Prior to construction (May, 2008), Geological Survey of Alabama performed a habitat assessment on Town Creek. The assessment indicated that the creek was in “fair” to “poor” condition as habitat for fish communities. Since then, Geological Survey sampled in 2009, 2010 and 2012. According to Geological Survey (2012), the fish population in Town Creek, “appears stable for an urban watershed … dominated by sunfishes, bass, stonerollers, tolerant minnows, and few darters. Improvements … by the restoration project has had a positive affect on the fish assemblage in Town Creek through creation of deeper plunge pools, in-stream and stream bank vegetation cover, less sediment deposition and improved diversity and quality of riffle and run habitat.”

Cawaco RC&D was informed of the problem by a Clean Water Partnership stakeholder. RC&Ds identify unmet needs their communities and create solutions that work. With a team of resource providers, Cawaco provides facilitation for the team to bring the facility into compliance. An alternative treatment method which utilizes drip irrigation was selected-reducing the costs to $300,000. With the assistance of Sewage Equipment Sales & Services, ADECA Surplus, Tuscaloosa County Commission, Alternative Wastewater Engineering, Cahaba Clean Water Partnership, Alabama Forestry Commission, ACIPCO and TTL, Inc., Cawaco RC&D and Tombigbee RC&D. Through equipment purchased from ADECA’s Surplus, costs have further been reduced to $100,000.

Donations of piping, irrigation, and electrical equipment and labor are currently being sought. If you would like to help with this project, please contact Patti Pennington, Cawaco RC&D at (205) 623-0458.

The students, all sixth graders from the local school system, are divided into seven or eight groups matching the number of learning stations. They are usually in classroom units of 25 or 30 students per group. Each group is given a different colored tee shirt with the FAWN logo to keep them distinct. They then move around the trail, stopping at each learning station for 20-25 minutes. Each group is accompanied by a “trail guide” who acts as a timekeeper and teacher’s aide.

The stations provide a positive, hands-on, interactive learning experience for the students. They will feel soil, count tree rings, handle a snake, do several PLT exercises, play learning games and be educated about why they need trees and why management is necessary to keep the products coming while protecting the intrinsic values of the forest.

They will learn to see the forest differently, not only as a beautiful place full of trees where animals live, but as an integral part of their everyday lives. In addition, the teachers are given resource materials and names of people they can call on to continue their education about important environmental issues. This will reinforce the message the students receive at FAWN. Through pre-testing and post-testing methods of approximately 500 students a year we have discovered that the students have gained better knowledge of forestry and their environment after attending FAWN.

The new location for the bridge has created great historical, educational and cultural interest, as well as tourism for Northport. The bridge’s placement makes it possible for students to walk across the bridge and see a piece of Alabama’s past.