ADCNR Celebrates New Event Center at Field Trial Area on November 6

Media and public invited!

The media and public are invited to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' (ADCNR) new Event Center at the M. Barnett Lawley Forever Wild Field Trial Area (FWFTA) in Greensboro, Alabama. The ribbon cutting will take place at 1 p.m. on Thursday, November 6, 2025. The Forever Wild Board of Trustees will also hold its fourth quarter meeting at the Event Center earlier that day at 10 a.m.

The new 5,000-square foot Event Center is an ADCNR facility located on State Lands Division property at the FWFTA. The center can be converted into an open air meeting space and features bathrooms and a limited kitchen facility. A new 4,000-square foot pavilion was also constructed adjacent to the Event Center. The Event Center, pavilion and parking area are ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible.

"The Field Trial Area is a special location in Alabama's Black Belt region," said Chris Blankenship, ADCNR Commissioner. "Each year the property hosts youth duck and deer hunts, physically disabled hunts, public fishing events, multiple sporting dog events and is one of the locations for the Black Belt Birding Festival. It's a multi-purpose area enjoyed by nearly 4,000 visitors each year. This new Event Center will help position the Field Trial Area as a premier location for outdoor recreation in the Southeast."

Date and Time
The ribbon cutting event will take place on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at 1 p.m.

Speakers

• Commissioner Chris Blankenship, ADCNR
• Director Patti McCurdy, ADCNR State Lands Division
• State Senator Bobby Singleton, District 24
• State Representative Curtis Travis, District 72

Location
1132 County Road 73
Greensboro, AL 36744
GPS coordinates: 32.629173, -87.685561
Google Maps Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZQS5Db1XevYSCPAv7

About the Forever Wild Field Trial Area
The FWFTA consists of 3342 acres of Forever Wild land and 998 acres owned by ADCNR's State Lands Division in Hale County. The property is managed as a nature preserve and recreation area. In addition to maintaining sporting dog test grounds and both youth and physically disabled hunting programs, the ADCNR State Lands Division is currently restoring the tract's native prairie grasslands and managing its several ponds.

Acknowledgements
Significant funding for this project was provided by Innovate Alabama, a statewide public-private partnership focused on entrepreneurship, technology and innovation with a mission to help businesses grow roots in Alabama.

ADCNR promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama's natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Learn more at www.outdooralabama.com.

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