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Huntsville, Alabama – At the end of 2018, Land Trust of North Alabama received a $20,000 Restoration and Resilience Grant from the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), with major funding support from Toyota Motor North America, to support the restoration of Bluff Line Trail on Monte Sano Nature Preserve.

This 2.3 mile trail serves as a vital corridor to access the Monte Sano Nature Preserve trail system but was in desperate need of renovation due to heavy use and significant two year drought that damaged trees and contributed to erosion issues. In fact, erosion has rendered parts of Bluff Line Trail unusable for many recreationalists (particularly in steep and rocky sections) and dead and dying trees has created a safety hazard for all trail users. The goal of the Bluff Line Trail restoration project was to return the trail to a functional and safe condition while utilizing sustainable trail building methods to ensure environmental changes and heavy use do not continue to negatively impact trail conditions in the future.

Work began on the project at the beginning of 2019. Over the past nine months, Land Trust staff and volunteers have worked alongside local partners, including Monte Sano State Park, Huntsville Area Mountain bike Riders (HAMR), Chainsaw Team Six, Dynetics, Huntsville Young Professionals, and Iron Mountain Solutions, to complete the project. Monte Sano State Park also provided much needed equipment to assist with trail work. Volunteers rerouted large sections of the trail in order to use a more sustainable route and bridges were added to create crossings at wash areas.

This renovation project has served as a working example of how to renovate and build trails in a purposeful, holistic, and sustainable way, equipping all involved with the tools and knowledge needed to apply the same techniques when building or renovating trails around North Alabama.

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Bluff Line Trail Ribbon Cutting and Reopening Celebration
You are invited to join us for a celebration marking the completion of the project to include a ribbon cutting and official opening of the restored trail on National Public Lands Day. More information about the celebration at landtrustnal.org/event/npld2019.

Date/Time: Saturday, September 28 at 11 AM
Location: Monte Sano Nature Preserve – Bankhead Trailhead (2442 Bankhead Pkwy NE, Huntsville, AL 35801)