The State of Alabama has many extraordinary gifts of nature. It also has a substantial share of environmental troubles. In order to take better care of those gifts and find a solution for our troubles, each of us must become an informed citizen. The intent of this web page is to provide environmentally related information, both good and bad, about our state. Learning about the issues that ultimately can affect each of us and the lives of our children and grandchildren will help us make informed decisions as citizens of Alabama.

An excellent continuing source of current information about Alabama can be found in Bama Environmental News (BEN) published online weekly by Pat Byington at http://www.bamanews.com/index.html

Alabama, by many estimates, contains 10% of America's natural resources (AlaLEAVS).

Alabama ranks 4th in biodiversity (number of different species) behind Hawaii, Florida, and California (AlaLEAVS).

There are over 4,000 species of plants (4th most diverse in the nation, and that 20 of these species are found only in Alabama), 850 species of vertebrate animals, and nearly 250 species of fresh water mussels in Alabama (Nature Conservancy of
Alabama).

No other state has as many snails, mussels and crayfish as Alabama. Alabama has 61% of the nation's mussels, 7 of which are found only in Alabama. Of the nation's snails, 43% are found in Alabama and 106 species are found there only.

About one-twelfth of all the water that flows into the oceans from the lower 48 United States flows through Alabama (AlaLEAVS).

Alabama has 77,000 miles of rivers and streams and more than 500,000 acres of standing water (AlaLEAVS).

Alabama has more navigable channels (1,438 miles) than any other state (Alabama Issues, 1998, Bayne).

The EPA has ranked Alabama second in the nation for water system compliance and good quality drinkng water.

Only Hawaii has lost more native species to extinction than Alabama (Nature Conservancy of Alabama).

Most of Alabama's environmental laws and protection policies have not been updated since the late 70s and early 80s, leaving Alabama's natural resource policies obsolete (AlaLEAVS).

Alabama ranks second in the nation in number of fish species; 38% of America's fish are found here with 11 species being found only in Alabama. (Alabama Natural Heritage Program)

Logging in Alabama's national forests, excessive chip milling, and suburban sprawl have cost Alabama some of its greatest forest resources and have enhanced soil erosion and the degradation of many Alabama streams (AlaLEAVS).

Four of Alabama's river systems are rated in the top ten most threatened rivers in the country (American Rivers).

Scientists believe that the single largest extinction event in modern North American history occurred when the Coosa River was dammed and its many fish, snail, and mussel species were drowned, stranded, and unable to reproduce. (Alabama Natural Heritage Program)

According to the EPA Toxics Release Inventory, Alabama is the sixth most polluted state and Mobile County it the eighth most polluted county in America (AlaLEAVS).

Sport fishing activities alone account for between $1 and $2 billion in Alabama's economic gain (Alabama Issues, 1998).

Alabama is ranked 50th in the nation in environmental protection by the Green Index.

Thirty-one species of Alabama fishes (10%); 119 species of Alabama mussels (69%); 97 species of Alabama gill-breathing snails (65%); 10 species of Alabama fresh water turtles (43%), are recognized as being either extinct, endangered, threatened, or of special concern (Alabama Issues/ Lydeard and Mayden, 1995).

Alabama has 49% of America's turtle species with one species being found only in Alabama.

Analysis of recent data from the state Natural Heritage programs indicates that Alabama is eighth in the nation in total number of recorded plants and animals. Many of the top eight states, however, are very large. When these eight are viewed in terms of total numbers of plants and animals per square mile, Alabama ranks in a virtual tie with Florida for first, with neighbor Georgia a relatively close third, and none of the other five states close. Alabama also ranks very high in absolute number of rare plants (11th) and rare animals (3rd).

(The Nature Conservancy of Alabama)