3 Greenspaces
3,000 Acres
300,000 Visitors

History proves our community's desire to preserve valuable greenspaces.

Ruffner Mountain was saved from development in 1977 by an upstart community nonprofit, when a hopeful few gathered around a kitchen table to save 24 acres.

In the 1990s, a grassroots effort, the Society to Advance Resources at Turkey Creek, formed to stop the construction of a jail and to clean up the creek. Supported by Freshwater Land Trust and the Alabama Forever Wild Program, Turkey Creek Nature Preserve was officially protected in 2008 and later operated by Birmingham Southern College.

In 1999, Garden Highlands resident Ervin Batain, in a community effort, cleared a trail from his backyard to the abandoned No.11 Mine on Red Mountain, founding the 3D/No.11 Mining Camp and Nature Trail. After years of work, Red Mountain Park was officially reclaimed in 2012 through a state agency, the Red Mountain Greenway and Recreational Area Commission.

In every situation, citizens and community leaders saw the need for publicly accessible land.

‍However, separate organizations managing each park created inefficiencies, including competition for the same donations and grants, duplication of senior staff, siloed maintenance efforts, and different membership structures.

Leadership at the parks began working towards a solution.

In 2023, legislation expanded the scope of the Red Mountain Greenway and Recreational Area Commission into the Jefferson County Greenways Commission, supporting the day-to-day maintenance of all three greenspaces. In 2024, the separate nonprofits' boards voted to join as the Jefferson County Greenways Foundation, supporting programs, conservation, and capital improvements. ‍

‍The three greenspaces started by community efforts, now united as Jefferson County Greenways.

Together, the public-private partnership cares for our county’s large greenspaces and all the plants, animals, and people they serve. Thank you for being here with us.