Southern Conservation Trust is celebrating 20 years of providing land protection in the community. This includes both conservation of our natural resources, wildlife and their habitats, in addition to providing public nature areas for your enjoyment and recreation in the Southern Crescent of Metro Atlanta. They will host an open house party to celebrate the land protection project’s past, present and future at the Trust’s gazebo office (192 McIntosh Trail in Peachtree City) on Sunday, Jan. 27 from 2-5 p.m.
You won’t want to miss our special program on Antarctica at 3 p.m. Scott Rowland will share his pictorial and humorous adventures in this unforgiving, coldest, driest, windiest continent on the face of the earth.
Southern Conservation Trust (the Trust) was established in 1993 by Fayette County residents eager to conserve greenspace as our community developed. The Trust’s mission is to conserve land to enhance the quality of life in our community for today’s and future generations.
The Trust currently owns, manages, and permanently conserves more than 1,600 acres for recreation, water quality protection, wildlife habitat and environmental education. We are the only community land trust focused on protecting farms, woodlands and environmentally sensitive land in Metro Atlanta’s Southern Crescent and the Upper Flint and Middle Chattahoochee River basins.
Southern Conservation Trust’s portfolio encompasses public and private preserves and conservation easements. Fayette County public preserves include Line Creek and Flat Creek Nature Areas, Sams Lake Sanctuary, and Morgan Grove Nature Area. Sams Lake is a restored wetland that has matured beautifully into an excellent habitat for migrating birds. Morgan Grove, the Trust’s newest nature area, is a perfect reforestation demonstration project.
These four preserves, and three additional private preserves, represent more than 800 acres. The Trust also holds six conservation easements that permanently protect another 500 acres of private farmland, forests and wetlands from development in Fayette, South Fulton, Meriwether and Clayton counties. The Trust established a partnership with Chattahoochee Hill Country Conservancy in 2006 to hold conservation easements in rural South Fulton integral to Georgia’s first Transfer of Development Rights program. We have also recently completed a park management agreement with the City of Fayetteville to develop a 308 acre passive nature area in the heart of Fayette County.
The Trust provides passive recreation to more than 30,000 residents annually. By managing our public preserves, we ensure families, adults and the greater community may enjoy the wonder and relaxation of nature walks, the excitement of cooling off in the protected waters of Line Creek or creating lasting memories of a family picnic, fishing or seeing an animal one might not normally encounter.
Environmental education is also an important part of the Trust’s community stewardship and is an emerging priority to the community at large. The Trust hosts community workshops and nature programs that promote land conservation and encourage understanding and stewardship of our natural resources. In 2013, we will launch a nature camp for children ages 6 to 12.
Providing opportunities for our community to engage and connect with nature is solely supported through contributed revenue including private and corporate support and multiple grants. Community support is vital to the Trust’s continued efforts to impact our community and ensure future generations inherit a thriving, sustainable greater community.
Plan to stop by to see our history, learn about current projects, hear about important issues affecting our community, enjoy refreshments and meet our board members, staff and volunteers. Please RSVP to info@sctlandtrust.org .
