Across Atlanta, neighborhoods are recognizing the value and necessity of green spaces as wildlife havens and sanctuaries that benefit human health and well-being.
Even with public parks and the splendid Atlanta Beltline, more green space is needed. But with metro Atlanta’s explosive growth, open land for more natural spaces is rapidly dwindling. It’s a major reason why community groups and residents are trying to latch onto any swath of greenery that can help their neighborhoods connect to nature.
Such swaths are what Michael Halicki calls “spaces in between” — undeveloped tracts that weren’t of great interest when many of Atlanta’s neighborhoods were first being built decades ago. “Those areas are now getting a second look as natural spaces that benefit urban ecology and provide places for contemplation and reflection,” says Halicki, the executive director of Park Pride Atlanta.
Many of the preserves are owned by communities and managed by boards made up of local residents. They may get some help from local governments, but volunteers do most of the work. Funding often comes from fundraisers, grants and donations.
For many of the refuges, the emphasis now is on native plants and animals to restore ecological integrity.
One such place is a 7-acre stretch of greenery owned by the Tapestry Homeowners Association in the Ormewood Park neighborhood in southeast Atlanta. Located along Stockade Creek, the Tapestry tract was deeded to the group in the late 1980s for one dollar by a developer. After a city sewer project ripped up the property in 2005-2007, appalled residents vowed to restore its natural serenity and ecological health.
With funding and help from a variety of sources, a peaceful meadow was restored and is now lush with native grasses. A trail winds through a wooded area of several massive trees. Another path runs by a certified wetland and by the creek — where we saw a migrating solitary sandpiper during a walk last week.
IN THE SKY: From David Dundee, Tellus Science Museum astronomer: The Lyrid meteor shower will peak on Wednesday night and Thursday morning at about 15 meteors per hour in the northeast.
The moon will be first quarter Monday night. Mars is low in the southwest at dark and sets in the west a few hours later. Jupiter and Saturn rise in the east just after midnight.
Charles Seabrook can be reached at charles.seabrook@yahoo.com.
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