The Trust for Public Land in Action: 2018 C E L E B R AT I N G W HAT YO U M A D E P O S S I B L E IN GEORGIA AND BEYOND
CHRISTOPHER T. MARTIN
Historic Fourth Ward Park Atlanta, GA
Thank you Thanks to your interest and support, today more than 8 million people live within a 10-minute walk of a place created or protected by The Trust for Public Land—and countless more visit these sites each year. In cities like New York, New Orleans, and Oakland, schoolchildren and neighbors now have a beautiful place to play thanks to their new state-of-the-art rain garden schoolyards that capture stormwater runoff. Community members in Ohio are making their voices heard as they help shape the design of a future public space that will increase park equity
for low-income residents. Hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail are enjoying time outside together thanks to even more protected landscapes along the trails. Here in Georgia, The Trust for Public Land has conserved more than 23,600 acres of land, creating community parks and ensuring public access to the outdoor places that define our state. On the following pages you can learn about our recent successes in more detail, like the first annual National Walk to a Park Day, the construction of Cook Park, and our Chattahoochee RiverLands Greenway Study. Your support has made this transformative impact possible this year in Georgia and beyond. Thank you!
CHRISTOPHER T. MARTIN
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Park Atlanta, GA
Chattahoochee RiverLands E X PA N D I N G T H E C H AT TA H O O C H E E R I V E R N AT I O N A L R E C R E AT I O N A R E A In December 2018, the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in metro-Atlanta grew by 18.5 acres with the acquisition of critical riverfront property in Forsyth County. We purchased the property from a private owner in 2017, and we were able to convey the property to the National Park Service at a significantly discounted price because of the generous financial support of private individuals and foundations who have supported the Chattahoochee River Land Protection campaign. The former owner, Ron Green, said he was very pleased that the property was added to the National Recreation Area for the public to enjoy. The National Park Service purchased the property using funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the federal government’s main source of funds to protect land. The LWCF is funded by a small fraction of revenues generated by offshore oil and gas royalty payments; it is not supported with general taxpayer dollars.
C H AT TA H O O C H E E R I V E R G R E E N W AY S T U D Y Over the last 20 years, we’ve implemented our vision to protect a green corridor along the river, extending from the north Georgia Mountains around Helen south to Columbus, and we’ve made it a reality. While we have had remarkable accomplishments to date, there remains much more work to preserve the riverfront and to develop the parks, trails, and access points that will better connect Georgians to the Chattahoochee River. Not all of this protected land is currently open to the public and outfitted appropriately to encourage use. Several factors contribute to this problem: a lack of public funding for design and construction of public access points; a lack of human resources to manage this process; and a lack of vision for how people can engage with the river. It has taken decades of intervention by many public and private sources to reverse the polluted condition of the river, and much of the public still does not trust that it is a safe place for recreation.
HOLLIS BENNETT
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Atlanta, GA
for metropolitan Atlanta. The river traverses the entire Atlanta metropolitan region, forms the boundary of many counties and cities, and provides both recreation and ecological services for communities for nearly 100 miles. The Chattahoochee River Greenway Study is an opportunity to reconsider the region’s relationship to the river and create a new vision for the river’s future that will raise public awareness, improve connections and access, identify potential areas for protection or investment, and build on a legacy of ecological conservation and protection.
Through a $1.5 million planning The grant from Thebe Chattahoochee RiverLands project will Greenway Study will managed by the Atlanta Regional PROJECT TEAM commission (ARC) and a joint the Project Team (PMT) the Atlanta Regional Commission, The Trust for activate riverManagement and its communities through:
SCAPE / New York, NY of the Trust for Public Land, Cobb County, and the City Public Land, City of Atlanta, and consisting Cobb County • will Marketing: We’ve a firm towith develop the of Atlanta. The project be designed in hired collaboration a are spearheading the Chattahoochee RiverLands Point of Contact: Chattahoochee Working Group (CWG). Chattahoochee RiverLands name, logo, and chris@scapestudio.com Greenway Study effort to develop a plan to nans@scapestudio.com tagline. We developing a marketing SCAPE Landscape Architecture willare lead a collaborative team plan to preserve and activate the river and its valley composed of nationally and locally renowned fieldsfunding of leverage advocacy for experts all levelsinofthe public Gresham Smith / Atlanta, GA programming, through marketing, planning,Architecture & Urban Design (SCAPE), Transportation & Landscape and project opportunities. You can view the new Multi-Modal and capitalPleasant, investment. withTrail Design (Gresham Smith), Anthropology & History Biohabitats / Mount SC We are engaging website at ChattahoocheeRiverLands.com (New South Ecological Design & Planning (BioHabitats), hundreds of stakeholders and partners along Associates), the Environmental Justice (Dr. Na’Taki Osborne Dr. Na'Takiriver, Osborne Jelks / Atlanta, GA • Programming: In the Jelks), next sixCommunication months, we including the surrounding communities; Design (Good Thinking), and Geography (Dr. Richard Milligan). will co-host a series of events with partner restoring Dr. Richardprotecting Milligan /and Atlanta, GA native ecologies; inviting The team will apply its expertise with atocommitted set ofto partners draw attention the river public access and stewardship; and redefining the to buildorganizations and stakeholders a new identity and spatial framework for Good Thinking / Atlanta, GA and provide new opportunities for outdoor river as a beloved local, regional,the andChattahoochee national River. The team’s planning and design process will engage people across aexperiences. broad social spectrum, protect and restore New Southasset. Associates / Atlanta, GA native ecologies, invite public access and redefine the • Planning: We and havestewardship, hired the well-known Edwards-Pitman / Smyrna, GA river as a beloved local, regional and national asset. landscape architecture firm SCAPE to develop a master plan for a 100-mile linear park along the river between Buford Dam and Chattahoochee Bend State Park.
• Capital investment: Once the master plan is complete, we will prioritize the most impactful projects and begin to raise funds to build them.
Cook Park
In 2015, The Trust for Public Land began working with the City of Atlanta to build the new 16acre Cook Park on the site where those homes once stood. By preventing local flooding, Cook Park will attract new residents and dramatically encourage investment in the neighborhoods. Just as importantly, it will also bring multiple benefits to long-neglected current residents. Every park we create is designed by the community, for the community. Working alongside English Avenue and Vine City residents, we are building Cook Park to meet the needs of more than 3,000 residents who live within a 10-minute walk of the new park. During community workshops guided by our talented landscape architects, we helped the community plan their park to include:
HDR INC.
In 2002, a torrential flood descended on Atlanta’s historic Vine City and English Avenue communities. In its aftermath, 160 families lost their homes. While the city worked to relocate those impacted by the flood, the land where they once lived lay vacant. Flooding, pollution, and sewer overflows have continued to plague these communities.
concept rendering The National Monuments Foundation is working to install statues highlighting the contributions of community residents to the civil rights movement in Atlanta, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders of the movement. We successfully surpassed our fundraising goal to raise a total of $13.5 million. Construction of the park began in late 2017, and we expect it to be open in the summer of 2019.
• a dynamic playground, and the Westside’s first splash pad • an outdoor exercise area • Atlanta’s first outdoor climbing boulder • a performance plaza and an outdoor learning center • two multi-use courts for basketball, volleyball, and tennis • a great lawn big enough for soccer or touch football • shaded picnic areas and walking paths
“[Cook Park] will give [the kids] something nice, where they can play, run around, and have fun. And me too! I’ll be over here every day.” – Angela Scott, Vine City resident
Parks for People in Georgia N AT I O N A L W A L K T O A PA R K D AY On October 10, 2018, we launched the first annual day dedicated to getting the word out about our 10-Minute Walk™ vision. It’s a chance to celebrate the parks we have—and call attention to the parks we need. National Walk to a Park Day will be an annual celebration each October 10, and everyone is invited! Our first-ever National Walk to a Park Day was a terrific success! Our offices hosted events in New York, San Francisco, Denver, St. Paul, Atlanta (where we partnered with Park Pride and walked to Woodruff Park), Bozeman, Seattle, DC, and Philadelphia. We hope you will walk with us on Thursday, October 10, 2019!
C R E AT I V E P L A C E M A K I N G I N AT L A N TA Many of Atlanta’s streets, sidewalks, and rightsof-way were built with only the automobile in mind, making pedestrian and bike-use unsafe and unappealing. In 2017, Atlanta’s Department of City Planning asked The Trust for Public Land to partner with them to establish a program which invites community partners to imagine creative improvements to enliven uninspiring areas in their neighborhoods. This program uses transportation funding for non-traditional uses, specifically targeting areas with the highest need and enhancing the overall physical, cultural, and social identities. We are currently working with two neighborhood groups to help them implement their ideas and would like to raise additional funds to expand our reach to other areas.
CHRISTOPHER T. MARTIN
Enota Park Atlanta, GA
Outdoor experiences for all C H I L D R E N O N T H E C H AT TA H O O C H E E The Trust for Public Land partnered with the YMCA of Greater Atlanta and the Chattahoochee Nature Center to launch a pilot program during the summer of 2018 to bring over 100 Vine City and English Avenue children between the ages of 6 and 16 to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. There they explored the Chattahoochee Nature Center, taking part in their nature programs and exploring the river by canoe. Youth participants left the program with new confidence in their ability to understand nature, explore the outdoors, and “unplug” from daily life. The collaboration joined two of our top Georgia priorities—Cook Park and the Chattahoochee River. In the near future, the children of Vine City and English Avenue will be able to experience the wonder of the outdoors in their own neighborhood at Cook Park. The National Recreation Foundation generously provided funding for this program.
GEORGIA OUTDOOR STEWARDSHIP AMENDMENT Georgia’s economy and quality of life—including its $27 billion outdoor recreation and $59 billion tourism industries—have long been tied to the state’s abundant natural resources. Recognizing the need to effectively manage and protect these finite assets, The Trust for Public Land helped found the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Coalition in 2010 to secure a vibrant and healthy future for our state—one that balances the needs of our environment and our economy. Eight years of hard work has paid off. In November 2018, 83 percent of Georgia voters supported the creation of a new trust fund for land acquisition and park construction. The Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Amendment will dedicate $20 million annually for land protection and park improvements. The fund will be administered by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
ARTHUR M. BLANK FAMILY YOUTH YMCA
At the heart of our work is our belief in access to the outdoors for all. We know great outdoor experiences improve lives in numerous, measurable ways.
ARTHUR M. BLANK FAMILY YOUTH YMCA
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Atlanta, GA
Engaging supporters in our land-for-people mission TPL STAFF
TPL STAFF
N AT I O N A L L E A D E R S H I P CONFERENCE 2018 A national conference of volunteer leaders— regional advisory boards, the Board of Directors, and special guests—visited Georgia in October 2018 to exchange information, learn more about The Trust for Public Land’s work, and plan for the future. While in town, they had a true Atlanta experience with field trips to our projects in the city, including hiking along the Chattahoochee River, biking along the Atlanta BeltLine, and taking a tour of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Park. At the conference, Georgia Advisory Board member Patricia Barmeyer was honored with the Douglas P. Ferguson Award to recognize her outstanding volunteerism and her extraordinary commitment to conserving land for people and to our organization. C E L E B R AT I O N O F L A N D The Atlanta office hosted its tenth annual Celebration of Land event honoring the Friends of the River, a grassroots group who successfully lobbied for the establishment of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. The event was a well-attended affair that brought more than 300 supporters together and raised $180,000—the most we’ve raised at this event!
N E X T G E N AT L A N TA Our newly formed NextGen Atlanta is connecting Georgia’s next generation of leaders with our land-for-people mission. In 2018, they participated in various activities including advocacy, outdoor recreation and special events. In the fall, the group greeted people on the Atlanta BeltLine where they secured over 75 handwritten notes from local Georgians encouraging Senators Johnny Isakson and David Perdue to permanently authorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund. In 2019, the group is planning a new fundraising event for The Trust for Public Land to engage people in the important work we do.
GEORGIA TRAIL SUMMIT We are delighted to bring the Georgia Trail Summit back to Columbus, Georgia, on May 5–6, 2019. Trail enthusiasts in every discipline will gather to learn from each other, and set into motion a shared, longterm vision for making the state a premier hiking, cycling, and paddling destination. Participants will network in workshops and informal events to foster collaboration and shared knowledge. We are excited to take the reins of this already established conference and position it for growth. Join us as an attendee or sponsor. Learn more by emailing us at georgiatrailsummit@tpl.org.
Meet The Trust for Public Land’s Georgia team DARCY KIEFEL
TPL STAFF
MEET THE GEORGIA TEAM: • Sue Carpenter, Administrative Assistant • Karen Clarke, Philanthropy Coordinator • George Dusenbury, Georgia State Director • Michele Kresge, Engagement Officer
Litttle Mulberry Park Auburn, GA
• Susan Patterson, Director of Philanthropy • Walt Ray, Chattahoochee Program Director • Jay Wozniak, Urban Parks Director
Georgia Advisory Board We are so grateful for our amazing volunteer leaders! Doug Aldridge Virginia Almand Marcia Bansley Patricia T. Barmeyer Mark Berry W. Moses Bond Mary Calhoun B.W. Cardwell, Jr. Jackie Cushman Jocelyn Dorsey Ralph G. Edwards, Jr. Alan Elsas
Adina Alford Erwin Andrew Feiler J. Lewis Glenn Chris Graham Henry D. Gregory, Jr. John Hardman Paula Hennessy Howell Hollis III Henry Howell Bob Kinney Ken Kraft Assad Lazarus
David S. Martin James H. Morgens Alan S. Neely Libby Prickett Gene Rackley Hazel Archer Sanger Christopher Glenn Sawyer Jeffrey L. Seavey Markham Smith, Chair Shelli Willis Chad Wright
HOLLIS BENNETT
Thank you
for supporting The Trust for Public Land as we work to protect land and create parks for people in Georgia and beyond. We couldn’t do it without you.
Join us. The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come.
tpl.org
George Dusenbury Georgia State Director 404.873.7306x264 george.dusenbury@tpl.org Susan Patterson Director of Philanthropy 404.873.7306x260 susan.patterson@tpl.org 600 W. Peachtree Street, Suite 1840 Atlanta, GA 30308
COVER: TOP LEFT, HOLLIS BENNETT; TOP RIGHT, HANNAH LOZANO; MIDDLE LEFT: CHRISTOPHER T. MARTIN; MIDDLE RIGHT, WILL RICE; BOTTOM, DARCY KIEFEL.