One of the joys of living here in the Tennessee River Valley is its tremendous natural offerings. Luckily, I can fly all around and see these marvels. Did you know you can too? Oh, flying might not be that easy for you but the river, its surrounding waterlands, natural – especially bird – attractions are everywhere.

To find them all you need seek no further than this excellent book, Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, by Thomas V. Ress (Arcadia Publishing: South Carolina; $23.99 paperback). How do I know? This past week Tom Ress presented a remarkable summary of his research at the Athens-Limestone Public Library. What a tale he has to tell. Tom’s story unfolded in a manner that made you want to be there yourself. To do this, imagine yourself at Wheeler Wildlife Refuge.

Sit still. Imagine silent Wheeler Lake, between Decatur and Huntsville, Alabama. Your fishing line rests over the side of your boat, still. Close your eyes. Hear the wind wafting through hardwoods and pine trees which comprise a green, thick wall around the lake, its eddies, and streams. Listen. There is the call of a sand crane, then the honk of passing mallards. Skittering through the forest you hear perhaps a gray fox, a chewing beaver, even a hopping jay. Soon, your line tenses and you’ve caught a huge bass.

You’ve just imagined what visionaries of the 1930’s brought to life. The Federal Government took action to economically revive eroded, bare tracts of overplanted land along the Tennessee River. Wheeler Dam was built for hydroelectricity, flood control, indeed to make the Tennessee River more navigable. The resulting mammoth Wheeler Lake was a simultaneous, wonderful achievement.

Thomas V. Ress, lifelong outdoorsman, adventurer to each continent, prolific author for the Wall Street Journal, Alabama Heritage and a host of others, presents an exceptionally well researched and captivatingly written study. To illuminate how the Wildlife Refuge came to be, he draws upon total access to records and photographs, not to mention revered colleagues’ memories.

Years of patient development paced the Refuge’s wise growth. Aircraft sowed grasses in remote, unreachable fields, while thousands of young Civilian Conservation Corps workers-built roads and bridges. Almost a million trees of every description were planted. Each had a biological or economic reason. Some attracted birds, others provided food for wildlife, while many were simply beautiful. Wheeler Lake became the destination for millions of migratory ducks, Canadian geese, cranes and other waterfowl. You can see all this today in the superbly managed park’s viewing facility. Special classes, a museum, guided walks, and actual interaction with live animals brighten anyone’s love of nature.

Wildlife professionals track animals and occasionally introduce new ones to the habitat. Fodder areas are purposefully grown to attract and feed transitory wildlife. Controlled farming is allowed. Boating, fishing and outdoor education attract thousands yearly. Whole classes from nearby schools and universities find professional assistance. Relaxation seekers, patient birdwatchers, even master forestry students all hear the Refuge’s varied calls from the wild.

The Wildlife Refuge is thus not only for fowl escaping winter’s northern blasts. It is a refuge for people in nearby urban surroundings. Once inside, they know unutterable peace and silence. Ress expresses clearly how that silence might only be broken by the wing brushings of a Bald Eagle, the hoarse caws of a bird of prey, or even hoots from a clever owl. His writing makes you want to go there, and once there, to understand.

Fly over the Tennessee River yourself. Visit the professional guides at the Wildlife Refuge Visitor’s Center off State Highway 67. Why not join Tom as he guides canoe trips on the river? Relax. Life is beautiful.