Bon Secour Refuge to Grow With Big Purchase

Almost $100 million in funding from the Natural Resource Damage Assessment process that distributes restoration funds from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement was approved, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) recently announced. The $99.6-million allotment will be used in all five Gulf of Mexico states, and Alabama’s funding will go toward purchasing a “key coastal habitat” on the Fort Morgan peninsula. ADCNR will purchase Pilot Town, a 99-acre tract, to transfer it to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to become part of the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. Pilot Town is used by the public in only a small area. The habitat includes sandy shrub scrub, coastal marsh and several brackish inland lagoons and serves as a rookery and resting area for migrating birds. The sale of the property is expected to close by the end of the year. Restoration activity is anticipated for early spring 2022. In addition to the Pilot Town project, Alabama will receive a portion of the funding that will benefit sea turtles and marine mammals Gulf-wide.