City acquires 216-acre greenspace

By INtown Staff

A216-acre forest known as Lake Charlotte Nature Preserve has been saved by the City of Atlanta after it was threatened with industrial development.

The acquisition of the property – which encompasses one of the largest old growth forests in Atlanta – was approved by the Atlanta City Council in April. This will be one of the largest greenspace acquisitions in the city’s history and provides critical protection for the South River Watershed.

The nature preserve is located near the intersection of Moreland Avenue and I-285, an area with historically heavy industrial usage with little access to recreational greenspace. The Lake Charlotte property has 98 percent canopy cover encompassing predominantly native tree species, according to a report prepared by Trees Atlanta in 2019. The greenspace also includes a portion of an archaeologically significant ridge known for its Native American soapstone quarries and workshops, dating back to 3000 B.C.

Despite its name, the Lake Charlotte Nature Preserve was not previously on a path toward conservation. Spearheaded by The Conservation Fund, City of Atlanta Department of City Planning and City of Atlanta Department of Parks & Recreation, this effort will conserve approximately 60,000 trees in one of the highest quality forests remaining in the city.

“Lake Charlotte Nature Preserve will be the first greenspace acquisition funded through the city’s tree ordinance, which was modified several years ago to allow for both the planting of new trees and the protection of intact, mature forests to mitigate tree loss to new development in the city,” Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in a statement. “Thank you to The Conservation Fund and the Arthur M. Blank Foundation for their unwavering commitment and partnership in helping to preserve natural resources that are important to our city.”

“We’ve been working for almost two years to prioritize purchasing land that will significantly increase our tree canopy protection efforts as part of the Atlanta Canopy Alliance. This property is the number one priority on that list,” said Stacy Funderburke, regional counsel and conservation acquisition associate for The Conservation Fund. “This is the first step to not only expand the city’s tree canopy protection but also provide additional outdoor recreational access for the Atlanta community.”

The Conservation Fund has been the City of Atlanta’s Department of Parks & Recreation’s primary acquisition partner for new park and greenspace expansion since 2003 and has also supported Atlanta Beltline, Inc. on acquisition priorities since 2015. With the support of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation’s $2 million revolving fund dedicated to acquiring greenspaces across Atlanta, The Conservation Fund has completed nearly 50 greenspace projects, acquiring over 400 acres valued at a total of $32.1 million. The Lake Charlotte acquisition, at approximately $4.5 million, is the Fund’s single largest purchase to conserve greenspace in the City of Atlanta to date. Revolving fund support from both the Blank Foundation and the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation were critical in its success.

This also represents a significant commitment by the City of Atlanta in the One Million Trees Initiative, launched by Trees Atlanta in partnership with nine other Atlanta non-profits. This single acquisition will add over 60,000 trees towards the goal of saving one million trees in the Atlanta metro area.

When the acquisition is completed in early summer, the City of Atlanta Parks Department will work on a plan for security, public access and stewardship of this unique forest. It will also work with the community and other stakeholders to plan for future greenspace amenities like nature trails. Groups like The Nature Conservancy and Park Pride will work to engage the surrounding communities in this development process to ensure an equitable outcome for the preserve’s usage. Once completed, the City of Atlanta’s Department of Parks & Recreation will manage and maintain the nature preserve as a city park.