Many different types of wildlife can be seen on the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge. This Great Blue Heron can be found in St. Andrews State Park in Florida, but they can also be found in the Cahaba River Watershed.

Great Blue Heron in St. Andrews State Park

Photo by Allie

Great Blue Heron in Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge

Photo by CSI Team

• The CRNWR became America's 540th National Wildlife Refuge.
• The refuge includes a 3.5 mile stretch of land around the Cahaba River.
• The main purpose of the refuge is to protect and manage the land included in the refuge.
• There are ten federally listed species found on the refuge. They are the round rocksnail, flat pepplesnail, cylindrical lioplax, fine-lined pocketbook, triangular kidneyshell, Cahaba Shiner, goldline darter, Georgia aster, gray bat, and bald eagle.
• The public can use the refuge for wildlife observation, fishing, hiking, photography, canoeing, and environmental education.
• The refuge does not have the money to have staff members on site. This means they need volunteers to help with the work on the refuge!

The National Wildlife Refuge system has Friends' groups to help them. This is a good way to get the community involved. The Friends of the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge was organized in 2006 when a group of concerned citizens decided that the refuge needed some help since there is no staff on the refuge. The group has a mission statement . This is what is says,

"The Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge mission is to support the Refuge in its efforts to protect, preserve, and restore its diverse, natural, and historic resources in a manner which will enhance the educational and recreational aspects for the public."

Sound complicated? Well, not really. The mission statement just means that the Friends' group will support the refuge management with projects, events, and educating the public.

Make the Connection

1. A wildlife refuge is established by the

2. The main purpose of a wildlife refuge is

Learn More

America's National Wildlife Refuge System

List of wildlife refuges in the United States

Threatened and Endangered Species

The Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge

The Endangered Species Program

The Friends of the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Citations

Arello, G. (1998). Alabama: The River State. Birmingham: Natura Press.

Cahaba River Society. Retrieved March 2007 from http://www.cahabariversociety.org/ .

Fact Sheet. America's National Wildlife Refuge System. Retrieved January 2007 from http://www.fws.gov/refuges/generalInterest/factSheets/ .

Haddock, R. (2007, February 20 - April 2 ). Phone interviews and emails on benthic macroinvertebrates, water temperature, habitat quality, macroinvertebrate populations, identification of macroinvertebrates, condition of Caffee Creek and coal sludge problem.

Kristofik, E. (2007, September - April ). Personal interviews and emails on benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring, choosing a testing site, water pollution, identification of macroinvertebrates, equipment, refuge management, habitat quality.

Fancher, P. (2006, October - April ). Personal interviews on The Cahaba River, history of the area, The Cahaba Lily.

Miller, S. (2007 January - April ). Personal interviews on condition of Caffee Creek, watershed activities for the past and future, refuge management.

Owings, J. (2007, March 29) Personal interview on choosing a monitoring site and identification of macroinvertebrates.

Share the Wonder of Alabama. Splendor in the spring. Retrieved March 2007 from http://www.800alabama.com/yooa/scenic/lilies.cfm

The Cahaba Lily. Retrieved March 2007 from http://www.cahabalily.com/ .

The Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge. Retrieved October 2006 from http://www.fws.gov/southeast/cahabariver .

The Friends of the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge. Retrieved December 2006 from http://cahabafriends.freespaces.com .

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. American's National Wildlife System. Retrieved February 2007 from http://www.fws.gov/refuges/

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. Educating for Conservation. Retrieved March 2007 from http://www.fws.gov/educators/ .

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. The Endangered Species Program. Retrieved April 2007 from http://www.fws.gov/endangered/ .

Wildlife Refuges and Parks. Retrieved March 2007 from http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_nwr/main.htm .