State of Alabama FINAL Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP ...

SPENDING ESTIMATE PER CALENDAR YEAR OF PROJECT
DURATION:
AL-14
2008 $ 250,000.00
2009 $ 1,750,000.00
2010 $ -
2011 $ -
GOAL: The goal of the State of Alabama CIAP is to conserve and protect Alabama’s designated
protected areas (Grand Bay Savanna, Lillian Swamp, Gulf State Park, Weeks Bay, Splinter Hill
Bog, Perdido River Corridor and Mobile-Tensaw Delta) by raising the public awareness of
these areas through the construction of natural resource-based educational facilities.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this project is to construct an environmental education center at Gulf
State Park to accommodate at least 4,000 visitors and 20 school groups per year by
providing hands-on environmental education exhibits and programs.
The objective of this project is to construct an Environmental Education Center within the boundaries of
Gulf State Park which will serve as a vehicle to highlight the Park’s coastal ecology. This facility will be
managed by the naturalist on staff at the Gulf State Park. Consistent with the park’s mission, the
naturalist strives to extend the public’s knowledge, understanding, respect and appreciation of the coastal
environment through a wide variety of public environmental education opportunities, programs,
activities, and events.
The goal of this project is to increase public awareness of conservation and protection of coastal
Alabama’s designated protected areas (Grand Bay Savanna, Lillian Swamp, Gulf State Park, Splinter Hill
Bog, Perdido River Corridor and Mobile-Tensaw Delta) through the construction of natural resourcebased
educational facilities. The objective of this project is to construct an environmental education
center at Gulf State Park which will facilitate at least 6 environmental programs per week and will provide
hands-on education for at least 4,000 visitors per year. In addition, the facility will host 20 school groups
per year. The facility will create 10 hands-on exhibits focusing on marine species, fresh and saltwater fish
and associated habitat, saltwater marshes, local fauna including nocturnal and diurnal animals, bird of
prey, migratory birds, reptiles, amphibians, and local flora. This facility will also highlight ongoing
conservation efforts associated with other CIAP projects including AL-13, AL-15, AL-16, and Al-17.
In addition to environmental exhibits, the center will facilitate at least four (4) volunteer programs
including Share the Beach (sea turtle protection), Dune Restoration Protection Day, Coastal Cleanup, and
Volunteer Day. The first step of the project will consist of designing and engineering a low impact
structure which will minimize the impact to the natural area of the park. After engineering plans are
reviewed and approved, the construction of the building will be bid out according to State bid
procedures. This may be a phased project wher we design and engineer the facility under on CIAP
State of Alabama Final Coastal Impact Assistance Program Plan
State of Alabama Tier One Project Descriptions
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