We are so blessed with our many parks along the bay and nature areas in amongst our gullies, but please take a good look at Knoll Park the next time you drive to or from the bay. Bordered by three streets — Fairhope Avenue, Magnolia Avenue and Bayview Street — Knoll Park is a rare remnant of a Sandhills longleaf pine forest. These forests used to blanket millions of acres along the Gulf Coast from New Orleans to Tallahassee. Now only a few examples of these vast forests remain in urban settings, so several of your friends and neighbors joined forces for a restoration project.

Perhaps you’ve noticed an enthusiastic group of pyromaniacs carefully burning off the ground cover on several occasions over the past two years. These sooty folks are a dedicated band of volunteers determined to restore the park to its original state. Why torch the ground cover? Because a true longleaf pine ecosystem is fire-dependent, and, even though the magnificent old pines are healthy enough, by 2006 there was not a pine under 50 years old, and much of the wildflower population was nearly gone (for the wildflowers, too, are fire-dependent).

So, with a burning desire (sorry) to restore the park to its original state, careful planning and execution have yielded some remarkable results. Over 140 species of trees, shrubs and wildflowers now have been found and identified, an incredible diversity for a relatively small area.

The fire has not only eliminated the vines and brush that choke the pine seedlings but also created an ideal seedbed for them to grow in. Thousands of tiny longleaf pines have sprouted, helping to guarantee that these magnificent towering trees will survive for future generations.

I would encourage you, as you explore this emerging window into our past, to stay on the park paths to protect these fragile plants and let them recover. Before long, you will be able to see this area as our founders did over a century ago, for Knoll Park was part of their first purchase, along with much of our bayfront parkland. These visionaries understood the value of large passive areas to a community as it grows and have left us with a priceless legacy for future generations.

When you run into Mac and Libby McCawley, Tom Ellis, Fred Nation, Bobby Green, Peggy Dyson, Mae Moss Parker, John Pate, Dot Yeager, Gina Todia, Harry Larsen, Jackie Frodsham, or Jennifer Fidler, let them know how much you appreciate their dedication to restoring this beautiful park. As with so many other good works, the Fairhope Single Tax Corp. and the city of Fairhope are the principal sponsors of the project.

Remember, our gullies and parklands belong to all of us, and all of us need to continue to protect them for future generations.

Dean Mosher, a Fairhope resident for 35 years, has chaired numerous committees and boards. He currently serves as vice president of the Fairhope Single Tax Corp. and is a professional artist known worldwide for his epic historical paintings.