Drought and heat taking a toll on fall foliage

FORT PAYNE, Ala. (WBRC) - Fall foliage is finally reaching its peak in Alabama, so you may be wondering where to find the best autumnal views.

Little River Canyon National Preserve up in Fort Payne is prime real estate for fall foliage in Alabama.

Nestled at the southern edge of the Appalachians, the trek up from Birmingham to DeKalb County alone paints a picturesque scene – almost reminiscent of Thomas Kinkade.

“This road right out here in front of us is part of the Lookout Mountain Scenic Parkway, where there are 11 scenic byways in the state of Alabama,” says John Dersham, tourism director for DeKalb County. “And this is one of them that goes from Noccalula Falls – the beginning of Lookout Mountain – all the way to Chattanooga.”

And 73 miles of that 100 mile stretch includes the Yellowhammer State. Typically, each fall, when late October rolls around, the cozy autumnal landscape dotted with colorful trees and breathtaking mountain views beckons travelers in, making tourism the largest non-agricultural industry in DeKalb County.

“Some falls have beautiful color, and we have full rivers,” Dersham says. “And those are the years that people are out here in masses with lots of cameras and video and things like that”

The views this year aren’t quite the same spectacle they normally are though. Though people have still been streaming in to get their fall foliage fix, the streams themselves are more reluctant this year.

“The difference is the annual rainfall, especially the rainfall at the end of summer… from really the end of July until now, we haven’t had significant rainfall.”

The drought has impacted not just the canyon views, but the vibrancy of the foliage. And the record-breaking fall heat certainly hasn’t helped.

“The southern red maples are real red right now, and the hickories have a little bit of color with them and some of the sweet gum,” says Dersham. “But things like the oaks, because of the low water content for the end of summer, and because it stayed warm, they’re not turning yet. So, you still have green trees also.”

According to Climate Central, since the 1970s, the Birmingham Area alone has seen an increase in over 2 weeks of warmer days on average per fall season. And the average temperature for fall has risen 3.2 degrees Fahrenheit. The trend of warmer fall months has lead to the peak of fall foliage occurring later in the season.

“In Mentone, Alabama, we have what used to be called ‘ColorFest,’ and it’s now called the ‘Mentone Fall Festival,’ and it’s always the 3rd weekend in October,” says Dersham. “Which at one point, when it started over 40 years ago, the color was really good in mid-October. Now, it’s not. It’s not quite ready yet. So, normally it’s the first week of November in recent years.”

How does that relate to the vibrancy of the fall foliage? Warmer fall nights lead to duller colors, but cooler nights can create more vivid colors. So, when temperatures don’t get as low overnight, the foliage won’t be as rich. Climate Central says it can prevent trees from receiving their quote – “cool cues.”

“So, if you can get them all to change color at the same time, then you have one of those really magnificent falls,” says Dersham. “So, we’re having a pretty fall, but it wouldn’t be like the record-setting fall.”

Despite the less vibrant colors, plenty of leaves have fallen, thanks to a combination of persistent warm and dry conditions.

But changes in the climate over the past several decades haven’t just taken a toll on the fall foliage. Other plants and local wildlife have felt the impacts, too.

“You know, we’re not creating the environment that they used to have. And that kills things eventually. We have some plants and animals that are suffering a little bit,” admits Dersham. “We had the drought of 2016, it was a real concern. The river went dry. And the only thing left in the river were some little pools. And somehow, the animal species that were at risk, were in those pools and managed to survive, but you know, there may only be so many times that that can happen that you can retrieve enough life to perpetuate it.”

But even the slightly duller views can still evoke a sense of wanderlust, especially in a natural preserve like Little River Canyon.

“It’s all about scenic beauty and natural areas that basically have not been all that impacted by mankind,” Dersham says. “This is paradise.”

If you want to make a journey up to Fort Payne and take in the sights along the Lookout Mountain Scenic Parkway, you can also learn about how to better protect our environment. The Little River Canyon Center in DeKalb County – owned by Jacksonville State – even offers special classes geared toward education on the unique ecosystems present in the area.

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