Land Trust gets 5.6 new acres at Monte Sano Preserve

The Land Trust of North Alabama has received a land donation of more than 5 acres at Monte Sano Preserve, a piece of land that Land Trust officials say they have been eyeing for some time.

The announcement was made Thursday at the Tollgate Trailhead. Here’s what we found out:

A much-needed acquisition

The 5.6-acre donation, made possible by Ben Jackson of See Forever Development, is located adjacent to the Tollgate Trailhead at Monte Sano Preserve, and is an important element of the new Tollgate Greenway under development now.

The acquisition will also protect the land on Monte Sano from future development and maintain public trail access.

“Any time we can add property here at Monte Sano, we are excited to do so. We have been trying to acquire this particular piece of land for decades now.”

Marie Bostick, director, Land Trust of North Alabama

The proposed route for the new greenway follows the existing Tollgate Trail from Bankhead Trailhead through Monte Sano Nature Preserve ending at the old Bankhead Parkway. 

Tollgate Trail was specifically selected for this project because of its already wide corridor and its current use for utility access, which will minimize the disruption to the surrounding area.

Adding to the Land Trust presence at Monte Sano

Bostick said the Land Trust’s land at Monte Sano Preserve has increased exponentially since she started with the organization 30 years ago. In fact, the amount of land has increased from 500 acres to more than 1,100 acres.

This year, the Land Trust’s stewardship increased to more than 10,000 acres after a large acquisition in central Huntsville thrust them over the milestone.

The Land Trust was established in 1987 as the result of a passionate community call to save natural spaces in the midst of development around Monte Sano. Since its creation 36 years ago, the organization has grown and evolved as residents identified new areas of need and now serves 10 counties across North Alabama. 

Want more info and updates on what’s happening in and around Huntsville? Follow Hville Blast on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram, and be sure to subscribe to our newsletter.