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PAGE 2 January 2026 E-Edition
Bartram Exhibit Starts Tour of Alabama State Parks
By DAVID RAINER Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
As one of the first people to experience Alabama’s incredible diversity of landscapes and wildlife, 18th century explorer William Bartram traversed much of central and south Alabama during a three-year period of exploration from 1775-1778. He extensively documented the plants, animals and native tribes in what is now the Southeast U.S. To commemorate that period of discovery and the vast contributions of this early adventurer, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ State Parks Division is teaming up with Auburn University to highlight Bartram’s travels through Alabama with a traveling display that will be showcased at 12 Alabama State Parks, starting at Lake Guntersville State Park, where the exhibit is currently on display until February 1, 2026. “Alabama State Parks are living classrooms,” said Alabama State Parks’ Chief Naturalist Renee Raney. “This has been our theme over the past few years as we increase our education outreach and bring more field trips and K-12 teachers into our parks. “Bartram’s story belongs in the landscape that shapes those discoveries, and I believe our public lands are those landscapes. Hosting this exhibit allows guests to encounter Bartram, not as some distant, historic figure, but as a fellow explorer or naturalist to walk many of our rivers, forests and ridges. I really think our parks provide the perfect settings to connect observations from more than 250 years ago to the living ecosystems you can experience in our state parks today." Raney said Dr. Mark Wilson invited Alabama State Parks to host “William Bartram and Alabama.” Raney and her team then developed a program to enhance the exhibit at State Parks. In addition to Alabama, Bartram’s travels included North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. “Bartram’s work not only helped lay the foundation for the study of natural history in America, his observations in 1775 as he traversed Alabama inspired the very roots of our own interpretive program and the mission of our state park naturalist team,” Raney said. “As we approach the 250th birthday of our nation in 2026, I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate our country’s natural history and Alabama’s Year of Trails than by sharing this remarkable exhibit and its companion program, ‘In the Footsteps of Bartram: Discovering Alabama’s Natural Heritage,’ with visitors across our state parks. Bartram’s legacy of curiosity and wonder, whether he was ‘paddling through innumerable millions of mating mayflies, marveling at the gilded coat of mail of the yellow bream or observing the frog whose call resembles the barking of little dogs’ continues to inspire how we interpret and protect Alabama’s natural treasures today. We look forward to welcoming the public as the exhibit travels to 12 state parks from December 2025 through January 2027 and as our statewide education team leads special programs ranging from hiking to kayaking to nature journaling to Junior Ranger activities and beyond!” Raney said Auburn’s Bartram exhibit will visit many cultural venues around the state, while the exhibit at Alabama State Parks will be in the midst of the landscapes that Bartram discovered and documented. “The Parks-based exhibit will be history unfolding where it happened,” she said. “We’re inviting visitors to stand in the same ecological story that Bartram helped record.” The State Parks’ Bartram exhibit expands the experience with the “In the Footsteps of Bartram” programming that allows visitors hands-on involvement developed by State Parks naturalists. “The programming invites guests to slow down and observe the world the way Bartram did,” Raney said. “Through guided hikes, interpretive kayaking, nature journaling, immersion programs and place-based adventures, participants engage their senses and curiosity. These experiences transform visitors from spectators into naturalists, echoing Bartram’s restless spirit of inquiry. Not only was he exploring, he was deeply documenting what he found, like the experience near Meaher State Park (at the head of Mobile Bay) where he commented that the little frogs remind him of barking puppy dogs. I just love that he took the time to write that down. “I also hope the exhibit helps visitors see Alabama State Parks differently. So many of our visitors are repeat customers. They love our parks as they are, but they enjoy diverse experiences. Through this exhibit, I feel like Bartram gives us a lens of wonder and attention. His writings encourage visitors to notice the texture of bark, the scent of wildflowers, the movement of birds and the sound of frogs. Through his eyes, familiar places become layered with history, science and storytelling. My personal The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is intensifying its fight against the deadly threat of synthetic opioids with the launch of Fentanyl Free America, a comprehensive enforcement initiative and public awareness campaign aimed at reducing both the supply and demand for fentanyl. This effort underscores DEA's unwavering commitment to protecting American lives and communities from the devastating impacts of fentanyl, which claimed nearly 50,000 lives last year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Through intensified enforcement operations and heightened intelligence, DEA is applying unprecedented pressure on the global fentanyl supply chain, forcing narco- terrorists, like the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG Cartel, to change their business practices. This has led to encouraging signs of progress. DEA laboratory testing indicates 29% of fentanyl pills analyzed during fiscal year (FY) 2025 contained a potentially lethal dose, a significant drop from 76% of pills tested just two years prior in FY 2023. Additionally, fentanyl powder purity decreased to 10.3%, down from 19.5% during the same time period. These reductions in potency and purity correlate with a decline in synthetic opioid deaths to levels not seen since April 2020. Aside from producing less potent fentanyl, the cartels have increasingly diversified their operations in an attempt to minimize their risks and maximize profits, an evolution driven by opportunity and greed.
Photo by Jonathan Gruber
Visitors to Lake Guntersville State Park learn about William Bartram's exploration in Alabama. desire is that it will reveal the parks as both natural sanctuaries and cultural landscapes.” Visitors headed to Lake Guntersville State Park to view the Bartram exhibit will also be able to visit during peak eagle-viewing season as well. “The Alabama State Parks Division is continuously striving to enhance the opportunities for our visitors to experience our beautiful parks,” said State Parks Director Matthew Capps. “The Bartram exhibit is just one example of how our team goes beyond expectations to share the story of the discovery of Alabama’s biodiversity and natural wonders. Take advantage of this opportunity when the exhibit comes to a park near you.” For those who want to follow the route of Bartram’s exploration in southwest Alabama, the Bartram Canoe Trail traverses the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, also known as “America’s Amazon” because of its amazing flora and fauna. The Bartram trail allows paddlers to experience our nation’s second largest river delta, a vast wetland of estuarine marsh, swamps rife with tupelo and cypress trees and stands of bottomland hardwoods. More than 50 rare and endangered plant and animal species can be found in the Delta, which encompasses 250,000 acres, 100,000 of which are publicly owned and managed. ADCNR’s Alabama State Lands Division opened the Upper Bartram Canoe Trail system in 2003, followed by the Lower Bartram Canoe Trail system in 2018. Day-use and overnight trails with land-based campsites and floating or elevated platform campsites are available. Visit www.alabamacanoetrails.com/bartram for more information about the paddling and camping opportunities available. Raney said Bartram’s adventurous science mirrors the mission of Alabama State Parks: discovery, conservation and connection. “His desire to understand nature through direct experience is the same spirit we cultivate in our interpretive programs,” Raney said. “As Chief Naturalist for Alabama State Parks, I believe his work continues to inspire how we invite guests to learn from the land, enjoy it, protect it and feel a sense of belonging within Alabama’s natural heritage.” The Bartram exhibit will be displayed at Gulf State Park February 6-28, followed by Meaher State Park from March 3-30, Rickwood Caverns State Park April 2-23, DeSoto State Park April 29-May 28, Chewacla State Park June 3-24, Monte Sano State Park July 1-29, Joe Wheeler State Park August 4-18, Cheaha State Park September 1-22, Lakepoint State Park October 1-23, Oak Mountain State Park October 27-November 30, and Wind Creek State Park December 3-Janaury 15, 2027. As of December 1, 2025, DEA has seized more than 45 million fentanyl pills, and more than 9,000 pounds of fentanyl powder, removing an estimated 347 million potentially deadly doses of fentanyl from our communities. DEA intelligence indicates a shift in cartel operations, with increased trafficking of fentanyl powder and domestic production of fentanyl pills. The seizure of more than two dozen pill press machines in October further highlights this trend. "Fentanyl Free America represents DEA’s unwavering commitment to save American lives and end the fentanyl crisis, we are making significant progress in this fight, and we must continue to intensify efforts to disrupt the fentanyl supply and reduce demand,” said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole. “DEA is striking harder and evolving faster to dismantle the foreign terrorists fueling this crisis, while empowering all our partners to join the fight to prevent fentanyl-related tragedies. Together, we can achieve a fentanyl free America and create a safer future for generations to come.” DEA remains at the forefront of the fight to disrupt trafficking networks and strengthen the government’s response to this epidemic. Fentanyl Free America represents DEA’s heightened focus on enforcement, education, public awareness, and strategic partnerships. The goal of the campaign is clear: eliminate the fentanyl supply fueling the nation’s deadliest drug crisis. Since 2021, synthetic opioids have claimed nearly 325,000 American lives. The Fentanyl Free America campaign also emphasizes the importance of public engagement. DEA encourages everyone from community leaders, educators, physicians, pharmacists, and law enforcement to take an active role in raising awareness by protecting others through education; preventing fentanyl poisonings by understanding the dangers; and supporting those impacted. Free resources including posters, radio advertising, billboards, and social media resources are available at dea.gov/fentanylfree. DEA’s efforts are part of a larger whole-of-government strategy to dismantle transnational criminal organizations and protect U.S. communities from fentanyl. Gadsden State Community College President Alan Smith has been named an Exceptional Educator for 2025 by Business Alabama. The recognition honors educators who are nominated by their peers for their dedication to student achievement and their impact on education and workforce development across the state. Smith leads Gadsden State during a milestone moment as the College celebrates its centennial year. With extensive experience in workforce development, capital projects and community relations, he has guided transformative investments in career and technical education while strengthening partnerships with schools, businesses and industry. Alan Smith Named Exceptional Educator
DEA Launches Fentanyl Free America Initiative
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