The Land Trust of Huntsville and Madison County is facing a May deadline to raise money to purchase 92 acres to add to the existing Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve.
The preserve has about 472 acres and is located just minutes from downtown Huntsville, on the east side of Chapman Mountain. The Land Trust currently has $125,000 committed but needs to raise $370,000 by May 2022. The 92 additional acres would increase the property size to more than 550 acres.
Chapman Mountain has a gorgeous array of hardwoods and plants, wildlife, karst features and mix of older and newer trails. Fleet Feet sponsored a summer trail run there in 2021, the first time I’d been on the Chapman trails. Very nice! They were easily runable and, other than a couple of rooty-rocky sections, were quite enjoyable. The trailhead parking area is very nice, with a pavilion for shade, bathrooms, water and events.
The area has a long history in Huntsville but in 2001, the Land Trust began efforts to preserve the mountain from development. According to the Land Trust website, “through the support of Terry Properties, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama and Vulcan Materials Company, the Land Trust was able to open Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve in 2018. Later that year, Alabama A&M University granted the Land Trust a trail license to access 188 acres adjoining the preserve, providing space for an expanded trail system. In 2019 following a successful community campaign for support, the Land Trust purchased an additional 86-acre portion of the mountain. This centrally-located haven for recreation and wildlife, currently totals 472 acres with an education pavilion, disc golf course, and more than three miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding.”
The proposed area for acquisition has been recently logged. If acquired, it would be allowed to naturalize over time to provide an uninterrupted wildlife corridor within a highly developed area.
Should you be compelled, consider making a donation here to the Land Trust for acquisition.
