December 10, 2022, I visited the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge and the nearby new wildlife photo blind. This was my first visit of the late fall and winter of 2022. The cranes were back with cacophonous joy and celebration.

From the Observation Building through the glass, hundreds of sandhill cranes and a single whooping crane foraged in the grassy field and corn stubble to the NNE.

The Atkeson Cypress Trail departed as in prior years from just south of the Visitors Center, closed for renovations until next summer. The new WIldlife Photo Blind and Trail wondered to SW of the Center across a new boardwalk.

The boardwalk exit into the riparian hardwood forest adjacent to the cypress swamp.

My 2:09 video takes us through the hardwood stand to the blind:

The blind provides sheltered access to an impoundment flooded from November through spring, providing the principal habitat attracting amazing flocks of sandhills, ducks, and geese as well as many other associated species.

The view to the north from the blind encompasses the sweep of open land and water bordered by forest. The Observation Building sits hidden to the right beyond the nose of forest extending to the water.

Forest on Way to Wildlife Blind

I’m a sucker for the riparian hardwood forests of the Refuge. Surprises multiply my appreciation. Along the short trail to the bind, an eastern red cedar rises in the foreground, backgrounded by the Atkeson cypress stand (below left). The hardwood canopy itself offers additional magic hidden in plain sight. Always visible and requiring only a look skyward, the crowns represent Nature’s continuing battle among forest trees for the site’s most precious resource…sunlight.  To the victors go the spoils.

In short, the winners survive, at least for the moment. The losers fall aside, unable to sustain life. These two individuals stand dead, crumbling, and being consumed by decomposers as they await gravity’s final pull.

Although I passed eager to see the views from the new blind, I found fascination and reward within the hardwood forest.

Thoughts and Reflections

I offer these observations:

• New trails and wildlife observation enhancements reward my every venture into Nature.
• I shall never tire of the seasonal gift of tens of thousands of sandhill cranes. 
• Funny how I would pay good money to see the beauty, magic, wonder, and awe of what Nature provides for free!

Inhale and absorb Nature’s elixir. May Nature Inspire, Inform, and Reward you!

If only more of us viewed our precious environment through the filters I employ. If only my mission and vision could be multiplied untold orders of magnitude:

Steve’s Three Books

I wrote my books Nature Based Leadership (2016), Nature-Inspired Learning and Leading (2017), and Weaned Seals and Snowy Summits: Stories of Passion for Place and Everyday Nature (2019; co-authored with Dr. Jennifer Wilhoit) to encourage all citizens to recognize and appreciate that every lesson for living, learning, serving, and leading is either written indelibly in or is powerfully inspired by Nature.

I began writing books and Posts for several reasons:

• I love hiking and exploring in Nature
• I see images I want to (and do) capture with my trusty iPhone camera
• I enjoy explaining those images — an educator at heart
• I don’t play golf!
• I actually do love writing — it’s the hobby I never needed when my career consumed me
• Judy suggested my writing is in large measure my legacy to our two kids, our five grandkids, and all the unborn generations beyond
• And finally, perhaps my books and Blogs could reach beyond family and touch a few other lives… sow some seeds for the future

January 2017 at the WNWR Refuge

All three of my books (Nature Based Leadership; Nature-Inspired Learning and Leading; Weaned Seals and Snowy Summits) present compilations of personal experiences expressing my (and co-author Dr. Wilhoit for Weaned Seals and Snowy Summits) deep passion for Nature. All three books offer observations and reflections on my relationship to the natural world… and the broader implications for society. Order any and all from your local indie bookstore, or find them on IndieBound or other online sources such as Amazon and LifeRich.

I visited Eufaula, Alabama the afternoon of October 13, 2022, while in the area exploring Alabama’s Lakepoint State Park and the Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge. I present photographs, reflections, and observations from a brief hike on the Yoholo Micco Trail. In addition, with assistance from Ron Dodson, long time friend and fellow Nature-enthusiast, we offer a retrospection on our Eufaula Sustainable Community project that Ron initiated and led 20+ years ago.

I had last been to Eufaula during my tenure as Director, Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES; 1996-2001). Although ACES had offices in all 67 Alabama counties, the Barbour County seat holds special memories for me. The County Extension Director alerted me that a gentleman I should meet was in town discussing with County officials a project that would spark my interest. He arranged for me to meet with Ron Dodson, then Executive Director of Audubon International. Ron and I have remained close professionally since then.

I recalled the project that recent October evening when I hiked the Yoholo Micco Walking Trail along the western shoreline of Lake Eufaula. I wondered whether the relatively new trail emerged from Ron’s vision and efforts two decades ago. Allow me to share some of the trailside images with you as Ron and I together reflect upon the project he led in concert with community leaders and citizens, including local ACES staff, two decades ago.

Eufaula Sustainable Communities Program 2002

From a 2002 report that Ron recently shared with me, laying the groundwork and context for a program that could model an approach to community sustainability:

In 1997, Audubon International was invited to Eufaula, Alabama, to discuss the possibility of becoming the first Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Community. To that end, Audubon International embarked on an effort to develop a community-wide environmental stewardship program. The city of Eufaula adopted the guiding principles and environmental practices of Audubon International’s Principles of Sustainable Resource Management. Community volunteers, including city officials and community and business representatives, formed a steering committee to spearhead the education outreach initiative called “Sustainable Eufaula.” The purpose of Sustainable Eufaula was to encourage community-wide participation in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System programs to help educate, promote, and involve the entire community in stewardship activities. “Sustainable Eufaula” led the way to the creation of Audubon International’s Sustainable Communities Program, currently going through a second round of pilot testing. The City of Eufaula, located in southeast Alabama, has a population of about 15,000 people, and comprises about 70 square miles. It is part of the Southern Coastal Plain natural region, which is characterized as relatively flat with some areas of gently rolling hills bordering the Appalachian highlands. It has diverse vegetation, ranging from closed canopy forest to savannas, grasslands, and many freshwater wetlands. Marshes, lakes, and swamps are often associated with the streams that wind gently through the sloping topography of the region. Eufaula is home to the Eufaula Wildlife Refuge, which was created in 1964 as a refuge for migrating birds. The 11,184-acre refuge offers a variety of wetland and upland habitats for a diverse population of plant and animal species. It provides a year-round classroom for visitors, including a 7-mile auto tour route, two observation platforms, and a walking trail.

By working together to address environmental, economic, and social concerns in Eufaula, Audubon International developed the three stage process and steps reflected in the Sustainable Communities Program. Eufaula began by generating community support, developing advisory groups, assessing its resources, practicing the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System approach at their town hall, and eventually, looking at strategic planning.

One requirement of the Sustainable Communities Program is to develop a community-wide environmental plan. The purpose of the plan is to help the community identify and implement environmental stewardship projects throughout the community. The stewardship plan will provide direction and coordination of projects on municipal properties (e.g., city parks, schools, libraries, etc.) and identify ways that citizens of the community can become directly involved in stewardship activities where they live, work, and recreate. Sustainable Eufaula began by establishing a naturalized park with native plants and plants for wildlife in a small area surrounding a water tower that was previously minimally maintained. Schools registered in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Schools and implemented a number of projects on school grounds as well as throughout the community, and seminars were held for interested community members about stewardship activities for homeowners. “The success of the projects we have done over the past few years has been beyond our expectations,” explains Neil Yarbrough, City Horticulturist and Community Coordinator for the Sustainable Communities Program. “All three of our elementary schools have become certified in the ACSP, numerous homeowners have joined the backyard program, and several businesses are involved. But without a doubt the biggest success has been our city leaders’ desire to have the whole city become a certified community.”

The City, rich with history and promise, sits proudly along the shore of Lake Eufaula.

Observations, Photographs, and Reflections from My Too-Brief Hike

I parked at the southern end of the Yoholo Micco Trail, which the sign indicated reached three miles to the northern end of Eufaula. I regretted not having the luxury of time to hike its length. Instead, I may have covered three-quarters of a mile to my time-dictated turn-around.

Dozens of memorial trees commemorate loved ones and citizens for whom shade will bless future hikers. There are many ways that Nature enthusiasts can touch the future…extending their Earth stewardship beyond their fleeting existence. Workout stations lined the trail hinting at an objective to increase citizens health and fitness.

I admit to finding some level of visual appreciation for the flowing mats of kudzu, a cursed invasive of the southland. A working vine of the early-to-mid 20th century, imported from Asia to control rampant erosion, kudzu is the bane of some southern landscapes, where it threatens to take over fields, farms, and forests. Below left it softens the edge, even as it shades and out-competes native vegetation. I did not see the city’s master plan for the trail, yet I am hopeful that a future budget will include funds to eradicate the vine.

What strikes me most about these and other photos is the cerulean sky graced with wispy cirrus, a touch of elegance above the kudzu.

Even a mature pine-tree skeleton added character to the hillside forest lining the trail, it too backed by an over-arching firmament of cirrus.

Ah, if only I had brought my bike…I could have covered the entire trail within the available time. However, I’ve learned that I can see far more at my leisurely walking pace than I can at 10-11 mph while casually biking. And far more biking than at Interstate speed. I didn’t long lament my walking, which allowed me to gather more photo images.

I wondered as I strolled whether this trail emerged from Ron’s efforts with Eufaula community leaders two decades prior. The trail seemed to post-date Ron’s involvement by at least a decade. Perhaps it sprouted from vision-seeds sown from his work. In retrospect, I imagine this railroad grade, choked with kudzu and abandoned. Community vision has since metamorphosed to action…a relic railroad converted to a paved greenway, the foundation for the work that still lies ahead, including ridding the greenway of kudzu.

The trail drops from hilly terrain to backwaters of Lake Eufaula…still, the cirrus blesses the evening and reflects on the placid lake surface. I saw lots of walkers, runners, and dog-strollers, and a handful of bikers. The trail is certainly fulfilling its recreational purpose.

The trail passed by the entrance to a Eufaula yacht club.

The trailside Hopper’s Hollow sign stood as a gateway to a picnic area in a ravine below the trail. Again, I had no time to explore.

The City of Eufaula is located within an ecologically and recreationally rich area in southeast Alabama. The Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge and Alabama’s Lakepoint State Park lie just six miles to the north. The Lake borders the City, and an arm of it lies adjacent to the trail. Lake Eufaula is a premier bass fishing tournament site. In combination with superb weather with hot, humid summers, and mild winters, the region attracts year-round visitors, recreationists, and Nature enthusiasts.

In summary, I found delight in revisiting Eufaula and seeing what I think are tangible outcomes of the efforts Ron invested…and I assisted. Eufaula does indeed seem to be a sustainable community.

The text to this point is mine. I puzzled over how to involve Ron, deciding that I would begin with key excerpts from the 2002 Eufaula Sustainability Report followed by observations, reflections, and photographs from my too-brief hike, and now give you Ron’s current reflections on the project.

Ron Dodson’s Reflections (January 2023)

It was in the early 1970s that I began my involvement in community-based conservation efforts when living in Henderson, Kentucky. My main focus up until then had been to focus on either single species conservation or specific areas of land and water that needed protection. However, it seemed to me that what really needed to be done was to develop a community-wide conservation/education approach that, over time, might cause an attitude change in the entire community at some point.

Those early community-wide efforts garnered enough publicity that I was offered a job with the National Audubon Society in Albany, New York as their regional representative, a position I held for 5 years, until over 30 staff members were let go because of a huge budget shortfall.

So…in 1987, my family and I were living in the Albany, NY area; without a job and a long way from family and the support network that I had built while living in Indiana and Kentucky, I decided to re-start a defunct Audubon organization called The Audubon Society of New York State, which was initially created in 1887 and ceased existence in the 1930s. Since the “single species” focus of the National Audubon Society seemed to lead to a significant budget shortfall, I decided that I should, once again take the “community-wide” approach in re-launching The Audubon Society of New York State. I called this program/venture the Community Conservation Network. I got myself invited to several meetings of New York government and community organizations where I could introduce myself and the idea of working with The Audubon Society of New York State on a community-wide basis, much like I had done in Henderson, Kentucky. It quickly became apparent that this concept was simply not going to take off in the manner that I had envisioned…and I had to figure out how to make some money so I could pay my mortgage!

So…I decided to change my approach by going “door to door” to encourage people who owned and managed land to begin thinking about their property as “sanctuaries.” I envisioned a property as a patch of fabric and that eventually if I got enough “patches” involved, they could be “stitched” together to form a quilt. Eventually, I thought if I could get enough patched stitched together, we could work on a community-wide basis. This conservation/education approach I called The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System. The approach took off like a rocket, but I quickly learned that I needed to create specific “programs” within the “system” because I could not convince people who lived or worked on land that was being managed for specific “human-oriented” approaches (farms, schools, golf courses) that they could join the same program that a homeowner could join. Thus, I created several specific programs within the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System that were marketed to specific landowner/managers within New York State. The approach was so successful that we began getting interest in joining from property owners/managers in other states. This growing interest led to the creation of a new “brand” for The Audubon Society of New York State, which we called Audubon International. I spent the next couple of decades working with landowners/managers all across America and around the world.

I say all of that as background to a day in the 1990s when I received a telephone call from a person who lived and worked in Eufaula, Alabama who said that they knew about the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program(s), but wondered if they could enroll their entire community in the program?

With that phone call, a light was switched on, and my memories of wanting to work on a community-wide basis were jogged back to life. Thus, I was invited to Eufaula, and over the next few years I made many enjoyable trips to the community and made many friends there, and I hope the community feels that some positive changes were made to the environmental, economic, and social fabric of the community.

Ron presenting to a community group circa 1998.

I cannot possibly convey the entire story of what transpired during my time working in Eufaula or what has happened since in a blog post…there might be a book in the story actually. I probably learned more from the people in Eufaula than I taught them. I did say to the folks in Eufaula that any “change” within the community must come from within. It simply was not my place to fly into town from New York and point out this or that problem, or come up with this or that “solution,” or say…”just pass this law, and everything will be fixed.”

Community sessions discussing the sustainable community concept (Ron at table in white shirt) and a community member offering public input.

I told the community that sustainability is an attitude, not a sign to be hung on a wall. It is a journey, not a destination and it is a journey that doesn’t end. Eufaula is a wonderful place, but it is simply a “place.” It is the people within Eufaula (or any community) that make it a “great place.” People of past generations, the present generation, and future generations will determine the “greatness,” of Eufaula, however.

Ron presenting an Audubon Certification Art print to Eufaula’s mayor.

I see the Yoholo Micco Trail that Steve hiked as the kind of Nature-based, sustainability outcome that we sought 25 years ago…if you will, one of the patches to, in aggregate, stitch a community sustainability quilt. I’m pleased that Steve was able to revisit Eufaula, and that he gave me a chance to reflect on my own experiences.

And I, too, am grateful…for Ron’s willingness to contribute to this Post. Ron exemplifies the spirit of passion for informed and responsible Earth Stewardship that I believe is essential for today and across deep time…to sustain all that we hold dear.

Thoughts and Reflections

I offer these observations:

• I believe that embracing a passion for informed and responsible Earth Stewardship is essential for today and across deep time…to sustain all that we hold dear.
• Any community can, and should, enhance natural elements within its bounds..
• A community reveals its essence via its embrace of Nature.

Inhale and absorb Nature’s elixir. May Nature Inspire, Inform, and Reward you!

If only more of us viewed our precious environment through the filters I employ. If only my mission and vision could be multiplied untold orders of magnitude:

Steve’s Three Books

I wrote my books Nature Based Leadership (2016), Nature-Inspired Learning and Leading (2017), and Weaned Seals and Snowy Summits: Stories of Passion for Place and Everyday Nature (2019; co-authored with Dr. Jennifer Wilhoit) to encourage all citizens to recognize and appreciate that every lesson for living, learning, serving, and leading is either written indelibly in or is powerfully inspired by Nature.

I began writing books and Posts for several reasons:

• I love hiking and exploring in Nature
• I see images I want to (and do) capture with my trusty iPhone camera
• I enjoy explaining those images — an educator at heart
• I don’t play golf!
• I actually do love writing — it’s the hobby I never needed when my career consumed me
• Judy suggested my writing is in large measure my legacy to our two kids, our five grand kids, and all the unborn generations beyond
• And finally, perhaps my books and Blogs could reach beyond family and touch a few other lives… sow some seeds for the future

All three of my books (Nature Based Leadership; Nature-Inspired Learning and Leading; Weaned Seals and Snowy Summits) present compilations of personal experiences expressing my (and co-author Dr. Wilhoit for Weaned Seals and Snowy Summits) deep passion for Nature. All three books offer observations and reflections on my relationship to the natural world… and the broader implications for society. Order any and all from your local indie bookstore, or find them on IndieBound or other online sources such as Amazon and LifeRich.

October 28, 2022, I visited a Lawrence County woodland property that the owners are donating to Wild Alabama, whose mission is to inspire people to enjoy, value, and protect the wild places in Alabama. Headquartered in Moulton, Wild Alabama (http://www.wildal.org) launched on January 1, 2021 with Maggie Johnston (maggie@wildal.org) as Executive Director. Maggie led our tour of the property, accompanied by staff members Janice Barrett, Kim Waites, and intern Jonathan Kelly, and John and Rhonda Riley, the couple who owns the subject property, along with Jim Lacefield (author Lost Worlds in Alabama Rocks), geologist, Nature enthusiast, and longtime friend of the conservation groups that conceived and spun off Wild Alabama. Maggie and her team have plans in the works and hope to establish a headquarters building and education center on a seven-acre roadside parcel within the aggregate 47-acre property, which is located about six miles south of Moulton.

The forest occupies generally rough, rocky terrain that rises from the road, then dips into a valley that abuts a nearby limestone quarry. I would like to spend more time this coming spring with map in hand, gaining a more complete picture of the tract and understanding the forest stands that define the full 47 acres, and the prior land use. Upland mixed hardwood and Eastern red cedar compose the forest across most of the area explored.

Fall yellows dominated the palette. Leaf-covered, steep ground took us downslope to the backside. The photo depicts a fully stocked upland forest reflecting the poor site quality on this slope, which also extended to the higher reaches. Until we reached the lower slopes, short tree heights and low basal area prevailed.

Similar stand conditions greeted us as we left the vehicles and ascended the tract. That’s John Riley in the photo at left. Rhonda is conversing with Jim Lacefield at right.

I found some evidence, yet not complete, of past land use. Among the second growth hardwoods and cedar, I saw some scattered older relicts, including this large-crowned, hollow oak that stood prior to the stand that now predominates. Perhaps 100+ feet uphill, beyond the oak, another old residual oak that is likewise a relict is visible. More time on the ground sleuthing will enable constructing a clearer picture of prior use and practice. Such exploration is more revealing during the dormant season when visibility within the forest better accommodates.

A Fallen Green Ash

As we dropped into the lower ground on the backside, deeper, richer soils enabled growth of this 30-inch diameter green ash. However, nothing in Nature is static, the wind-felled ash providing evidence that our forests are dynamic. The large soil-bound root mass reveals the deeper, richer site. Jonathan, who is about 6’2″ provides scale for this fallen forest champion.

The trunk and top extend at least 100 feet from the base.

Here is the 1:58 video I recorded at the fallen ash:

I offer this set of recommendations to Maggie:

• Conduct a dormant season inventory of the property, mapping stand delineation, composition, and structure.
• Complete a total species list of trees, shrubs, and woody understory.
• Establish permanent photo-plots at interesting places throughout the 47 acres, including at the fallen ash. The forest will change. Wild Alabama will persist as an education and conservation enterprise for decades and beyond. Historic photos tell a compelling tale to future generations.
• This coming spring, begin a season by season almanac of wildflowers.
• Other tasks will emerge.

Eastern Red Cedar Harvesting

An obvious additional task relates to this next series of photos. We transected several acres (to be mapped with subsequent examination) of mixed cedar and oak where cedar stumps (six to 12 inches in diameter and eight to 12 inches tall) stood above the leaf litter.

Based upon level of decomposition (red cedar is very decay resistant) I estimate that harvesting took place as long as 20 years ago. I recommend that staff pursue sale forensics (prior owner records) to document the applied practice. I have not encountered in my north alabama wanderings direct evidence of a red cedar harvest/sale. The stumps suggest a dense stand of cedar prior to harvest.

The harvest and sale details will constitute a chapter in the land’s history…part of the compelling story that has bearing on the present and future forest, and instructs the education efforts over time on the property.

One of the stumps supports a resurrection fern and moss terrarium, surrounded by red oak and chinkapin oak leaves. Nature’s handiwork can seldom be matched by human artists.

Smiling faces corroborated that few things match a walk in the autumn woods. John Muir concurred:

And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.

I commend John and Rhonda, the benefactors, who share the Wild Alabama dream. May their gift enable and inspire countless future visitors to lose their mind and find their soul!

A Panoply of Plant Community Citizens

I am convinced with this one short visit that the property offers a rich library of native plants. We found fragrant sumac (left) in full color  and Carolina buckthorn (right).

Rusty blackhaw bears fruit that the birds haven’t yet harvested. Its leaves, while not colorful, are displaying blemishes typical of late fall.

Rusty blackhaw, a small tree or shrub, has fine blocky bark similar to dogwood.

Possumhaw still hangs on to a few very red berries. The season is rapidly closing, even with its leaves (right) still green.

I was surprised to see chinkapin oak common across the upland. I’ve come to expect it on the riparian forests that I frequent. I learn something new every time I enter the forest with eyes open and curiosity engaged.

Einstein would have agreed, as he, too, marveled at the mysteries of Nature:

The most beautiful gift of nature is that it gives one pleasure to look around and try to comprehend what we see.

A new one for me, we identified purple stem cliffbake.

And here we found a different cliffbake this one with narrower leaves.

Cliffbrake, I since discovered from an online source, Britannica, is any of about 40 species of ferns of the genus Pellaea. Cliff brake ferns grow on or among rocks, mostly limestone (as is the subject property), throughout the world. Several species, including button fern (Pellaea rotundifolia) and sickle fern (P. falcata), are grown as indoor ornamentals.

Cliff brakes are small plants with mostly leathery leaves emerging from a creeping rhizome. They are characterized by spore-bearing structures (sporangia) that occur in round or elongated clusters (sori) on the margins of fertile leaves. Overlapping leaf margins form a protective covering.

Ebony spleenwort is another small fern, but not of the cliffbake genus.

Missouri Department of Conservation: Ebony spleenwort is a perennial fern bearing clusters of leaves. The leaves are 1-time pinnately (feather) compound, linear to narrowly oblong in overall outline, and are dimorphic (there are two forms): The vegetative (sterile) leaves are shorter, lie prostrate on the ground or are arching, have shorter leaflets, and are evergreen. The fertile (spore-bearing) leaves are longer, stand erect, have longer leaflets, and are deciduous (the leaflets fall off in winter). The shiny, wiry leaf stems are reddish brown to dark brown their entire length (to nearly the very tip of the leaf). The leaflets are mostly alternate, shallowly (sometimes deeply) toothed, and eared at the base of the upper margin. The bases of the leaflets overlap the main stalk. Spores are produced May–September.

We relished our autumn woods-ramble, contemplating what such a gift of land could enable Wild Alabama to accomplish in the realm of Nature education, inspiration, and dreams. All of us expressed gratitude for the time shared and the possibilities imagined. All concurred that our two-hour rambling echoed Muir’s sentiment:

In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks.

I wish Wild Alabama well in bringing the passion of belief to the cause of reason — transforming vision to action…creating a center for education, exploration, and inspiration.

Thoughts and Reflections

I offer these observations:

• A gift of land for noble conservation purposes is an unforgettable and priceless legacy!
• Muir: In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks.
• Einstein: The most beautiful gift of nature is that it gives one pleasure to look around and try to comprehend what we see.

Inhale and absorb Nature’s elixir. May Nature Inspire, Inform, and Reward you!

If only more of us viewed our precious environment through the filters I employ. If only my mission and vision could be multiplied untold orders of magnitude:

Steve’s Three Books

I wrote my books Nature Based Leadership (2016), Nature-Inspired Learning and Leading (2017), and Weaned Seals and Snowy Summits: Stories of Passion for Place and Everyday Nature (2019; co-authored with Dr. Jennifer Wilhoit) to encourage all citizens to recognize and appreciate that every lesson for living, learning, serving, and leading is either written indelibly in or is powerfully inspired by Nature.

I began writing books and Posts for several reasons:

• I love hiking and exploring in Nature
• I see images I want to (and do) capture with my trusty iPhone camera
• I enjoy explaining those images — an educator at heart
• I don’t play golf!
• I actually do love writing — it’s the hobby I never needed when my career consumed me
• Judy suggested my writing is in large measure my legacy to our two kids, our five grand kids, and all the unborn generations beyond
• And finally, perhaps my books and Blogs could reach beyond family and touch a few other lives… sow some seeds for the future

All three of my books (Nature Based Leadership; Nature-Inspired Learning and Leading; Weaned Seals and Snowy Summits) present compilations of personal experiences expressing my (and co-author Dr. Wilhoit for Weaned Seals and Snowy Summits) deep passion for Nature. All three books offer observations and reflections on my relationship to the natural world… and the broader implications for society. Order any and all from your local indie bookstore, or find them on IndieBound or other online sources such as Amazon and LifeRich.

Friend and fellow Nature-enthusiast Jim Chamberlain and I visited Huntsville, Alabama’s Dallas Fanning Nature Preserve November 28, 2022. This was the first time either of us had explored the 58-acre preserve. I had no preconceived notions of what to expect. I offer photographs, observations, and initial reactions.

Trailhead

An ample gravel parking lot (the green area in the northwest corner of the map below) awaits visitors. Several picnic tables dot the grass below right.

A developer donated the property to the City 15 years ago. Rather than drafting an overview of the fairly new preserve, I give you this excerpt dated July 20, 2022 from the Huntsville.gov website:

The City of Huntsville opened its newest nature preserve on 58 acres of land off Martin Road West. Named in honor of the late Dallas W. Fanning, former director of urban development and architect of the City’s western expansion, the park will provide residents in the westernmost part of the City with outdoor trails for exercise, passive recreation, stargazing and nature hikes.

“I can’t think of a more fitting tribute to Dallas Fanning than this preserve,” said Mayor Tommy Battle. “Dallas was the catalyst for Huntsville’s western expansion. His vision brought industry and thousands of jobs and new residents to the western corridor. He would have wanted these residents to have places to play and this park would please him greatly.”

The nature preserve provides several miles of signed trails through the woods and a two-acre green space dotted with shade trees and benches. There is a gravel parking lot at the park entrance, but no lighting – an intentional decision.

“This parcel includes woodlands and wetlands,” said John Hamilton, City Administrator. “In developing the park, we worked to enhance and preserve the environment and provide residents with a sanctuary space to connect with nature. By eliminating lighting, we protect wildlife habitats and provide an excellent location for stargazing.”

The trail we hiked (Steve Fowler Trail) bears the name of a key participant in designing and constructing the trail and associated benches and signage:

“One of our supervisors, Steve Fowler, helped design the trails and provided all the carpentry for the benches and signage. He and his enthusiastic crew of workers have taken great pride in bringing this amenity to the public.”

The 58 acres encompass several unique ecosystems. Walking the property perimeter trail clockwise, we passed through ecotypes I’ve designated as: young upland forest; regenerating upland forest; stripped wasteland; riparian forest; open fields.

Young Upland Forest

I’m estimating that the “young” adjective describes a 25-35 year old naturally regenerated upland hardwood forest with occasional loblolly pine. The stand does not express a closed full canopy, suggesting some disturbance punctuating forest development. The flat, woodchip-covered trail provides easy walking and firm-cushioned strolling. The trek is suitable for hikers of all ages and abilities. The scenery, while not approaching spectacular, is pleasant, especially through the eyes of a seasoned Nature-enthusiast who ponders the history written in the land and its forest cover.

We discovered multiple stump clusters like the sycamore where Jim is standing below left, with its seven stems around a rotted mother-tree stump. The sprouts, clones of the severed parent, began from adventitious buds sprouting at the stump’s rim the year after harvesting. The double sprout-origin green ash tree below right grew from its own severed parent stump. I assume that all of the stump clusters originated from the same tract-wide harvesting operation.

The white oak cluster below left tells the same tale, as does the yellow poplar grouping at right. Most of our northern Alabama hardwoods regenerate readily via sprouting from adventitious buds.

For example, the January 1, 2022 tornado-ravaged forest at the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge had already sprouted aggressively by May 27, 2022. Nature does in fact abhor a vacuum…and she acts quickly to fill any void.

Vegetative regeneration works effectively for our regional hardwood species. Wholesale blowdowns regenerate in-place without the chance and delay associated with relying upon seedfall and germination. In contrast, regeneration by seed is a necessity for a forest to colonize an abandoned field or a fire-ravaged forest. Vegetative reproduction ensures that the exact genotype carries forward. Sexual reproduction advances the combined genotype of both parents. Nature carries a full bag of alternative strategies for ensuring that life persists.

Here is a Dallas-Fanning beech that sprouted stems close enough on the cut stump that they have grown together into what appears to be transforming into a single multi-columned stem. Most tree form oddities and curiosities tell a story that the astute Nature enthusiast can interpret.

This elm suffered an injury during the harvest that stimulated the common stump clusters. I picture a top or felled tree impacting the then sapling elm at about three feet from the ground. The top broke severely enough to terminate life at six feet from the base, leaving a permanent pump-handle effect there. At the three-foot mark the elm sent a shoot vertical…one that now serves as the two-pronged fork reaching into the forest canopy.

There are many who see native American marker trees in every such tree form oddity…insisting that the the elm above is directing the observer to a nearby spring, trail intersection, or some other landscape attribute important to fellow Native Americans. I am a marker tree bubble-burster. Natives haven’t frequented our wildlands for the past 170 years, at least 130 years before this elm germinated from seed!

I recorded a brief video within the upland forest that includes another such marker tree form, in this case a white oak:

A red oak stump cluster reveals a window into a hollow tree base. The open wound resulting from the chainsaw-severed trunk provides a wide-open infection court for decay fungi. Because these three major sprouts occurred on the 18-24-inch high stump rim, the vertical stems constituting the multi-stemmed new tree will likely have heart rot extending into their trunks.

This red oak oddity is even more curious. Imagine a cut stump at the height of my trekking pole. Multiple sprouts emerged from the stump ridge, which at the time was a much smaller diameter than now. Five sprouts survived to today, four of the five large enough to reach into the mani canopy. The stump wound has successfully calloused over the entire cut surface. The irregular swelling (a bloated appearance) suggests that heart rot infects the stump.

Here is another view of the tree (left) and a look into the crown where the four larger stems access full sunlight.

This final view captures the irregular swelling at the old stump level.

Every tree, every stand, and every forest tells a story, this curious individual oak being no different.

The three-stemmed beech (below) adds two additional elements to its tale. A grape vine (to the left of the three stems) accompanied the rising stump sprouts as they reached skyward. Beech saplings tend to hold their spent leaves through the winter, a pattern termed marsences, adding nice winter color to an otherwise drab season.

Not all grape vines are fortunate enough to find a route into the main canopy. This tangle of vines have smothered a small hickory, condemned to a terminal height only within the mid-canopy levels.

Another hickory nearby served a poison ivy vine more favorably. The vine and a patch of moss caught my eye. Nature rewards those of us willing to look closely to discover the beauty, magic, wonder, and awe!

Regenerating Upland Forest

We entered a distinctly different, younger forest type, this one composed of mixed brush, young hardwood and scattered loblolly pine…naturally regenerated on what appears to be abandoned meadow. I saw no evidence of stumps that would indicate a former forest.

Intermixed bradford or callery pear likewise indicates early succession, the ornamental pear (below right and left) being adept at colonizing open land. The seed (below right) attracts birds that consume the fleshy fruit and distribute the indigestible seeds.

As with other types across the Preserve, I recommend that managers place permanent photo points so that visitors to what will mature into a high forest fifty years hence can view photographs of its early stages in 2022. This path will, with time, pass through a deeply shaded mixed pine hardwood forest.

I recorded this brief video to give readers a better sense of the land and its vegetation.

We walked from the regenerating meadow into several acres that had been stripped to clayey and graveley subsoil, I suppose prompting the developer to donate this wasteland to the City 15 years ago. I assume that the stripped soil material provided fill to the nearby offsite light industrial and commercial development.

Stripped Wasteland

I don’t want to give the impression that the donation should not be appreciated. Time will heal some of the injury. Except for the stripped wasteland, another three to five decades will yield a high forest across the Preserve. However, it may take centuries for this sparsely vegetated wasteland site to develop soil and regain a trace of fertility. The exposed dirt (I refuse to honor it with the term soil) is more like pavement than growing medium. The pines that have germinated are chlorotic, slow growing specimens…and will struggle to survive during dry years.

The sweetgum (left) is hanging on to life, but is showing sign of severe stress, resembling a bonsai creation. The image of dirt (not soil! below right) could have been photographed by the Mars Rover!

We witnessed several of the taller volunteer pines that have recently yielded to wind, their constrained roots insufficient to support them on this harsh site.

What a story this hike will reveal as the decades pass. I urge the City to establish 10-20 permanent photo-points in the near term, to chronicle conditions now and every 5-10 years, providing a long-term record of change in support of ongoing education and interpretation. A picture is, in fact, worth a thousand (ten thousand!) words.

Riparian Area

We entered a riparian forest before returning to the trailhead. The only direct evidence of its seasonal flooding came in the form of two culverts crossing under the elevated trail, each one, like this one, 18-24 inches above the forest floor. I must return during the wetter winter months to see first hand the flooding.

Open Fields

We completed our circuit, re-entering the open fields. I repeat an earlier observation. While only 58 acres, all within a scarred industrial and commercial development area, the Dallas Fanning Nature Preserve tells a compelling story that will only become more compelling over time.

The Preserve offers a window into a disturbed landscape, one not unusual in an area converting from mixed agriculture to industrial and commercial development. Wildness may be a remnant of what is left behind by the development that sweeps across the face of the land. The 58-acres show the wounds of past practice that happened to it…not from a systematic plan to protect existing highly prized wildness. Nevertheless, this abused land tells an important story. Long term it can be a Phoenix rising. Current and future visitors will appreciate its gentle hiking trails, even as they learn from the visible intersection of human and natural history. Even now, it stands as a slice of wildness in a region of the city rapidly changing.

Thoughts and Reflections

I offer these observations:

• We can find rewarding wildness even in the wake of rapid commercial and industrial development.
• I value Nature’s beauty, magic, wonder, and awe whether in deep wilderness or at the fringe of Alabama’s fastest growing city.
• Nature reveals her secrets to those most willing to explore her past and anticipate her future — every forest tells the story of past, present, and future influences.

Inhale and absorb Nature’s elixir. May Nature Inspire, Inform, and Reward you!

If only more of us viewed our precious environment through the filters I employ. If only my mission and vision could be multiplied untold orders of magnitude:

Steve’s Three Books

I wrote my books Nature Based Leadership (2016), Nature-Inspired Learning and Leading (2017), and Weaned Seals and Snowy Summits: Stories of Passion for Place and Everyday Nature (2019; co-authored with Dr. Jennifer Wilhoit) to encourage all citizens to recognize and appreciate that every lesson for living, learning, serving, and leading is either written indelibly in or is powerfully inspired by Nature.

I began writing books and Posts for several reasons:

• I love hiking and exploring in Nature
• I see images I want to (and do) capture with my trusty iPhone camera
• I enjoy explaining those images — an educator at heart
• I don’t play golf!
• I actually do love writing — it’s the hobby I never needed when my career consumed me
• Judy suggested my writing is in large measure my legacy to our two kids, our five grand kids, and all the unborn generations beyond
• And finally, perhaps my books and Blogs could reach beyond family and touch a few other lives… sow some seeds for the future

All three of my books (Nature Based Leadership; Nature-Inspired Learning and Leading; Weaned Seals and Snowy Summits) present compilations of personal experiences expressing my (and co-author Dr. Wilhoit for Weaned Seals and Snowy Summits) deep passion for Nature. All three books offer observations and reflections on my relationship to the natural world… and the broader implications for society. Order any and all from your local indie bookstore, or find them on IndieBound or other online sources such as Amazon and LifeRich.

I visited Alabama’s Lakepoint State Park, arriving the afternoon of October 12, 2022 and departing the morning of the 15th. Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge surrounds Lakepoint SP.  Thus, by visiting Lakepoint, I also spent time on the 11,184-acre Refuge along Lake Eufaula, the water body created by impounding the Chattahoochee River south of Eufaula, Alabama. The lake covers 45,000 acres and encompasses 640 miles of shoreline. The lake is a bass fishing tournament hotspot.

From the US National Wildlife Refuge System website:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than 560 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth.

Each unit of the Refuge System — whether it is a wildlife refuge, a marine national monument, a conservation area or a waterfowl production area — is established to serve a statutory purpose that targets the conservation of native species dependent on its lands and water. All activities on those acres are reviewed for compatibility with this statutory purpose.

The Refuge System deploys a host of scientifically sound management tools to address biological challenges. These tools, which range from active water management to wilderness character monitoring, all are aimed at ensuring a balanced conservation approach that enables wildlife and people to thrive.

Through partnerships, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service leads the way in developing community-driven conservation solutions that reap ecological and economic benefits for fish, wildlife and people. Within the Refuge System, we work with landowners, Friends groups and local communities.

Specific to this unit, Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1964, with community support and in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to provide habitat for wintering waterfowl and other migratory and resident wildlife. Target species for the Refuge are American alligator and white-tailed deer.

I discovered a Lakepoint SP shoreline tree that objected to having a Refuge sign attached to it! The sign at right convinced me not to dip a toe in the water.

State Park Pontoon Boat Tour

Although strong thunderstorms arrived after sunset, my host Tasha Simon, Natural Resources Section Chief, Alabama State Parks, arranged for an afternoon pontoon boat tour on the Refuge bordering the park. O’Dell Banks, Alabama Parks Southeast District Supervisor, piloted us.

We were not alone on the water. A modest sized gator swam past us; we saw many more along the shore. None that I saw topped six feet. Regardless, for this central Appalachian-born mountain boy, I never tire of seeing these strange primitive reptilian predators.

We spotted two primary avian predator species, great blue heron and great egrets. In fact, we spotted scores of these key species.

Great blue herons occupy a sacred place in my heart. Here is explanatory text from my website:

I offer these reflections as subtext to what I have come to accept as a given. That nature expresses every lesson for living, learning, serving, and leading across time, geography, and biome. That belief lies at the heart of my passion-fueled desire to give life and vibrancy to the emerging discipline of Nature-Inspired Learning and Leading.

Dad died February 13, 1995. I was still running then. I did a ten-mile loop the memorial service morning, departing as dawn began painting the eastern sky. Mid-single digit readings encouraged a quick early pace to bring warmth to my extremities. I floated, calm in the crisp silence, heading down to the winding road along Evitts Creek.

North-bound, the road flanked the creek’s west bank, some 100 feet above the mostly ice-covered stream. Three and a half miles into the loop, movement at an ice-free sharp turn with mild rapids caught my eye. Hitting the stop watch, I paused, looking east below me, squinting into the sun nosing above the ridge.

A great blue heron stood, shrouded in mist rising from the exposed water. We locked eyes, the magnificent bird watching me as intently as I gazed at him (I automatically assigned male gender, not wondering why). My quiet run had focused on thoughts of Dad – our many adventures in nature — fishing, camping, hiking, and observing. He loved herons. Their still, patient, deliberate, yet stilt-legged, awkward movements. Their lightning strike to nail a next meal. Their regal flight when, in lifting, those ungainly legs become one with the sleek flight profile.

We maintained eye contact for perhaps a minute, and then he rose, effortlessly. Not heading up or down the waterway, but rising in slow spirals, ever skyward. I lost him when his flight crossed the rising sun, tears blurring my vision. I stood a moment, continuing to search the sky, but to no avail. I hit the stopwatch and resumed the loop, wiping tears as I ran. Dad had just said goodbye.

Since that long-ago winter morning, Dad occasionally makes a symbolic appearance – a farm pond; a beaver dam; in flight. The tears return. Warm memories flood. Dad is with me. He always will be.

Thanks to him, I am a lifetime outdoor enthusiast. Now, at 45 years past my bachelor’s degree in forestry, just completing my thirteenth year as a university president, I am convinced that nature communicates every lesson for living, learning, serving, and leading indelibly, repeatedly, and powerfully. Not all of nature’s messages are lessons. Some are symbols, from which we draw inspiration and comfort. I know that Dad lives in me. Heron reminds me, freshens the memories, and deepens my gratitude. I suppose there is a lesson embedded in the imagery – that we all owe much to those who shaped us. That we should never forget that we grow from seeds others have sowed and nurtured. That nothing shapes us more than love.

Yes, Dad said goodbye, yet he holds me tightly. I should have thanked him more often, more clearly. He knows, I am sure. He occasionally stops by to tip his wings, grab a fish, or wade through the shallows.

Nature-Inspired Living and Learning – it’s my passion; it’s his spirit!

This secluded backwater is emblematic of the peace and serenity that ensure spiritual escape for me. I remind you that every glimpse of shoreline is Lakepoint State Park; every square foot of water is the Refuge.

My 1:50 video with narration…and a very loud airplane flying overhead…captures the Refuge perspective of the State Park:

The aerial photograph depicts the fully integrated Refuge and Park lying on both sides of highway 431. The marriage of Federal and State wildland seems to work well. I can say for certain that the adjacency enhanced my own appreciation and enjoyment.

I participate in several FaceBook groups that celebrate and explore what I’ll call the Nature/human/spiritual intersection: Sacred Connections; Eco-Spirituality; Religious Naturalists Association. The interplay of water, firmament, land, and trees stirs my soul. When I add the building tempest signaled by lowering and thickening clouds (and corroborated by Weather Service radar), I feel the essence of the time and place in my entire being: body, mind, hear, and spirit. Strong storms raked the Park and the Refuge after sunset!

The impending storms made me seek and record here the words of William Bartram from 1791 (The Travels of William Bartram) as he traveled across the southeastern US:

It was now afternoon; I approached a charming vale, amidst a high forest, awful shades! Darkness gathers around; far distant thunder rolls over the trembling hills: the black clouds with august majesty and power, move slowly forwards… The mighty cloud now expands its sable wings, expanding from North to South, and is driven irresistibly on by the tumultuous winds, spreading its vivid wings around the gloomy concave, armed with terrors of thunder and fiery shafts of lightning. Now the lofty forests bend low beneath its fury; their limbs and wavy boughs are tossed about and catch hold of each other; the mountains tremble and seem to reel about, and the ancient hills to be shaken to their foundations: the furious storm sweeps along, smoaking [obsolete English spelling of smoking] through the vale and over the resounding hills: face of the earth is obscured by the deluge descending from the firmament, and I am deafened by the din of the thunder.

When we docked, I knew only that the front would pass later in the evening, and that we could expect strong storms. I did not fear a Bartram-level tempest!

Here is the 1:01 video with no narration I recorded to capture the sense of solace and spirituality:

The grassy water flats reached to the park’s forest edge. In the foreground at right yet another heron searches for an afternoon meal.

The pontoon exploration of the Refuge and Park opened my eyes to this exquisite combination Park and Refuge…a special place and now, indelible memories!

Water Vegetation

Common water hyacinth blossomed along the shoreline as we entered the water.

American lotus showcased its  floating vegetative pad-like leaves.

Time did not allow an exhaustive inventory of water plants, a venture reserved for a future reconnaissance perhaps. The shoreline is a magical place with untold discoveries awaiting me. I consider myself a terrestrial ecologist, yet there is much on dry land that still I do not know. I can only imagine the breadth and depth of my freshwater vegetation ignorance!

The Magic of Sunset and Sunrise

October 13, unlike the previous evening offered clear sky…an unobstructed sunset spectacular at 6:00 and 6:02 PM. I captured the sun’s dip to the horizon from the fishing pier at the Lakepoint lodge.

The morning of October 15, I arose before dawn and walked a quarter mile to the Park’s boat launching pier, arriving just in time to catch the rising sun backlighting two fishermen casting into the misty shore. I am so grateful to be delightedly predisposed for exploring daybreak, searching for unanticipated gifts from Nature!

From the same location, the view to the southwest revealed a fog bank in the direction of Eufaula, a softer image of sunrise. The cool morning temperature told a tale of autumn more vivid than the evening warmth two days prior portending the line of thunderstorms.

I sensed that this new air mass officially ushered the season into southeast Alabama, heralding the long autumn that will gradually transition to a February spring. What a gift to spend three nights at Lakepoint State Park and Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge!

Alabama State Parks Foundation

Thoughts and Reflections

I offer these observations:

• Gators — I never tire of seeing these primitive reptilian predators.
• Great blue herons occupy a sacred place in my heart.
• The interplay of water, firmament, land, and trees stirs my soul.

Inhale and absorb Nature’s elixir. May Nature Inspire, Inform, and Reward you!

If only more of us viewed our precious environment through the filters I employ. If only my mission and vision could be multiplied untold orders of magnitude:

Steve’s Three Books

I wrote my books Nature Based Leadership (2016), Nature-Inspired Learning and Leading (2017), and Weaned Seals and Snowy Summits: Stories of Passion for Place and Everyday Nature (2019; co-authored with Dr. Jennifer Wilhoit) to encourage all citizens to recognize and appreciate that every lesson for living, learning, serving, and leading is either written indelibly in or is powerfully inspired by Nature.

I began writing books and Posts for several reasons:

• I love hiking and exploring in Nature
• I see images I want to (and do) capture with my trusty iPhone camera
• I enjoy explaining those images — an educator at heart
• I don’t play golf!
• I actually do love writing — it’s the hobby I never needed when my career consumed me
• Judy suggested my writing is in large measure my legacy to our two kids, our five grandkids, and all the unborn generations beyond
• And finally, perhaps my books and Blogs could reach beyond family and touch a few other lives… sow some seeds for the future

All three of my books (Nature Based Leadership; Nature-Inspired Learning and Leading; Weaned Seals and Snowy Summits) present compilations of personal experiences expressing my (and co-author Dr. Wilhoit for Weaned Seals and Snowy Summits) deep passion for Nature. All three books offer observations and reflections on my relationship to the natural world… and the broader implications for society. Order any and all from your local indie bookstore, or find them on IndieBound or other online sources such as Amazon and LifeRich.