A decade ago, Trees Atlanta, then directed by Marcia Bansley, took a leadership role in saving an ecological treasure, Connally Nature Park. The East Point park contains the last major stand of great white oak trees in North Georgia — including the state’s champion white oak — and rare pink lady slipper plants.
East Point had sold its only nature park to Fulton County Schools, which planned to build a much-needed school on the site. The school system planned to raze Connally’s forest and bury the park under concrete. Susan Rein and Margaret ReVille, then of East Point, raised the alarm and contacted Trees Atlanta for assistance. Marcia Bansley and Greg Levine responded immediately and worked for more than two years to save Connally.
Trees Atlanta had connections the grass-roots volunteers didn’t have. Bansley called supporters with a simple but urgent plea, “If you don’t help now, it’s over.”
Because of Trees Atlanta’s credibility, the funders listened. Laura Turner Seydel, the Turner Foundation, the Blank Foundation, the Conservation Fund and the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeepers joined the effort.
Little media attention focused on the story until an AJC opinion piece by park supporters on Labor Day weekend 1999 captured the public’s attention. Even singer Bonnie Raitt, in town for a concert, saw the piece and contacted the Turner Foundation urging support for Connally. The story was finally getting the press it deserved.
An administrative appeal was filed to revoke a state permit authorizing the piping of the stream that runs across the 15-acre property. When the administrative law judge told the parties to negotiate a solution, the school system refused to compromise. Undaunted, a group led by Abby Jordan worked to find more suitable property for the new school. Today, Hamilton E. Holmes Elementary School sits on property Jordan’s group identified.
A separate lawsuit was filed in Fulton County Superior Court to nullify East Point’s sale of the park. The city used a Jim Crow ordinance to conduct the sale behind closed doors with no public hearings. The Superior Court judge agreed with the plaintiffs at a hearing before a courtroom packed with supporters, many of whom came in a bus provided by Trees Atlanta.
Though the case lost on appeal, Fulton County Schools was under heavy public pressure and finally agreed to negotiate. Rex Boner of the Conservation Fund led the negotiations. The Turner and Blank Foundations bought the new school site and East Point bought Connally back from the school system, sweetening the pot by giving the schools a 10-year reduction in city-supplied electricity.
Many fought diligently to save Connally Nature Park, but Trees Atlanta and Marcia Bansley provided leadership critical to the success of the effort.
Trees Atlanta is celebrating Marcia Bansley’s 26 years of saving Atlanta’s trees with a fundraiser on Sept. 23. For further details, call Trees Atlanta at 404-681-4890.
Teresa Nelson lives in East Point. Reach her at neely404@bellsouth.net
About the Author
