Georgia BRINGING THE OUTDOORS CLOSER TO HOME IN 2026 AND BEYOND
Camp + Paddle trip in May 2026. PHOTO BY TOM MILLER / PRET T Y GOOD PRODUCTIONS
Connecting Everyone to the Outdoors in Georgia Access to nature isn’t a luxury; it’s essential. You make it possible for Trust for Public Land to protect and create community-centered outdoor spaces that improve health and wellness, increase climate resilience, and bolster social connections. You help TPL advance this important work through on-the-ground project delivery in Georgia and comprehensive systems change across the country. As you’ll read in the following pages, TPL is supporting impactful changes across the region. We are building nature-rich outdoor learning spaces for children, restoring and activating vital historic sites, and inviting metro Atlanta to rediscover the Chattahoochee River as our region’s defining public space. We also are celebrating the success of our partners in the City of Atlanta. After more than a decade of growing investment in its park system, Atlanta now ranks 18th in TPL’s ParkScore analysis of America’s 100 largest cities—its highest ever ranking! These are critical steps in our shared vision to ensure equitable access to the outdoors, and each effort reflects our shared commitment to support both people and the places that matter most to them. 2 |
TRUST FOR PUBLIC L AND IN GEORGIA
Each year, conservation and community leaders gather for Celebration of Land, an evening to raise funds critical to our efforts to make Georgia greener, healthier, and more connected. This year, more than 300 attendees gathered to honor Jackie and Jimmy Cushman as Conservation Trailblazers and raised a record-breaking $764,000 to support our work. Save the date to join us next year: April 18, 2027, at the Atlanta History Center. Thank you for joining us as we connect everyone to the outdoors. With gratitude, George Dusenbury Georgia State Director
Alliance for Civil Rights Historic Sites Every day, TPL works to protect the irreplaceable places that define our nation. Through our Black History and Culture initiative, TPL helps protect the landmarks that tell our stories and creates parks, trails, and schoolyards that improve quality of life in Black communities and celebrate agency, resilience, joy, and vibrance. TPL is leading the Alliance for Civil Rights Historic Sites, a partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) and communities across the South to maximize the educational and economic impact of eight historic sites that tell the stories of the Civil Rights movement. The Alliance’s first success was seen just one year after its creation. In 2023, we helped open the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home and National Monument in Jackson, Mississippi. Earlier this year, we built upon our 40 years of work at Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park when we opened the historic Prince Hall Masonic Grand Lodge (read more below). In Anniston, Alabama, we are developing exhibits as part of NPS’s effort to completely renovate and reopen Freedom Riders National Monument by 2028. And in Natchez, Mississippi, TPL is building site improvements around the Forks of the Road Visitors Center, part of the Natchez National Historic Park, located on land that we helped acquire. Other historic places identified for restoration, improved public access, and programming in Alabama and Mississippi include Birmingham Civil Rights National
Monument, the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, and Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site. Despite their significance to American history, these historic places have faced decades of chronic underfunding, leaving buildings and exhibits closed and neglected. The Alliance is working with local communities to restore historic buildings, advocate for sustainable funding for staff and maintenance, and design exhibits, programs, and experiences for visitors of all ages and backgrounds to bring the stories of these important sites to life.
Prince Hall Masonic Grand Lodge In February 2026, we celebrated the restoration and opening of the Prince Hall Masonic Grand Lodge, located within the newly expanded boundaries of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. Constructed by notable Atlantan John Wesley Dobbs, the building housed the oldest and largest fraternity of Black men in North America, as well as the offices of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the civil rights organization led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The building also contained the studios of WERD, the nation’s first Black-owned radio station. The fully restored lodge is now officially open to the public for tours of the building.
Ribbon cutting celebration for the fully restored lodge. PHOTOS BY TOM MILLER / PRET T Y GOOD PRODUCTIONS
New TPL polling shows that 88 percent of Americans believe it’s important to preserve historic and cultural landmarks that tell the full American story—including the difficult chapters.
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Chattahoochee RiverLands The Chattahoochee RiverLands is a visionary plan to create 100 miles of parks, paths, greenway trails, and riverfront amenities, connecting 20 cities across 7 counties, and nearly 1 million people to the river.
RiverLands Showcase Visitors will be immersed in this visionary plan when they explore our proof-of-concept RiverLands Showcase site. Once complete, the site will demonstrate how access to the river and the outdoors can improve quality of life for nearby communities. This 2.7-mile section of the river in Cobb County connects the cities of Smyrna and Mableton through three distinct segments: Smyrna’s Riverview Park, Discovery Park at the River Line (opened in 2022), and RiverLands Gateway Park at Mableton Parkway.
Trail construction at Riverview Park wrapped up in summer 2026 and repairs to the dock and kayak launch, which was damaged during Hurricane Helene, are anticipated to be completed before the end of the year. In August 2026, we broke ground at RiverLands Gateway Park. It will take a year to complete construction. And looking ahead, in February 2027, a new bicycle and pedestrian bridge will safely connect trail users across Nickajack Creek between Discovery Park and Cobb Beach. We can’t wait to celebrate the completion of these upcoming Showcase project milestones with you!
Atlanta RiverLands Five miles of river flows silently behind industrial sites in the City of Atlanta, unreachable to residents. In 2026, TPL advanced the community vision for the Atlanta RiverLands in partnership with the City and community advocates. Together, we led planning and design for Lower Paul Avenue Park and Trailhead and developed a strategy to guide future efforts.
Paddlers from our May Camp + Paddle adventure stop to rest at the Dog River reservoir and dam. PHOTO BY TOM MILLER / PRET T Y GOOD PRODUCTIONS
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TRUST FOR PUBLIC L AND IN GEORGIA
IN MEMORY OF TED TURNER Philanthropist, Environmentalist, and Cable Pioneer
PHOTO BY TOM MILLER / PRET T Y GOOD PRODUCTIONS
Stretching from Standing Peachtree Park to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, the Atlanta RiverLands will be transformed into a vibrant, connected landscape that invites more people to experience the Chattahoochee— many for the first time. Future plans include linking neighborhoods to transit, parks, and regional trail networks and restoring former industrial sites to create welcoming spaces for recreation, reflection, and community. Planning also continues for the Chattahoochee Brick Company Memorial, Park and Greenspace, ensuring this important historic site will honor its legacy while contributing to the future riverfront. These investments represent important steps toward realizing the Atlanta RiverLands vision of a more connected, equitable, and accessible riverfront.
McIntosh Reserve to Moore’s Bridge Park The Georgia General Assembly approved a $1.5 million grant through the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program (GOSP) to support the final expansion of McIntosh Reserve. With this funding, we can complete this conservation effort for Carroll County and bring the total protected river frontage within McIntosh Reserve to about 3.1 miles. This exciting acquisition will be our third and final expansion, taking the former 527-acre park to almost 1,800 acres of protected public land along the river. We’re also supporting the community in creating the McIntosh Reserve to Moore’s Bridge Park and Trail Master Plan to guide future access, connectivity, and stewardship of this landscape. To do this, we are engaging the community and Muscogee Creek Nation leadership through community meetings, special gatherings, and outdoor events. Once executed, two important regional parks and a state park will be connected, providing the community with 8 miles of greenway trails along the Chattahoochee River and over 5,000 acres of protected park space.
Robert Edward “Ted” Turner, III, was a visionary philanthropist, environmentalist, and cable pioneer who supported TPL’s work connecting people to the outdoors to make positive changes across the country. Ted was most known for founding CNN and other Turner networks, and was celebrated for signing the Giving Pledge, committing to give away the majority of his wealth to charitable causes. Through the Turner Foundation, a family foundation focused on safeguarding habitats, bettering communities, sustainable living, and environmental protections, Ted and his family donated over $4.5 million to TPL, with a focus on preserving land along the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta and agricultural lands in Montana. In his 2010 Giving Pledge letter, Ted wrote, “Looking back, if I had to live my life over, there are things I would do differently, but the one thing I would not change is my charitable giving.” We are forever grateful for Ted’s generosity, kind spirit, and foresight.
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Appalachia United Outdoors The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awarded TPL a $10 million grant to lead Appalachia United Outdoors: Connecting Communities and Outdoor Recreation Economies. This transformative, multi-state initiative aims to strengthen local economies through outdoor recreation. This significant investment, part of ARC’s Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE), will help implement high-impact outdoor projects in eight Appalachian states: Alabama, Georgia, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Together with a coalition of over 40 partners, TPL is mapping and prioritizing planned outdoor recreation projects across the region. The work focuses on economically distressed and at-risk areas, where outdoor access and its health and economic benefits are often least available. Initial efforts are already underway. In May 2026, we joined Walker County residents and partners to celebrate the opening of the Chickamauga Battlefield Connector Trail, a 2.2-mile cycling and pedestrian pathway that links Chickamauga Battlefield to the historic Town of Chickamauga. We helped the town by overseeing everything from land acquisition and trail design to community engagement and fundraising. The trail also serves as proof of concept for the future Chickamauga-Chattanooga Trail network,
When [TPL] came to me with this, I thought it was a great idea. I’ve lived here my whole life, and when I was younger, I could go from my house plumb to the Tennessee River. You don’t have that anymore, and I think we need to preserve land for our children.” — Phillip Hartline, Dade County Commissioner a 55-plus mile trail loop which would traverse Northwest Georgia and Southeast Tennessee. In Dade County, Georgia, just 20 minutes from Chattanooga, we are working to acquire 660 acres of woodland to create Dade County Community Forest and expand access to Cloudland Canyon State Park. Creating this community forest could help drive nearly $3 million in new economic activity through tourism and small business growth. TPL is in the final stages of due diligence for the acquisition. We anticipate purchasing the land in 2027. Across the AOU states, more work is underway to help communities unlock federal and state funding, build partnerships, create parks and trails, and protect public lands and wildlife corridors.
LEFT: John Culpepper Chickamauga Battlefield Connector Trail in Walker County. RIGHT: John, the trail’s namesake (middle), and partners celebrate the trail’s completion. PHOTOS BY J ADAMS PHOTOGRAPHY
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TRUST FOR PUBLIC L AND IN GEORGIA
Community Schoolyards Where Kids and Neighbors Can Thrive Every child deserves access to safe, welcoming outdoor spaces that support learning, health, and well-being. Yet many students attend schools with little access to nature or nearby parks. These disparities are especially pronounced in communities that have historically received less investment in public infrastructure and green space. Working alongside students, neighbors, and the school district, TPL transforms these underutilized schoolgrounds into vibrant community schoolyards. Through a hands-on design process, students helped shape the spaces where they will learn and play—building pride, ownership, and connection along the way. Features selected reflect the needs and identity of the surrounding neighborhood and often include amenities such as interactive play areas, outdoor classrooms, native landscaping, gathering spaces, and cultural elements. This year we celebrated the opening of three schoolyards: Continental Colony Elementary, Hope-Hill Elementary, Bazoline E. Usher-Collier Heights Elementary in partnership with Atlanta Public Schools (APS) and Atlanta Department of Parks & Recreation. Additional schoolyards across APS and in DeKalb and Fulton Counties are also available for public use thanks to joint-use agreements that open the schoolyards across school districts for public use outside of school hours— providing tens of thousands of residents with new, close-to-home access to green space.
Hope-Hill Elementary Community Schoolyard. PHOTOS BY ATL ANTA DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & REC
Today, the new schoolyards are places where children connect with nature, families enjoy time outdoors together, and neighborhoods benefit from safe, naturerich spaces that reflect their needs, values, and aspirations. Next up, students at APS’s Fickett Elementary and Frederick Wilson Benteen Elementary can look forward to celebrating their new schoolyards in winter 2026. Whether supporting outdoor learning, everyday recreation, or community gathering, these schoolyards reflect what can happen when local voices help shape public spaces. Together, donors, schools, and community partners are helping create healthier, more resilient places where children and families can thrive. TRUST FOR PUBLIC L AND IN GEORGIA
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THANK YOU for helping create parks, protect special places, and connect more people to the outdoors throughout Georgia and beyond.
GEORGIA ADVISORY BOARD Virginia Almand, Community Volunteer
Samir Idris, Cushman & Wakefield
Patricia T. Barmeyer, Community Volunteer
Bob Kinney, Community Volunteer
Mary Calhoun, Art Consultant
Trey Loughran, Board Chair, ACA Global
Anna S. Callaway, Keller Knapp Realty
Suzanne Sackleh, Community Volunteer Christopher Glenn Sawyer, Community Volunteer
Alison Lathrop, Delta Air Lines
Jeff Seavey, Community Volunteer
Hallie Meushaw, Community Volunteer
Sally Seeds, Community Volunteer
Jackie Cushman, Community Volunteer
James H. Morgens, Morgens Property & Investment Co.
Markham Smith, Smith Dalia Architects
Jocelyn Dorsey, Community Volunteer
Alan S. Neely, Community Volunteer
Natalie Giurato, Cox Enterprises
Garnie Nygren, Serenbe Development
Emily J. Sweitzer, Rangewater Real Estate
Chris Graham, Koch Industries
Carlos Pagoaga, The Coca-Cola Foundation
Alex D. Watts, New Edge Wealth Shelli Willis, Troutman Pepper Locke
Amy Phuong, Atlanta Hawks
Eric W. Wilson, CBRE
Michele Reale, The Shopping Center Group
Jennifer H. Winn, Georgia Power Company
Jake Rohn, WorkN
Chad Wright, GDP Holdings
Tres Carpenter, ZWJ Investment Counsel
John Hardman, Woodleaf Partners Helen Hart, Norfolk Southern Corporation Paula Hennessy, Community Volunteer
600 West Peachtree St. NW Suite 1840 Atlanta, GA 30308
Join us Your gift ensures everyone has access to the outdoors. Every park we create, schoolyard we transform, trail we extend, and landscape we protect is thanks to supporters like you. tpl.org/donate
George Dusenbury Georgia State Director george.dusenbury@tpl.org 470.571.1814 Tricia White Director of Philanthropy, Southeast Region tricia.white@tpl.org 470.705.5585
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