May 21 2007
Nature Bridges, specialists in boardwalk construction in environmentally sensitive areas, announced today it has completed construction of the boardwalk in the Ebenezer Swamp Ecological Preserve. This boardwalk is part of the Ebenezer Swamp Wetlands Interpretive and Research Center (ESWIRC) for the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama.
The completed project includes a 6-foot wide, 650-foot long boardwalk and two observation decks. The construction began April 9, 2007 and was completed May 11, 2007.
The boardwalk, designed by Ross Land Design in Birmingham, Alabama (rosslanddesign.net) and constructed by Nature Bridges, was built using the innovative top down construction method. With top down construction, all large equipment stays on top of the new structure during the entire building process. This method provides a long-lasting structure and helps to preserve the surrounding plant and animal habitats during and after construction.
The completed Ebenezer Swamp boardwalk is ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant and allows guides to lead small groups safely out into the heart of the swamp, minimizing impact on the swamp and maximizing the safety of visitors.
The preserve is located on Spring Creek, approximately 6 miles northeast of the University. Ebenezer Swamp consists of sixty acres of wooded wetlands and is home to numerous species of fungi, plants, and animals. The area is used for teaching and research purposes and ongoing research projects include water quality testing and surveys of vegetation and macroinvertebrate diversity.