Alabama is one of the nation’s most biodiverse states. Nestled between the Alabama and Conecuh rivers, one particularly unique region known as the Red Hills is the only place in the world where you can find the federally threatened Red Hills salamander. But its forested landscape faces immense, irreversible risks of being broken up and lost to conversion and development. That is why, when a large working forest property in the Red Hills became available, The Conservation Fund knew we had to act quickly to secure it and are now on a path toward permanently protecting it.

Our Role

In July 2023, TCF purchased approximately 23,000 acres of at-risk forestland in southern Alabama — a critical first step in securing as much of the property as possible for future long-term protections. Now known as the Alabama Red Hills Salamander Forest, the property is being temporarily held and managed through Working Forests, an innovative forest conservation program dedicated to protecting natural ecosystems, mitigating climate change and strengthening rural economies.

Our goal is to support habitat protection, restoration, public hunting and fishing access, and climate change benefits, as well as economic opportunities via forest-related jobs and a potential new community forest.

Over the next several years, TCF will seek private philanthropic funding to help us protect the forest in perpetuity through a multitude of conservation solutions. We’re collaborating with partners such as the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources that are interested in protecting a portion of the Alabama Red Hills Salamander Forest for wildlife conservation and public recreational access. Using capital from our green bonds and a generous loan from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, we are buying time for the state agency to secure the funding needed to implement that solution. We are also working with McIntosh S.E.E.D., a grassroots nonprofit in the Deep South, to explore the idea of developing a locally owned, 1,000-acre community forest on a portion of the land. The community forest would offer local access and economic benefits from the working land’s resources.

Why It Matters

The Alabama Red Hills Salamander Forest is in dire need of protection, for it is home to the federally threatened Red Hills salamander that is endemic to the region, meaning it is the only place in the world where the species can be found. Protecting this habitat could help remove the Red Hills salamander from the endangered species list.

Additionally, securing landscapes such as this is critical for our fight against climate change. The Alabama Red Hills Salamander Forest contains thousands of climate-resilient acres and stores roughly 3.5 million tons of CO2 equivalent, which is comparable to removing 779,000 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles from the road for one year.

This land is also a critical economic resource for the local community. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service’s 2023 state report, Alabama’s forest industry is the second leading economic driver in the state, employing over 40,000 people. The Alabama Red Hills Salamander Forest itself has a total economic impact of more than $10 million.

We Need Your Help

The Conservation Fund and its partners are actively raising funds for a permanent conservation solution for these lands. For more information about how you can support the conservation of the Alabama Red Hills Salamander Forest, please contact Shannon Lee.

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