As you may know, Southern Conservation Trust (SCT) is a nonprofit organization committed to conserving our land and natural resources, promoting healthy outdoor recreation and providing environmental education for our community. As a nonprofit, community support and volunteer efforts are what make our nature areas special as well as our community’s quality of life unique.
SCT volunteers and partner businesses are now developing SCT’s fifth public nature area. The Ridge Nature Area is a 308-acre multi-use public park within the Fayetteville city limits and centrally located in the heart of Fayette County.
The Ridge will include 6 miles of pedestrian and multi-use biking trails, restrooms, picnic shelters, outdoor classrooms, and eventually a nature center and community gardens. The most unique feature, and a first for Fayette County, will be a 7.5 mile paddling trail on Whitewater Creek.
To date most of the trails have been blazed thanks to many community volunteers and Boy and Girl Scout projects. More than 1027 volunteer hours with a value of $27,000 in the last one and one-half years have gone into these efforts. Additionally, an ongoing Eastern Box Turtle research project engages students from Fayette high schools and Clayton State University.
Unfortunately over the past couple of months there has been significant damage done to the trails and wildlife habitats by ATV, MTX bikes and hunters on The Ridge. ATVs and motorized vehicles are prohibited within the city of Fayetteville parks, and cause considerable surface and trail damage.
ATV riders may not be aware they are prohibited from this area, so if you see them and they stop to talk, please be courteous and let them know that they are in a new recreation area with ordinances that prohibit motorized vehicles and hunting. You can also call 911 and report any violations.
Human safety is of upmost importance and we regularly have students, researchers, and volunteers within the nature area as they complete their dedicated activities. Volunteers have heard shooting, which puts everyone on site at risk. Again this is prohibited within the city limits.
The specific Fayetteville City Codes are: Sec. 62-3 — Discharge of firearms and other dangerous weapons; and Sec. 82-264 — Prohibited users of recreation paths and city sidewalks.
Full code language is available on the city of Fayetteville’s website at www.fayetteville-ga.gov/.
If you or anyone you know has disobeyed these city ordinances, we ask that you stop or take note of the vehicles and report this illegal activity to the police. We need your help to stop this damage to our creeks, trails and habitats. We want to keep everyone safe and avoid any life changing accidents.
Our plan is to open the park to the public late this spring or early summer unless the damage continues and the work is extended to accommodate the needed restoration of damaged areas.
For more information, to volunteer or to help fund the park, visit our website at www.sctlandtrust.org or send a request to [email protected].
Southern Conservation Trust promotes sustainable outdoor recreation practices in the management of five local public parks and preserves. SCT works diligently to develop public awareness of appropriate outdoor practices including the principles of Leave No Trace and Tread Lightly!
The Leave What You Find principle encourages a sense of discovery for others by leaving land, creeks, rocks, plants, archaeological artifacts and other objects of interest as you find them. Please help us keep our volunteers and natural assets safe.
Pam Young, Executive Director
Tami Morris, Board Chair
Southern Conservation Trust
Peachtree City, Ga.
