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Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve is a nature preserve located in the eastern portions of Jefferson County, Alabama near Birmingham's suburb, Irondale. The preserve includes a visitor center containing native Alabama animals including raptors, snakes, turtles and owls.〔〔(History of Ruffner Mountain Nature Center ) Encyclopedia of Alabama website.〕 The Ruffner Mountain area was home to iron ore mines and stone quarries, supplying the area's steel mills. The preserve contains of hiking trails.〔〔(Planning Your Visit. ) Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve website.〕 == History== When the mines played out in the 1950s, nature reclaimed the area. In 1977 a nonprofit was formed that leased 28 acres of land belonging to the City of Birmingham for use in public recreation. The Trust for Public Land added over to the park from 1983-1985, and an additional in 2000.〔 In 2006 Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve announced plans to expand the park by 500 to at a cost of around $11 million. The addition would make Ruffner Mountain's nature preserve one of America's largest urban nature preserves at around 1,511 to . In 2010, construction was completed on RMNC's state-of-the-art LEED certified Treetop Visitor's Center and Education Pavilion. The new nature center replaced the organization's old administrative office building, visitor's center, and pavilion. The contractor, Stewart Perry, Inc., and architect, KPS Group, designed a building using sustainable architecture and materials ranging from a rainwater collection system to a myriad of recycled building materials and furnishings.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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