Madison to gain a new designated nature preserve

MADISON – The Land Trust of North Alabama has announced a new sanctuary in Madison with Mill Creek Nature Preserve in the city’s northern section.

The preserve represents a collaborative effort among the Land Trust, Madison Greenways and Trails and a group of local volunteers. “The preserve is already well under way, with its first phase, the Old Providence Trailhead, located off Balch Road just north of Chelsea Park subdivision,” according to the Land Trust’s press release.

“This first trailhead is named after the Old Providence Church that once stood near the Gray Cemetery, dating back to the founding era of Madison. We can’t wait to see this new addition to Madison’s greenways when it opens to the public in June!” according to the Land Trust.

Work by Madison Greenways and Trails members has been completed quietly for approximately 25 years but with a powerful aim in shaping outdoor recreation and conservation in Madison.

“Madison Greenways and Trails was founded around 2000 by several volunteers . . . specifically to promote a new greenway — Madison’s first greenway,” Jim Chamberlain said. A founding member of the organization, Chamberlain currently serves as its president.

“That effort became the Bradford Creek Greenway, a beloved trail now embedded in Madison’s landscape. As the city grew, so did the need for accessible green spaces,” Chamberlain said.

“Madison was booming, and we knew we needed more green space,” Chamberlain said. “This volunteer group got together and worked with the city and managed to get some federal grants and National Park Service support to build Bradford Creek Greenway.”

Collaboration among Madison Greenways and Trails, Land Trust and the City of Madison has led to major accomplishments in recent years, including the construction of Rainbolt Trail, named for one of Rainbow Mountain’s early settlers. This trailhead now offers crucial access from the mountain’s base, connecting nearby neighborhoods directly to the preserve.

“We’ve had this one, Rainbow Mountain Preserve, ever since I’ve lived here . . . for 40 years,” Chamberlain said. “Our population has quintupled since then, and we still have this one preserve.”

Madison Greenways and Trails’ current mission is to establish a second public preserve in Madison: Mill Creek Nature Preserve. This new area has the potential to host miles of trails.

For information, visit landtrustnal. org/learning/adults or madisonal. gov/681/Greenways-Trails.