SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Historic Blakeley State Park in Spanish Fort will soon host the first in a series of four guided tours across Baldwin and Mobile counties designed to highlight the Forever Wild program’s progress in preserving public lands across Alabama.

“The Forever Wild tract in Blakeley Park was chosen as the launching point for these tours because it is easily accessible, and because it holds a place in history as the first Forever Wild purchase made in Baldwin County,” said Hank Burch, manager of 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center.

Burch will lead the first tour beginning at 1 p.m. March 26, and the hike through the Forever Wild Blakeley Park Addition Tract is expected to last about an hour and a half. In addition to highlighting the unique natural features found along the Blakeley tract, Burch will also provide a brief history of the Forever Wild program.

“The tour will include hiking through hilly terrain and across boardwalks through bottomlands, so closed-toe shoes are going to be necessary,” Burch said.

5 Rivers is operated by the State Lands Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The division also oversees management of Alabama’s Forever Wild program, whose funding remains in limbo. The Alabama Legislature will decide during its current session whether to renew funding or allow it to sunset in 2012.

Specifically, the Blakeley Addition Tract consists of 420 acres of upland pine-hardwood and bottomland hardwood forests on hilly land at the edge of the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta. Its extensive network of trails will be explored thoroughly during the tour.

“In addition to the wild, undeveloped landscape, there are also several historical features, as this land has been used by prehistoric Indian societies, European pioneers, early American settlers, Civil War soldiers, and generations of farmers,” Burch said.

Although the tour, itself, is free, participants will be asked to pay admission to the park which is $3 per adult and $2 per child between the ages of 6 and 12. Children under 6 are free. Upon entering the park — located on Alabama Highway 225 in Spanish Fort — hikers should follow the paved road straight ahead past the Apalachee Campground to the Forever Wild Trailhead.

The tract was purchased by Forever Wild in 1998, and is cooperatively managed for historic preservation, recreation and education by the Alabama State Lands Division and Historic Blakeley State Park.

Blakeley Director Jo Ann Flirt said Forever Wild’s ability to secure “this significant piece of land and protect it for future generations to enjoy” made the organization a perfect partner.

Alabama’s Forever Wild program was created in 1992 by constitutional amendment and uses a small amount of interest income from the Alabama Trust Fund to purchase lands throughout the state. Uses for the land range from recreation and nature preserves to wildlife management and even state parks. To date, the program has purchased 81 tracts of land totaling more than 220,000 acres in 25 counties.

Because space is limited, interested hikers are asked to call 5 Rivers at 251-625-0814 to reserve a spot, but Burch did say he will add as many tours as possible throughout the afternoon to accommodate demand.

“The idea is for everybody to come out and see what they’re missing,” he said.