Your Town Alabama: Designing Our Future

Conserving Alabama's Wildlife

Conserving Alabama’s Wildlife: A Comprehensive Strategy was prepared by the Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries “to enhance our understanding and management of the many fish and wildlife species for which little funding has traditionally been available. Many Alabamians know that the state is a fish and wildlife paradise, but few are aware of its central role in the conservation of North American biodiversity. Alabama surpasses all eastern states in plant and animal diversity, ranking fifth in the nation after California, Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. Alabama ranks first in the nation in freshwater diversity, including more than 750 species of freshwater fishes, mussels, aquatic snails and crayfishes. By comparison, this is more than 10 times the number of freshwater species in the entire Columbia River basin, which encompasses almost all of three states:Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Unfortunately, no state east of the Colorado River has more wildlife species at risk than Alabama. Only Hawaii, California and Nevada have more imperiled species, and only Hawaii has lost more species to extinction. One aspect of the Endangered Species Act is that it provides some funding to the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries to work with threatened and endangered species. However, littlefunding has been available to address the needs of species whose populations are declining but have not yet become rare enough to need the protection of the Endangered Species Act. The State Wildlife Grants Program is a relatively new federal funding source to the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries intended to address this concern. This program is designed to identify and focus management on fish and wildlife species “in greatest need of conservation.” Congress intends that State Wildlife Grant funds be used to proactively manage and conserve declining species and avoid their potential listing under the Endangered Species Act. State Wildlife Grants provide a mechanism for the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries to enhance our understanding and management of the many fish and wildlife species for which little funding has traditionally been available. The full report is available on-line at http://www.outdooralabama.com/outdoor-alabama/current.cfm

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Alumni Reception

Wednesday night, June 21, 2006— Alums are invited to attend a Dog Trot reception at Camp McDowell. Ed McMahon will be our keynote speaker. If you'd like to attend and want more information about overnight arrangements, please contact Martha Whitson (205.348-7058 or email at martha@aitc.ua.edu). If an Alum wants to bring someone, they are more than welcome to do so, just let us know well in advance so we'll know how many people will be attending. Meet the Your Town Alabama class of 2006, visit with old friends and enjoy the beautiful scenery at Camp McDowell. (If you are registered for the 2006 Workshop, your room is already secured and we look forward to seeing you!)

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Your Town Alabama Survey Results

Recently, surveys were sent to some of the alumni from previous Your Town Alabama workshops. The intent of the survey was to continue to have communications with our alumni, to determine what resources and assistance they might continue to need and to gauge the effectiveness of the program. Thanks to all those who responded. The Your Town Alumni Survey was mailed to 235 alumni with 90 responses (38% response.) Results are as follows on the following page. more>>>

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Alabama Historical Commission's Historic Cemetery Program

Historic cemeteries are found in every community across Alabama, both rural and urban, providing exceptional opportunities to study and honor Alabama's past citizens as well as the communities they created.  While certain cemeteries are well maintained others exist in shadows. They are endangered by vandalism and neglect. The Alabama Historical Commission seeks to assist communities in preserving these historical treasures for future generations.

The Survey and Registration Section of the AHC administers the Alabama Historic Cemetery Program, which is designed to aid the general public, governmental officials, civic groups, and others in identifying, documenting, registering, and conserving Alabama's historic cemeteries.

This program is comprised of various subprograms. These are:

• The Historic Cemetery Survey Program offers versatile technique to identifying and documenting historic cemeteries.
• The Historic Cemetery Register Program recognizes and honors those cemeteries that have a significant historical association and were established at least 40 years ago.
• The Historic Cemetery Marker Program assists individuals in obtaining markers for cemeteries listed in the Alabama Historic Cemetery Register.
• The Historic Cemetery Conservation Program provides technical assistance in planning, cleaning, repairing, and maintaining grave markers and cemeteries.
• The Historic Cemetery Permit Program supplies personalized professional preservation techniques to those seeking to restore historic cemeteries established at least 75 years.

Detailed information about what the Alabama Historic Commission can and cannot do plus a full description of the AHC programs with forms and examples are on the Cemetery Pamphlet Guide http://www.preserveala.org/overallprogram.pdf. For more information on Alabama's historic cemeteries, contact Lee Anne Wofford, Cemetery Program Coordinator, at (334) 242-3184 or lawofford@preserveala.org

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Partner Spotlight: Alabama State Council on the Arts The Mission of the Alabama State Council on the Arts is to promote Alabama's diverse artistic and cultural resources. In addition to providing a rich source of information on Alabama’s culture, art and folklife, the State Council on the Arts also provides grants to artists and communities interested in local culture. The next deadline is September 1, 2006. For more information about these grants, including an application and for more about the Council, visit their website.	Design Guidebook Helps Communities Enhance Their AppearancePoorly planned development can significantly impact a community’s natural and cultural resources. Communities want their economies to grow without losing what makes them attractive places to live and visit. The 65-page guidebook Design Guidelines to Enhance Community Appearance and Protect Natural Resources describes planning considerations, tools, and best management practices to create a more visually appealing community. The guidebook features color photos that address twenty of the most common development issues including: signage, lighting, historic preservation, landscape character protection, visual corridors, pedestrian accessibility, shoreline development, storm water management, and more. more>>>
Web Resources for Planning and Community Developmentwww.tpl.org/freelp Request a free subscription to Land&People, the magazine of the Trust for Public Land. While you are there, you can visit the rest of their website to learn more about what they are doing across the country. www.highwayproject.org/ Okay, so this isn’t actually a site that will help you with the planning process in your community. But it is interesting to see the many pieces of vanishing Americana. And, as many of us head out on the road for our summer vacation, it is a great reminder to bring along the camera. In fact, please send in your photos of vanishing Alabama for our next newsletter. The American Highway Project uses photography to document vanishing Americana such as motels, billboards, service stations, highway signs, tourist attractions, drive-in theatres and diners. They are a photographic resource for those interested in the history of transportation and architecture. more>>>	New Design Manual from the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)ITE's Context Sensitive Solutions in Designing Major Urban Thoroughfares for Walkable Communities provides guidance and demonstrates for practitioners how major urban streets can be designed to support walkable and bikeable communities, compact development, and mixed land uses.  The report includes chapters on incorporating context sensitive solutions (CSS) into transportation planning and project development, specific design criteria, and case studies where these approaches have been successfully applied. An electronic copy of this document along with additional CSS information can be found at www.ite.org/css.  The electronic version is free for download. To order a hard copy of Context Sensitive Solutions in Designing Major Urban Thoroughfares for Walkable Communities,visit www.ite.org/bookstore or call the ITE Bookstore at 202-289-0222 ext. 130. The cost for ITE members is $25.00 and for nonmembers the cost is $30.
Landscape Architects: Why Use Them? Landscape architects work with these allied professions, including architects, civil engineers, urban planners, wildlife and forestry biologists and policy makers, to execute development in a way that hopefully finds a balance between the built environment (the human habitat) with the natural environment (the non-human habitat)... So if landscape architects have so much to offer, why don't more people know about the profession?" Full Story: www.washingtonpost.com.	American Farmland Trust Urges More Farmers' Markets Consumer demand for fresh, locally grown products has sparked a renewed interest in direct markets among producers. More farmers and ranchers are selling directly to consumers and businesses, and sales figures at many of the nation’s 3,900 farmers’ markets continue to rise. The USDA recently announced $1 million in competitive grants under the Farmers Markets Promotion Program (FMPP) [PDF] to help promote direct markets. American Farmland Trust has long supported our nation’s farmers’ markets and joined forces with 33 other groups to send a letter to House Appropriators urging them to fund the FMPP at $5 million in FY 07.