Thank you!

Last Fall, we asked you to donate to many crucial Improvement Projects at Ruffner Mountain, and boy, did you come through! We would love to share an update on many of the improvements we’ve made to the park over the last 10 months thanks to your generous donation! Thank you for supporting what you love about Ruffner Mountain, and helping maintain the preserve for everyone to enjoy.

Trailhead Updates

We updated our three Trailheads (East Lake, Irondale, and Eastern side trailheads), including all kiosks and maps, and trashcans for visitors to use.

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Nature Center Burglary Alarm

We upgraded our alarm system with new door sensors, window sensors, motion detection devices, a keypad, and cameras.

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After

Here’s some snippets of some fun sightings we’ve been able to capture!

Land Acquisition

We were able to purchase the lot on 81st Street South which will allow us to protect a unique spring ecosystem, preserve historic landmarks and prevent future development at the entrance of the preserve.

Pictured: An old cistern located on the property which has become an eternal spring fed year round by water from the mountain. It is now home to a variety of salamanders, frogs, crawfish, mosses, liverworts, jewelweed, and other water loving plants.

Nature Center Display

We installed two environmental education displays to spark a deeper curiosity about the natural world. One on bird wingspan, and one on venomous snakes of Alabama.

Wildlife Care Fridge

Animal friends are a gateway for kids to learn about and ultimately care about our environment. We care for and feed over 20 animal ambassadors daily and purchased a larger fridge and freezer to house their food.

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Wildlife Care Apprentice

We hired a part-time Wildlife Care Apprentice, who covers wildlife husbandry duties on the Wildlife Care Naturalist’s off-days and increased capacity for Ruffner Mountain to provide programming and consistent Nature Center hours.

Pictured: James Buntyn, Wildlife Care Apprentice, and Ziggy, Eastern Screech Owl.

Bottle Filling Station

As most folks visit Ruffer Mountain to hike, providing access to clean drinking water is essential. We installed a new water bottle filling station with better water pressure and easier use for refillable bottles.

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Animal Enclosures

We installed a secondary safety door at the outdoor raptors exhibit so that we can properly feed and care for the animals that live there.

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East Lake Entrance Update

We purchased new picnic tables for the East Lake entrance!

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After

Other Updates, Progress Pics, and Ongoing Maintenance

 
 

1214 81st Street South, Birmingham, AL 35206 | 205.833.8264 info@ruffnermountain.org