保护
海湾州立公园倡议
We conduct a variety of conservation projects around the Park. With a variety of ecosystems, it is important that we promote healthy and thriving habitats.
沙丘恢复
With the possibility of damaging storms and hurricanes every year, 我们最重要的自然保护者是海岸沙丘. These hills of sand and shrub act as a barrier against wind and water and literally absorb the impact of threatening weather. We do not allow foot traffic in the dunes; any path we forge for ourselves, is a path that storm surge can follow leading to hazardous road and structural flooding. To encourage dune growth, we have an annual Christmas Tree recycling program. After the holiday, we ask for people to donate their live trees to the Park. 然后, we take these trees onto the beach and place them along the edge of the dunes in groups of three, 每组呈“U”形. The sand that is naturally carried by wind across the beach will catch in the trees and slowly build up, 创造了一个新的沙丘生长区域. 第二年春天, 公园的工作人员, 和当地志愿者一起, 在圣诞树周围种植原生沙丘植物. This incredible restoration program has been happening at the Park for almost four decades!
规定的燃烧
Most of the ecosystems in 海湾州立公园 are naturally dependent on fire in order fro them to remain healthy and balanced. To incorporate this natural phenomenon while keeping our local communities safe, the Park conducts prescribed burning of specified areas a few times a year. These burns are planned many months in advance and the burn only takes place on days that are satisfactory for burning. Weather plays a big part in determining exactly when the burn will happen.
These burns are very important as many species of flora and fauna depend on fire. 例如, Longleaf Pine trees and the carnivorous Pitcher plants both drop seeds that will only germinate after the heat of fire prompts them to. This is because fire creates an optimal growth environment by enhancing soil nutrient levels and clearing understory growth, 让阳光照射到植物上. 野生动物, such as the protected Gopher Tortoise and Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, depend on fire in their habitats every few years to reduce overgrowth and clear areas for the best foraging. Prescribed burning also significantly lowers the risk of wildfires. By burning through the overgrowth every few years and reducing the amount of 'fuel', 公园不太可能发生灾难性的野火. 虽然烧伤的地方可能看起来不太好, the following year allows for new growth and increased diversity in plants and animals!
阿拉巴马海滩鼠
One of the highly protected species here at 海湾州立公园 is the endangered 阿拉巴马海滩鼠. This mouse is considered to be an indicator species for our dune health. 如果我们有大量的沙滩鼠, then the overall health the dune ecosystem will be positive. These mice help increase plant diversity in the dunes by eating seeds and then spreading them through defecation. These nocturnal creatures are also an important source of food for many native species of snakes and birds that hunt in the dunes. 全年, biologists set live traps in the dunes to capture the mice, 收集体重、性别等重要数据, 然后释放它们. This data will help determine overall population health and trends. You can help protect the endangered 阿拉巴马海滩鼠 by staying out of the dunes and respecting their habitat.
合作伙伴关系
At 海湾州立公园 we sponsor and support many conservation efforts. As a part of our mission statement, we serve to restore and protect the natural areas of the Park. There are many exciting programs that partner with the Park to help protect sea turtles, 繁衍后代, 濒临灭绝的海滩鼠, 和更多的!
分享 the Beach - Alabama's Sea Turtle 保护 Program
This volunteer-based program monitors and protects sea turtles and the nests they lay on our beaches! 志愿者s patrol the beaches every morning to locate sea turtle nests laid the night before. 然后, stakes and rope are used to make a small perimeter around each nest so that beach goers do not disturb it. 志愿者s monitor nests through the summer and will monitor and protect the baby sea turtles from human disturbance as they make their way into the Gulf.
要了解更多皇冠体育这个重要项目的信息，请访问 分享海滩网站.
阿拉巴马州奥杜邦
Audubon has been conducting essential bird conservation work for decades here in Alabama. The initiatives of this organization are statewide and encompass a variety of species. There are many volunteer opportunities with this organization throughout the year. 参观 阿拉巴马奥杜邦网站 了解更多信息.
阿拉巴马州海岸清理
每年, 在九月的一个星期六, volunteers meet across the coast to get the trash out of the splash! This huge day of cleanup has been hosted for over 30 years now. 在海湾州立公园，我们在我们的 海滩馆. 参观 阿拉巴马州海岸清理网站 参与其中.
