In 2005, the City of Atlanta was losing 500 acres of open space each week to development. Historically, the city has had one of the nation’s lowest percentages of park space per capita.  But The Conservation Fund is working to change that thanks to support from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.

The foundation hired TCF to perform a rapid assessment of the city’s green space, and shortly after gave us a grant to establish a revolving fund to acquire high priority parklands that could be transferred to the city for long-term stewardship. For nearly a decade, we’ve worked parcel by parcel in Atlanta to build a greener city.

Based on our open space assessment, we’ve completed acquisitions for new parks in the Buckhead neighborhood and in Southwest Atlanta. We’re also working in underserved communities near downtown Atlanta to add needed green space.  This green space will not only improve public health by providing open space for recreation, it has the additional goals of stormwater flood mitigation, economic development and improved water quality.

“We can help a community figure out what its goals and priorities are,” said Will Allen, director of strategic conservation at TCF. “Once they do, implementing an interconnected network of parks and open spaces becomes a shared vision where everyone in the community can benefit.”