BIRMINGHAM, Alabama --- Ruffner Mountain Nature Center plans to restore a mountaintop fire tower that will give visitors a 360-degree view of greater Birmingham from an altitude of more than 1,300 feet, the highest point in the city.

Ruffner Mountain Executive Director Robbie Fearn said the tower, built in 1941 by the Civilian Conservation Corps and closed for years, can also become a fixture on the Birmingham skyline.

That would be important, Fearn said, in helping make more people aware of Ruffner, the 1,036-acre nature preserve just minutes east of downtown. He meets many people who have heard of Ruffner, but aren't quite sure where it is, even those who regularly zip past it on the three interstates that skirt the mountain.

"By restoring this tower and making it a presence, we hope to have it become sort of an icon of the city," Fearn said. "So when you're inside the city, you'll look up and go, 'Oh yeah, there's the tower.' Just like you might come over a ridge somewhere else in town and go, 'Oh year, Vulcan is over there.'"

Ruffner Mountain is an undeveloped portion of Birmingham's Red Mountain ridge. The main entrance to the park sits at the end of 81st Street South. The park is managed by a nonprofit organization, the Ruffner Mountain Nature Coalition Inc.

Fearn, who took over as executive director two and a half years ago, said several projects are planned, including a trail accessible by Americans with Disabilities Act standards and an innovative nature playground. The fire tower is the first priority, he said, because of its potential to attract visitors, raise the park's profile and create revenue to support the park. Ruffner plans to charge a small fee to go up in the tower.

"For us, it's a great opportunity to reconnect people with nature," Fearn said. "And also because we're a small nonprofit, it's an opportunity to generate some revenue to keep the place open, because Ruffner is open 365 days a year free of charge."

Restoring in place

Although the idea of restoring the tower has been talked about for years, the project is just getting started and actual costs have not been determined.

"Cursory examinations have shown it's entirely doable," Fearn said. "It doesn't look like we're going to have to take it down to do it; we can restore it in place."

The wooden steps will be replaced, and donors can have their names carved into one of the new steps.

Fearn said architect Jay Pigford of ArchitectureWorks is working on the project pro bono, and Structural Design Group is providing engineering at cost. Fearn said he hopes the project can be finished within a year.

The Ruffner fire tower's official name is the Wharton Tower, and it's also called the East Lake Tower. It's listed on the National Historic Lookout Register and is one of 119 fire towers still standing in Alabama, according to the Forest Fire Lookout Association.

Early detection of forest fires became a priority for the U.S. Forest Service early in the 20th century, and lookout towers were built across the country. The CCC, a New Deal program started under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, built many of the towers, including the one on Ruffner.

Newer technology later replaced, to a great degree, the use of fire towers. The Alabama Forestry Commission patrols for fires with a fleet of airplanes.

Today there is a movement to preserve and reuse fire towers for recreation. An example where that has already happened is the fire tower on Smith Mountain at Lake Martin.

Expanded viewing areas

Fire towers vary in design. The Wharton Tower is 100 feet tall and topped by a 7-foot-by-7-foot cab. More standing area will be added for the public.

"Our goal is to actually create a walkway around the outside to expand viewing opportunities," Fearn said. "That will allow us to put a few more people up there."

Fearns said two, possibly three, intermediate level viewing platforms will be added. Those will serve as spots to rest and enjoy the experience. Ruffner Mountain is an anchor site for the Appalachian Highlands Birding Trail.

"We have the best forest birding anywhere around this region," Fearn said. "So you will be able to sit at the lower platform and be in in the mid-story of the forest with the birds."

Another viewing platform is planned at the top of the tree canopy. Almost half of the tower is above the tree line.

Plans call for the tower to be open during the park's regular hours, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and for special events.

"We'll be doing sunset events on the tower, where perhaps a couple could rent the tower and go up and have a romantic sunset dinner," Fearn said. "Or we'll take scout troops up to watch the sunset."

Fearn described one experience of being atop the tower.

"As the sun started to set and the night bugs started to rise, we were suddenly surrounded by 40 or 50 chimney swifts swirling around out there eating bugs," Fearn said. "So any particular time of day, you have these fabulous, unexpected experiences."

Scope and weather camera

A scope is planned on top of the tower to help locate landmarks. Fearn expects visitors to enjoy the chance to look for familiar places from the tower, such as the area where they live.

A weather camera atop the tower will be linked to the Ruffner website. "The tower on the east will be looking right across the city at the storms that are rolling in from the west," Fearn said. "Even if you're not on the tower, you'll be able to experience the tower."

The tower is now accessible by a service road. Plans call for a new trail to the tower, an addition to the almost 14 miles of trails already at Ruffner. It will be accessible from the parking areas on both sides of Ruffner.

Fearn said the Ruffner tower was once the used as the beacon for the Birmingham airport. Lighting will be added as part of the restoration, to make it again stand out on the skyline.

Overall, Fearn said the fire tower will help support Ruffner Mountain Nature Center's job of balancing public use of the land with its mission to preserve it and protect the wildlife.

"Our job is to open up the mountain to usage by humans, because you only preserve what you love, and if you don't use it, you don't love it," Fearn said.