pinson community and S.T.A.R.T. that we have the amazing Turkey Creek Nature Preserve.  This area is unique, beautiful, and used by people from all over the Southeastern United States.  But just like the commitment to the area didn’t end once the prison plans were cancelled, the commitment continues past the creation of the preserve.  Turkey Creek Nature Preserve depends on the support of dedicated volunteers who help keep the preserve clean and enjoyable for all.  Without support and commitment from the Pinson community, Turkey Creek Nature Preserve would not exist.

Please keep this story in mind, on your next visit to TCNP. It has, and continuous to take a lot of work to keep TCNP clean and beautiful. Make sure that you leave the preserve as you found it, or better! Also, please consider supporting TCNP either through volunteering or financial contributions. It will go along way towards ensuring it’s continued success in the future.

This post was written by Sarah Gilkerson.

Sarah is interning at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve this summer.  She is from Atlanta and attends Birmingham-Southern College where she is studying biology.  Outside of work, Sarah enjoys canoeing and comic books.

JeffCo H2O: Wholly Cr@p! Seriously?

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  Not many friendships could stand the test of time like the relationship between people and their pets. Archaeologists have found evidence that humans began domesticating dogs 16,000 years ago to help with hunting, herding, and protection.
Throughout the ages, people also have kept dogs as companions. No wonder we refer to dogs as ’man’s best friend’. According to the Humane Society, Americans own 78 million dogs. And not to leave out feline fanciers, cats were domesticated 8,000 years ago when people noticed their usefulness in keeping rats and other vermin away from harvested grain.  Today in the United States, more than 86 million cats allow humans to own them.
We love our pets and want to keep them healthy and safe. One important step is picking up and properly disposing of pet waste. An average sized dog produces about 1/2 pound of waste per day. Multiply that by the 150,000 dogs owned by Jefferson County residents, and we are talking about nearly 38 tons of dog waste! If you’ve ever stepped into one of those lovely piles, you know how annoying that can be.
But pet waste is more than just a nuisance – it is a health hazard. The average pile of dog waste contains 2.5 billion fecal coliform bacteria as well as viruses and parasites. These pathogens can live in both soil and water, and people and pets are at risk of illness if they are exposed to them. That’s why pet waste should never be added to compost or used as fertilizer – and should always be kept out of storm drains!  As with anything else left on the ground, stormwater can wash pet waste into the nearest waterway.
So what is the most environmentally friendly solution to disposing of your pet’s waste? It’s as easy as:     1- Always pick it up. 2 – Bag it. 3 – Trash it.

What’s Happening?

Turning Trash into Treasure with Backyard Composting – July 17.
Learn how to turn your yard and kitchen waste into free soil. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Cost is $10. Contact the Alabama Cooperative Extension System at 205.879.6964 x10 by July 15 to register.

Big Ideas for Small Spaces – July 24.
Container gardening and composting with worms (yes, worms) are ideal for cramped locations. Instructor: Vasha Rosenblum. Free Lunch and Learn Seminar Series, 11:30 – 12:30, Birmingham Botanical Gardens Auditorium. Light refreshments served.

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Lyn DiClemente
Jefferson County Department of Storm Water Management
B-210 Jefferson County Courthouse Annex
716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North
Birmingham, AL  35203
205.325.8741

diclementel@jccal.org

TCNP Currents: A fresh S.T.A.R.T. for Turkey Creek

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Today, Turkey Creek Nature Preserve is a beautiful area for recreation and relaxation, but it was a long fight to establish the preserve.  Turkey Creek Nature Preserve wouldn’t have been possible without may dedicated partnerships, including a very important group of Pinson citizens, organized under the name S.T.A.R.T., or Society To Advance the Resources at Turkey Creek.

In 1998 the prison in downtown Birmingham was becoming overcrowded and Jefferson County had begun searching for a site for a second prison.  After much searching, the area that is now Turkey Creek Nature Preserve was proposed as a location.  Jefferson County hoped to build a new jail to house 900 minimum to moderate security prisoners, a $50 million project.  This plan was opposed by many Pinson citizens.  With a desire to protect the beloved Turkey Creek site, a local grassroots organization, S.T.A.R.T. (Society To Advance the Resources at Turkey Creek), formed and grew to 7,000 members.

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                S.T.A.R.T. had many reasons to oppose the jail site—the lands was in a residential area, which is not only undesirable but would also lead to decreased property values, the area was rich with history and Native American artifacts had been found in the jail site, and the construction of the jail had to potential to seriously harm the localized vermillion darter population, an endangered fish found only in Turkey Creek.  With these reasons in mind, S.T.A.R.T. began to meet and organize with the goal to stop the construction of the jail at Turkey Creek and to preserve the land for future generations.

S.T.A.R.T. became very active as the members fundraised for their work, attended commissioner meetings and met with city and county officials.  It turned out that Jefferson County was not only looking for a jail site, but also tracts of land to preserve, and Turkey Creek was proposed for both projects.  This helped spark the idea that, if the jail could be avoided, the Turkey Creek could become a preserve for education and recreation.  However, before much headway could be made in preserving the land, a new jail site had to be found.  S.T.A.R.T. members were clear in meetings with the commissioner that they did not oppose the creation of a new jail to decrease overcrowding, only the proposed site of the jail.  With this view, S.T.A.R.T. had the support of the district’s commissioner, Bettye Fine Collins, though they still had to convince the county.  S.T.A.R.T. co-founder and vice president, Mike Hamilton, went so far as to talk to then-mayor Richard Arrington about alternatives for the jail site, even proposing an old US Steel Property in Ensley.

By November of 1998, S.T.A.R.T. had won its first battle, as plans for the Turkey Creek Prison site were discarded.  However, there was still a long way to go in deciding the future of the Turkey Creek land.  The citizens of Pinson could rest easy though, as S.T.A.R.T. was becoming one of the most successful grassroots efforts of all time and a prison would not be in their backyard.

Part two of the S.T.A.R.T. story and the work to protect Turkey Creek can be found HERE!

This blog post was written by Sarah Gilkerson.

Sarah is interning at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve this summer.  She is from Atlanta and attends Birmingham-Southern College where she is studying biology.  Outside of work, Sarah enjoys canoeing and comic books.