Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge

Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge is a 9016acre National Wildlife Refuge located in eastern Alabama, near Anniston, Alabama on the former site of Fort McClellan. It takes its name from some of the last remaining mountain longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) forests in the southeastern United States.Approximately 3,000 acres (12 km2) of the refuge is open to the public during daylight hours. The remaining 6,000 acres (24 km2) will open after the clean-up of environmental contaminants has been completed. The facility has a small two person staff with a $250,000 annual budget. Plans call for a budget of approximately $900,000 with a ten-person staff. Mountain Longleaf NWR also administers the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge & Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge.TopographyMountain Longleaf NWR is located on the former military training lands of Fort McClellan. The mountains of the refuge, Choccolocco and the Talladega Mountains, are a part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the southernmost portions of the Appalachian Mountains.Wildlife and protected speciesMountain Longleaf serves as a home to several endangered species including the red-cockaded woodpecker and the gray bat. Cougars have also been sighted in the area.