By 
August 28, 2025
By Sara Alvarado, The Nature Conservancy
Nature in Alabama is at a tipping point.
From vanishing longleaf pine forests to leading the nation in aquatic species extinction, the time to act is now. The Nature Conservancy, a partner with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, is leading the charge to protect what makes Alabama unique before it’s too late.
Who We Are
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has been partnering with communities to create a world where people and nature thrive since 1951. Today, we’re facing the most complex challenges of our lives and we have years, not decades, to address the interconnected climate and biodiversity crises. Together, we find a way to overcome barriers to progress so we can achieve our biggest, most ambitious goals yet.
Our Mission in Alabama
Our state outranks all others in diversity of aquatic species and is the fourth most biologically diverse state in the U.S. Our mission here is to safeguard our unique and rich biodiversity—from the Gulf Coast to the Appalachian foothills—while promoting climate resilience, clean water and sustainable land use.
Our team of scientists and conservationists are focusing on three key areas:
- Healthy waters: Protecting Alabama’s 132,000 miles of rivers and streams, which are the most ecologically diverse in the country
- Resilient lands: Restoring forests and fire-maintained habitats to support wildlife and mitigate climate change
- Thriving coastlines: Preserving coastal ecosystems threatened by storms, pollution, and development
Local Partnerships & Impact
Paint Rock. Walls of Jericho. Keel. Talladega. Bankhead. Prairie Grove. Ask yourself about the places you, your family, and your friends love in north Alabama, and the answers inevitably revolve around our iconic lands and waters.
In north Alabama, we have been working hand-in-hand with government agencies, private landowners and conservation organizations to achieve lasting results for the last three decades. Notable partnerships and initiatives include:
- Expanding public access to Alabama’s natural beauty: One of the few intact functional landscapes remaining in the southeast, the Walls of Jericho in Jackson County is a 12,500-acres section purchased by TNC and then transferred to Alabama’s Forever Wild Program to make this the protected public land it is today
- Carbon sequestration projects: Demonstration sites like Sharp-Bingham Mountain Preserve in Jackson County are pioneering Alabama’s first voluntary carbon market to benefit private landowners
- Restoring freshwater and farmland across north Alabama: Through working with farmers to restore streams and reduce pollution, we are protecting water quality, wildlife, and food security
This is just the beginning. To spotlight its importance, The Nature Conservancy will be launching a new quarterly series that dives into the region’s freshwater ecosystems, forest habitats, and the people working to preserve them. We invite you to follow along and be part of the journey.
The Nature Conservancy has environmental preservation efforts ongoing throughout Alabama.
The Nature Conservancy has environmental preservation efforts ongoing throughout Alabama.
