1) Support Building for CARA in Alabama
2) Perry County Dedicates Recreational Park and Nature Preserve
3) Judson College Group Finds Endangered Butterfly
4) State Enviros Profiled in E Magazine
5) Little River Canyon Field School Launches Capital Campaign
6) BEN Notes: Kids-MD.com Tackles Lead Poisoning, Land Trust of Huntsville Cave Tours, EnviroLink Handbook Southeast Debuts in September, Land Steward Job Opening

1. Support Building for CARA in Alabama - Last year, Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA) legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a resounding 315 to 102 vote. Unfortunately, CARA, which was sponsored by Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions and the entire Alabama House delegation, failed to pass the Senate, even though a majority of the senate (63 members) called on the leadership to take a vote on the bill.

This year, supporters of CARA in the U.S. House are back with the same bipartisan bill. As of June 25th, CARA had garnered 224 sponsors, including Alabama Republican Representatives Sonny Callahan, Terry Everett and Spencer Bachus. If passed, CARA will not only fully fund the Land Water and Conservation Fund (the program President Bush endorsed while he was in Alabama last week), but it will also support endangered species/wildlife programs, coastal conservation programs, historic preservation, urban forestry and urban park and recreation projects.

To learn more about CARA check out the Teaming for Wildlife website at http://www.teaming.com or the Library of Congress website http://thomas.loc.gov. On June 25th, The Mobile Register also wrote a favorable editorial supporting CARA. To view go to - http://www.al.com/news/mobile/?Jun2001/25-a340763a.html

2. Perry County Dedicates Recreational Park and Nature Preserve - On June 25th, a ground breaking ceremony was held in Marion, Alabama kicking off the creation and development of the Perry Lakes Recreational Park and Barton's Beach Nature Preserve.

In a partnership between Perry County and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the County has leased a portion of the Marion Fish Hatchery to develop the new Perry Lakes Recreational Park. The new park will include picnic areas, a handicapped accessible fishing pier and a boat launch. The enhancements will be made possible with the financial assistance of the Alabama Power Foundation and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

In addition to the park, The Nature Conservancy of Alabama, which owns the133 acre Barton's Beach Nature Preserve adjacent to the park, will provide park visitors walking access along a nature trail that will connect the Perry Lakes Recreational Park to Barton's Beach. Located on the Cahaba River, Barton's Beach has a large pristine sandbar, bordered by cypress swamps and bottomland forests along the bend of the river. The area is home to many species of turtles, including the rare black-knobbed sawback, which breeds on Barton's Beach. A prime bird-watching location, Barton's Beach also supports more than 40 different species of aquatic life.

For more information about this exciting new project contact Perry County's Probate Judge Donald Cook at 334-683-2210 or the Nature Conservancy at 205-251-1155.

3. Judson College Group Finds Endangered Butterfly - This month, the new Judson College, Marion, Alabama, North American Butterfly Association chapter made a remarkable discovery during their first "butterfly count" at the Oakmulgee Division of the Talladega National Forest. The group found and identified the Neonympha mitchellii or "Mitchell's Satyr," an endangered butterfly species.

Before discovering the Mitchells Satyr in the Oakmulgee, the endangered butterfly had been found in Michigan, Ohio, Virginia and North Carolina. Along with the Mitchells Satyr, 31 different butterfly species were sighted during the count. To learn more about the Judson College chapter of the National American Butterfly Association and to see pictures of the Mitchells Satyr visit their website at: http://home.judson.edu/academic/spinner/butterfly/butterflycount.html

4. State Enviros Profiled in E Magazine - Noted Alabama environmentalists Dr. George Crozier, director of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and Ray Vaughan, founder and director of WildLaw are featured in the July/August edition of E Magazine, a prominent national environmental magazine.

Recognizing activists throughout the U.S. who are fighting to save oceans and beaches, the E Magazine article titled "On the Blue Frontier" profiles the different conservation styles George Crozier and Ray Vaughan have implemented in their efforts to protect Dauphin Island.

The July/August edition of E Magazine is currently on newsstands and the internet version of the story will be on the E Magazine website after July1st. You can visit E Magazine's website at: http://www.emagazine.com

5. Little River Canyon Field School Launches Capital Campaign - This year marks the 10th anniversary of Jacksonville State University's (JSU) Little River Canyon Field School (LRCFS), and to celebrate the school intends to build a permanent environmental educational facility (a schoolhouse) near the Little River Canyon National Preserve, Alabama's only National Park dedicated to a natural area.

Led by Pete Conroy, director of JSU's Environmental Policy and Information Center, the Field School provides educational programs for students, teachers and the general public. Starting out with six (6) programs in 1991, the school today offers more than 70 exciting excursions and courses. Programs range from canoeing and hiking to birdwatching, archaeological digs and nature camps (check out the Field School's impressive schedule on the net at http://www.jsu.edu/depart/epic/LRCFS.html. The new Field School facility will greatly expand environmental education efforts attracting tens of thousands of visitors and participants a year.

In May, an event was held to raise funds on behalf of the new Field School facility. Hosting the event was Governor Don Siegelman and first lady Lori Allen Siegelman, Randy Owen, lead singer of the country music group Alabama, U.S. Congressman Robert Aderholdt, State Senator Lowell Barron and Alabama Power CEO Elmer Harris. The event raised more than $300,000, with significant contributions coming from Alabama Power, ALFA and private donors.

Funds are still needed to complete the facility. To support this innovative and creative new Field School facility (it will be one of the first of environmental education Field Schools of it's kind supporting a National Park) contact Pete Conroy at 256-782-5681 or Little River Canyon Field School, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Alabama 36265.

6. BEN Notes: Kids-MD.com Tackles Lead Poisoning, Land Trust of Huntsville Cave Tours, EnviroLink Handbook Southeast Debuts in September, Land Steward Job Opening

Kids-MD.com Tackles Lead Poisoning - If you want to learn more about lead poisoning and what you can do to prevent it from happening to children, check out a new website call Kids-MD.com. This new site offers solutions to the lead poisoning problem and tips on how to prevent it. Please visit their site at: http://www.kids-MD.com/Tipsheets/25_jun2001/lead.html

Land Trust of Huntsville Cave Tours - Nothing is more refreshing than touring a nice cool cave after a hot summer day in Alabama. Check out the Land Trust of Huntsville and North Alabama's 2001 Summer Cave Tours. There will tours throughout the summer. In July, the tours are scheduled for July 11th at 9:00 am, July 14th at 2:00, July 15th at 2:00, July 22nd at 2:00 and July 25th at 9:00 am. For additional info call 256-534-LAND or http://www.landtrust-hsv.org

EnviroLink Handbook Southeast Debuts in September - Envirolink Handbook Southeast will debut in late September as the only regional publication that focuses on the common environmental concerns, initiatives, resources and partnerships in the Southeastern region of the United States. Through articles, news packages and handy directories, Envirolink Handbook Southeast will help face the challenge of developing partnerships to create a sustainable legacy of conservation and prosperity for future generations.

The publication covers Alabama and the entire Southeast. Based in Chattanooga, EnviroLink previously was a quarterly publication that offered news on the Tennessee River Valley region. The publication is available for $12 (general public) and a special $10 for educators and non-profit groups. To subscribe, Laurie Perry Vaughen contact laurie@wmsco.com or call 423-892-1329.

Land Steward Job Opening - The Alabama Forest Resource Center (AFRC) is seeking a director of Land Conservation and Stewardship. The AFRC, which has just recently established a Land Trust is seeking an individual who will provide leadership on statewide/conservation matters. The position will be responsible for negotiating land conservation transactions, purchasing and drafting conservation easements, managing easement stewardship monitoring program, managing GIS, and developing creative solutions for a large river corridor project in Anniston, Alabama. Qualifications: Expertise in transactions, land conservation, real estate law, LTA Standards and Practices, GIS, ArcView Software, finance, management and forest and water issues; excellent written, verbal, and leadership and management skills; able to and enjoys working in team situations. Compensation is $35k to$50K plus benefits depending on experience. Will report to Executive Director. EOE. Please send letter, resume and three references to: Dan Dumont, Executive Director, Alabama Forest Resource Center, 9 Dauphin St. Mobile, Al. 36602. For further info, please call or fax 334-433-2372 or email afrc@prodigy.net

Please share BEN with friends and fellow conservationists. If you have any questions or comments about this publication, contact Pat Byington, the author and publisher of BEN at 205-226-7739 or pkbyington@aol.com To receive back issues of BEN, please go to our website at: http://www.BamaNews.com