Alabama has partnered with federal wildlife officials and nonprofit groups to add 251 acres of sensitive coastal marshes, creeks and forests to the popular Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge's Little Point Clear Unit on the Fort Morgan Peninsula in Baldwin County.

The Conservation Fund recently purchased and transferred the property to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the request of the FWS and the state of Alabama for addition to the Refuge.

The nonprofit group made the purchases with funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. That money stems from criminal settlements with BP and Transocean following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

"We are so fortunate to have partners in conservation such as NFWF, The Conservation Fund, and the State of Alabama," said Jereme Phillips, Refuge Complex Manager with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "Without their strong support, this project would have never happened.

"Acquiring this property will ensure that a large, contiguous tract of wildlife habitat is protected forever for the benefit of the American people."

The addition of this land to the Refuge will provide expanded fishing, wildlife viewing, photography, boating, paddling, walking trails, as well as other potential public recreational opportunities enjoyed by the more than 100,000 visitors to the Refuge each year.

"This acquisition is a prime example of the commitment our state and federal partners share to ensure the protection of coastal Alabama for generations to come," Gov. Kay Ivey said in a news release. "I am proud to have worked to protect this land for all Alabamians to enjoy for recreational boating and fishing.

"The State of Alabama appreciates the support of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation on this priority acquisition and is certainly grateful for The Conservation Fund's hard work to bring it to fruition. We look forward to continuing these partnerships in an effort to further protect our treasured natural resources."

The latest addition to the refuge is located on the Fort Morgan Peninsula near Gulf Shores and adjacent to state and federally protected lands. It features a variety of coastal habitats at Navy Cove, including shoreline, pine flatwoods, saltwater marsh, freshwater lagoons and wetlands, dune systems, maritime forests, and tidal creeks.

The site provides ideal habitat for numerous species, including, young adult Kemp's ridley sea turtles foraging for crab and other crustaceans, snowy plover, piping plover, Wilson's plover, as well as the endangered Alabama beach mouse during storm events. The conserved property also has the potential to benefit manatees migrating through the northern Gulf.

The Alabama Congressional delegation representing Baldwin County, including U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, U.S. Senator Doug Jones, former U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions, and U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne, have supported the ongoing efforts to enhance and strengthen the Little Point Clear Unit of the Refuge.

Shelby, Jones, and Byrne issued statements in support of the purchase.

"The expansion of Little Point Clear and the preservation of this natural habitat is excellent news for Baldwin County and the entire state," Shelby said. "The Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge is an asset to our Gulf Coast. It is important that we do everything we can to ensure its safekeeping for future generations."

"In Alabama, we know all too well how important a healthy coast is for both our economy and for future generations," Jones said. "Today's announcement is another positive step towards restoring our natural habitats after the tremendous damage caused by the Deepwater Horizon Spill.

"I applaud The Conservation Fund, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the State of Alabama for their commitment to protecting our wildlife along the coast and look forward to working with them in the future to continue preserving one of our state's greatest assets."

"I was glad to play a part in adding an additional 251 acres to Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, a real asset to our community," Byrne said. "Protecting our coastal environment has long been a priority of mine, and this new land will give people along the Gulf Coast even more opportunities to explore our remarkable coastal ecosystem.

"I look forward to continuing my work with the various stakeholder groups on projects like this for the benefit of all Alabamians."

There may be future additions to the Refuge as well.

The Conservation Fund said it is working with the Fish and Wildlife Service and the state to protect an additional 236 acres of critical coastal habitat to the Refuge's Little Point Clear Unit in the future. Together these two additions will increase the protected lands for wildlife and public recreation by approximately 25 percent at the Refuge.