The luncheon keynote presentation by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects (Charlottesville, VA) will cover “Working Landscapes: Urban and Rural Parkland Solutions from Around the Globe.” Hear how parks and greenspace will influence the future of our urban and rural spaces, including public health, economic growth and re-invigorating distressed communities.  Plus, a full day of speakers & presentations covering how parks & greenspaces are bridging to the future. You can view the updated schedule online.

Registration is only $104, including parking! Register for the Parks and Greenspace Conference now!

New for the 2011 event! Brief on-site tours of Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Botanical Garden are also being offered during concurrent sessions at the conference.  More details under events on Park Pride’s website.

Park Pride works tirelessly to increase Atlanta’s parks and greenspace through education, volunteerism, and community engagement. They’re also working hand-in-hand with the Atlanta BeltLine on the Adopt the Atlanta BeltLine program in order to get people directly involved in creating and protecting this ring of linear parks (another nonprofit I’m pretty excited about, as you probably know).

Now, maybe I’ll get a smart phone for Christmas so I can go check in at REI…

Come enjoy the sights and sounds of nature on an autumn evening at Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve’s eleventh annual Harvest Celebration on Saturday, November 6, from 4-8 pm. The mission of South Peachtree Creek Nature Preserves, Inc. is to preserve and promote Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve (CSNP), and its native wildlife and plants for the enjoyment and education of the community.

Bring the family to enjoy food, music, crafts, nature walks, and a warm campfire with your neighbors. Children can hunt for pumpkins and create crafts, while the adults can enjoy a home composting system demonstration and other displays.

A donation of $5 is requested to support the programs at the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve, a 501 © 3 nonprofit volunteer-run organization. Children 3 and under are admitted free.

The Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve is located at 2580 Pine Bluff Drive, Decatur, Georgia, 30033 in the Medlock neighborhood of North Decatur.

For further information or to volunteer, visit the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve website, send an email request to information@cshepherdpreserve.org or leave a voice mail message at 678.951.0105.

Here are more details on how to nominate someone for the Cox Conserves Heroes award:

Nominations are being accepted through August 20 at 5:00 p.m. To nominate an individual, visit www.wsbtv.com/community. (Eligible nominees cannot receive financial compensation for their conservation work.)

Following the nomination stage, the Cox Conserves Judging Circle, a group of local environmental and civic leaders, will select five finalists. The winning Hero, chosen by an online public vote, will be awarded $5,000 to donate to the environmental nonprofit of his or her choice. The four finalists will each receive $1,250 to donate to their nonprofits of choice.

Atlanta’s 2010 Cox Conserves Heroes Timeline:

• July 19 – August 20: Call for Nominations – Nominations accepted online. To nominate an individual, visit www.wsbtv.com/community.
• October 11 – November 8: Cast Your Vote – Videos of the finalists are posted and the public votes.
• Mid-November: Winner Announcement – Atlanta’s 2010 Cox Conserves Hero will be revealed.

This is the second year for Atlanta’s Cox Conserves Heroes program. Don Wells – an advocate for conserving and enjoying the open spaces of the North Georgia Mountains – was named Atlanta’s 2009 Cox Conserves Hero. As Wells’ environmental nonprofit of choice, Mountain Stewards received $5,000 that was used to build new public trails and connect students with nature through outdoor classrooms. The 2009 finalists were Angelou Ezeilo, Evonne Blythers, Doug Williams and R.R. Harris.

The Cox Conserves Heroes program was created through a partnership between The Trust for Public Land and Cox Enterprises, the parent company of Channel 2 WSB-TV, to honor everyday conservationists. The program also runs in New Orleans, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle. For more information, visit www.CoxConservesHeroes.com or find us on Facebook.

Here is the update I received from my Laurel Ridge yahoo group:

The county has officially selected a contractor for construction to improve the day-use area of Mason Mill Park (30033). The construction costs, not to exceed $2.1 million, will be funded by the county parks bond.

The improvements include a full-scale play area, new dog park, relocated parking spaces, and improved storm water management. The day-use construction is the first phase of a $7 million master plan for the entire park. To see the plans for the day-use area and the entire park, see links at the bottom. The plans reflect the consensus of county citizens at five public meetings from September 2008 to February 2010.

In conjunction with the day-use renovations, PATH has contracted for a path over the railroad tracks in Mason Mill Park in order to connect that park to Medlock Park.

I try to attend the Mason Mill meetings whenever possible, so I’ll be sure to keep you updated as I find out more.

To check out Mason Mill Park, visit 1340 McConnell Drive, Decatur 30033-3539. To stroll in the woods, continue on McConnell until it deadends into a gravel parking lot, where you can follow a walking trail into the woods, across the railroad tracks, across Burnt Fork Creek, and into the woods.

• When: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 from 6 – 9 p.m.
• Where: SweetWater Brewery at 195 Ottley Drive Atlanta, GA 30324
• How much: $21 (prices go up to $30 after June 14th)
• Sign me up: click here to RSVP

You can also view the PDF invite here. I’ll be out there and I’d love to meet you, so come out and say hi!

You can read more about Park Pride and their mission to green Atlanta on their website: www.parkpride.org. And become a fan on facebook at: www.facebook.com/parkpride!

But enough of my pessimism, the plans to redevelop the “day use area” of Mason Mill Park show great promise. The day use area includes the current tennis courts, dog park, and fitness circle at the end of McConnell Drive (see a map here). This area seems to be the main focus for now (so I will save my energy for fighting to save the woods later) and I like the incorporation of more features while not losing the heart of the park’s value with the tennis courts and senior community center.  With playgrounds, picnic shelters, refurbished buildings, a community garden, water quality pond, a trail to the new library, and grassy, pervious surface parking lots, the new features have potential to revitalize the park.

Click the image for a detailed view of plan one for the Mason Mill Park day use area!

And click the image here for a detailed view of the second proposed plan for the Mason Mill Park redevelopment!

Want to weigh in your two cents? DeKalb Parks and Recreation is holding the next public information meeting regarding the redevelopment of Mason Mill Park next month.

• What: a public information meeting regarding Mason Mill Park redevelopment plans
• When: Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.
• Where: Avis G. Williams / Toco Hill Library at 1282 McConnell Drive, Decatur, 30033 (map it!)
• Who: DeKalb County Parks and Recreation Department and our Decatur neighbors in the surrounding communities
• For more information, contact Revonda Moody, Project Manager, at 404-687-3708.

Atlanta community garden Artichoke Bliss is putting down roots in this vacant lot near the corner of Edgewood and Boulevard Avenues (with great downtown Atlanta views!). This was week six of the project on Saturday, December 19, 2009.

Actually, the words “underground” and “experiment” don’t really accurately describe what’s developing in an empty lot on Edgewood Avenue in Atlanta’s historic Old Fourth Ward District. This young, urban garden is actively growing in broad daylight. Thanks to a small army of local volunteers that come out every Saturday afternoon to help build raised garden beds, mulch paths, and build benches, this patch of dirt is taking shape. So what’s the story behind this urban garden project? First of all, the garden’s name is Artichoke Bliss. Second, Artichoke Bliss is the brain child of Angel Poventud and Haylee Richardson with the support of Eli Dickerson.

After frequenting Dynamic Dish next door (a small restaurant which feature local farms and a platinum LEED-certified building), the vacant lot captured their imagination and the vision to transform it into a usable space. They set to work with shovels and mulch piles which in turn piqued the curiosity of the neighbors who came out to see what was going on. Angel and Haylee established a regular meeting time of 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. every Saturday for volunteers to come together and create their own community garden. On the Saturday that I joined Angel and Robby (of Trees Atlanta) for a quick lunch at Dynamic Dish and an overview of Artichoke Bliss, nearly one dozen volunteers were hard at work. That may not seem like much, but for a community garden that’s only six weeks old, that’s not too bad!

Of course, locals have raised the question of who the land actually belongs to and Angel has done his research. The space used to be an old parking lot belonging to historic Ebeneezer Church down the block, but has since become overgrown. Contact with administrators at Ebeneezer was met with little interest or no response. Even a slightly miffed neighbor and congregation member who came out to make it clear the lot belonged to Ebeneezer was met with little reaction from the church. She has since been converted into an Artichoke Bliss fan and embraces the positive impact for the community.

If you get the chance, stop by and check out the progress! Or grab a shovel on Saturday afternoons. You can also find out more on Angel’s facebook page or Eli’s blog where they are both very active in keeping everyone up-to-date. You can also see more photos and get volunteer information by becoming a fan of Artichoke Bliss on facebook!

And while you’re in the area, be sure to check out the Historic Fourth Ward Park taking shape along the Atlanta BeltLine! The park runs south from below City Hall East and you can walk that section of the BeltLine path, which is open to the public.

View of Arabia Mountain near Lithonia in DeKalb County. You can bring the whole family and bike or walk along the PATH, which leads through woods, over streams, across fields, and, of course, alongside Arabia Mountain, where you can explore its granite geology. (photo courtesy of DeKalb Parks, Bond, and Greenspace Program)

In metro Atlanta, many of us are aware of our severe lack of parks (trees, too), and next Thursday, December 10th, the DeKalb County Parks, Bond, and Greenspace office will host a forum to give the public the latest from the county greenspace program.

The county has used bond money to buy and improve land for parks and recreation, acquiring more than 3,000 acres since 2001, according to the office of county CEO Burrell Ellis.

• What: Officials will discuss DeKalb County’s greenspace program
• When: 6:30 p.m. on December 10, 2009
• Where: The Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Dr. in Decatur

For more information, call the county Parks Bond and Greenspace Office at 404-371-2082 and visit their website here!

Music will be provided by Allen, Vinton, and Godfrey, a vocal trio inspired by the full pallet of American music, from classic jazz, country and blues to contemporary indie rock, r&b and alternative folk. Fusing these elements seamlessly into rich musical statements, the singers make powerfully emotional and intimate declarations about twenty-first century life. Their arrangements incorporate deep conversations between piano and guitar that complement the poignant content of their lyrics. A donation of $4 is requested to support the programs at the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization. Children 3 and under are admitted free.

DIRECTIONS: Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve is located in Medlock neighborhood of North Decatur. Take Medlock Road from Scott Boulevard north to Medlock Elementary School. Turn right onto Wood Trail Lane and follow to the Preserve entrance.

For information, send an email message to information@cshepherdpreserve.org, leave a detailed message at 678-951-0105, or visit http://www.cshepherdpreserve.org.

October 3rd is Hands on Atlanta Day, so you can click here to volunteer for projects all over Atlanta!

Morningside Parks is continuing its Engraved Brick Fundraiser for an environmentally-friendly playscape / play structure at Sidney Marcus Park that is suitable and safe for infants and toddlers. Each individual gift of $75 will purchase an engraved brick to be placed on the Sidney Marcus playground plaza. Please visit www.morningsideparks.org to learn more about MPC, to join, and to download a Brick Order Form. Please mail in your Brick Order Form and $75 check by October 31, 2009.

The Morningside Parks Commission offers fundraising services for the improvement and maintenance of the first-class parks, trails, and green spaces of the Morningside/Lenox Park neighborhood, as well as to provide a cohesive vehicle for communication with respect to their management.

Thanks!
The Morningside Parks Commission, Inc. Team

www.morningsideparks.org |  po box 8683  |  atlanta georgia 31106  |  a nonprofit organization

* Please also connect with MPC via its blog and Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn pages.

• There’s a lot more under-the-breath swearing that goes on while trail running…
• The scenery while trail running is usually amazing! Even though you don’t necessarily get to see that much of it since you’re concentrating on every step…
• I’m okay with a run / hike combination on trails whereas when running, my ego doesn’t often let me run / walk, which makes trail running more enjoyable. (I would venture to say I feel less competitive on trails, but we’ll see after my first trail race…)
• You’re a little more likely to sprain your ankle running on trails versus roads.
• When trail running, I hit my squirrel zone earlier. If you’ve ever run with me before, you’ve probably heard me talk about the squirrel zone. It’s the point you reach while running where your mind and body are so tired that you can’t be trusted with logical decisions. Poor judgment prevails and it would be in your best interest to have someone looking out for you (so you don’t cross roads into oncoming traffic, etc.). On streets, this usually hits around mile 18-20, but on trails, I’ve found it happens in the early teens. This is due, in part, to the constant mindfulness of every single step as well as the dappled sunlight – which sounds romantic, but actually kind-of messes with your eyes as you keep running in and out of shaded leafy patterns.
• Trail running should be easier on your body since you’re not pounding pavement, however, we’re still trying to figure out if we end up more sore from trail running than road running. Last weekend, after 15 miles in Blue Ridge, I was pretty sore, but I hadn’t really been before that. We’ll see after today’s run – perhaps it’s just that you’re using more muscles and in different ways when you’re on trails?…
• You don’t usually get a view like this when running on roads:

Taking a break by Sweetwater Creek after running for a few hours

• If you’re lucky, you get to do this after a trail run:

Why not lie down in the river and cool off? You can't do that on streets!

When I started out this morning, I took the blue trail to the white trail loop (5 miles) and then did that same loop in reverse. Following that, I cut back through the parking lot by the interpretative center, and headed out to the yellow trail loop (3 miles) to do that twice. Several months ago, Zack and I did the blue-white loop and I loved it because parts of it were pretty technically challenging (roots, stumps, boulders, etc.) and enjoyed it just as much this time (except for the never-ending hill halfway through the white trail, but even that wasn’t as bad as I remembered it). Then it was pretty straightforward, open trail back to the parking lot. The part where the trail runs through the woods on the soft ground is a pleasant change of pace. Both trails follow along the river for sections and have hilly parts for your running enjoyment. When it came to the latter legs of my workout, perhaps I should have done a better evaluation before choosing to do the yellow loop second…

The yellow loop runs north of the other two and consists of a steep hill, intense enough to where I was cursing it as I was walking part of the way up and wondering how I was going to do this loop again. Of course, what goes up, must come down, and the downhill on the other side was quick and dirty. So by the time I made it back to the parking lot and coerced myself into leaving the proximity of my car and heading back out again, I had decided to do the loop backwards, which proved to be better since the hill going that way was steeper, but took less time. And all I wanted at that point was to get in the water!

On a side note, another thing to love about Sweetwater State Park is their platinum LEED certified interpretive center / visitor’s center. More to come in a separate blog post, but here is a photo of the green roof and building:

Sweetwater State Park's interpretive center is platinum LEED certified by the U.S. Green Building Council

You can also take a Green Building Tour and the upcoming dates are:

• Sunday, Sep 13, 2009 2 PM to 3:30 PM
• Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 2 PM to 3:30 PM

The cost is $5 plus $5 to park. You’ll learn about environmentally-friendly buildings, sustainability, and what sets this one apart. Please call 770.732.5871 for more information!

And if you’re a fan of Georgia’s parks, you may want to check out the Friends of Georgia State Parks website here!

Check out the Nature Conservancy's map of preserved lands and protected waters across the globe!

You can learn more about the Nature Conservancy and their initiatives on their website by clicking here! Their mission, as stated on their site, is:

“to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.”

Mason Mill and Ira B. Melton Parks, near Medlock Park in DeKalb County, make up a 130+ acre park where Burnt Fork Creek and the South Fork of the Peachtree Creek intersect

Greenspace includes parks, nature preserves and recreational centers, all of which attract residents who increase local property values, and businesses that provide jobs. Greenspace also helps the community at large by lowering crime and reducing the cost of public services such as police protection, and sewer and road maintenance. Not only does our air quality benefit, but treating drinking water also becomes easier and more affordable if we allow the waterways and surrounding ecosystems to naturally cleanse themselves. However, the need for recreational opportunities is perhaps most important for the ever more sedentary, auto-dependent Atlanta area population. The trails, bike paths, and pedestrian ways provide citizens with a much-needed athletic outlet, as well as an alternative transportation route to the traffic-ridden, hazardous roads and highways.

As of October 2007 (the most recent statistics posted on their website), DeKalb Parks Bonds and Greenspace Program has purchased 2,708 acres for a total cost of $86.72 million, which is fantastic! But we have a long way to go. So how can we get involved? Click here for volunteer opportunities to help in DeKalb parks to help maintain current parks, adopt a park, and more!

In my neighborhood near Medlock Park, we have over 130 acres of nature preserve and parks between Mason Mill Park, Ira B. Melton Park, and Medlock Park. And then there’s Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve, too – which we all have a great appreciation for! For information on volunteering with the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve in particular, check out a previous blog post by clicking here and come out and volunteer the first Saturday of each month!

Georgia Conservancy members, Georgia State Parks & historic sites need your help! Many of you have received DNR Commissioner Chris Clark’s impassioned letter about the severe cuts facing our state parks and the steps we can take to support them if you have not received the letter, you may read it here. In short, the commissioner asks Georgia residents to do three things: purchase a state park pass or become a member of the Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites, spend time as a volunteer at a state park, and enjoy our wonderful parks across the state.

Buy a Georgia state parks pass or membership

To purchase an annual State Park Pass, visit any state park or call 770.389.7401 to pay by check or credit card. For more information email Jeannene_Woodruff@dnr.state.ga.us. A Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites membership provides you with an annual State Park Pass and other money-saving benefits as well. To purchase a Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites membership, visit their Web site.

From now until the end of the year, save $10 on any Georgia Conservancy membership trip with an Annual State Parks Pass or a Friends of Georgia State Parks membership (valid one discount per household).

Volunteer

We encourage you to join us at the Georgia Conservancy service day at Sweetwater Creek State Park this Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. This will be a fun and rewarding way to give back to the place where the Georgia Conservancy held our first field trip in 1967. To RSVP and learn more, visit our event calendar.

Enjoy our state parks

On June 27, explore “Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon,” Providence Canyon. Georgia Conservancy members will hike the three-mile trail and learn about the State Wildlife Action Plan. Price: $20 per member, $45 per nonmember (includes a one-year membership), $55 per member family. To RSVP and learn more, visit our event calendar.

For more information on how you can help preserve our state parks, visit www.preserveourstateparks.org.

Tribble Mill Park in Lawrenceville

• What: National Trails Day sponsired by the American Hiking Society and REI
• When: Saturday, June 6th, 2009 at 9 .m.
• Where: Tribble Mill Park in Lawrenceville
• Registration: Only if volunteering, please register with djessee@rei.com with location in subject line. If you have questions, please contact Jamie Fergerson at jferger@rei.com or 404.633.6508.
• Cost: Free

This year we’re partnering with Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation, the Gwinnett Parks Foundation, and the Southern Off-Road Bike Association’s Gwinnett Co. Chapter (SORBA-GATR) at their annual Trail Mix Celebration. The event will be held at the multi-purpose Tribble Mill Park near Lawrenceville. Starting at 9AM we’ll need at least 40 volunteers to help with trail work (think shovels and getting dirty), and the whole day will be filled with events like hay rides, horseback tours, fun runs, rock climbing, and disc golf. The first 250 volunteers to register are guaranteed a wicking REI Volunteer T-shirt. Lunch and hydration will be provided.

Volunteers are needed to help man festival stations as well as do trail work. If you’re interested, please e-mail djessee@rei.com with your full name, phone number and T-shirt size (we have mens, womens, and child sizes) along with your preferred type of work (more strenuous trail work or easier festivity help). Also include which location you are registering for in the subject line. (Tribble Mill Volunteer, for ex.). We’ll email you with further information.

Powers Island branch of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

• What: National Trails Day sponsired by the American Hiking Society and REI
• When: Saturday, June 6th, 2009 at 9 .m.
• Where: Powers Island branch of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
• Registration: Please register online by clicking here! If you have questions, please contact Natalie at nmolnar@rei.com or 770.901.9200 ext. 204.
• Cost: Free

REI is partnering with the National Park Service and SORBA in helping to build a lasting legacy of trails, rivers, and wild lands for generations to come. Each year we participate in The American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day to help beautify the local parks and trails where we recreate. For 2009, we’ll be helping out at the Powers Island branch of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.

We will need lots of hands to cut brush, restore habitat, dig in the dirt, pull invasive plants and manuever wheelbarrows. Please wear long pants and closed toe shoes. Bring work gloves and a reusable water bottle. A wicking REI Volunteer T-shirt will be provided to the first 250 volunteers to register. Snacks and hydration will be provided. The normal parking fee will not be assessed for volunteers that day.

There will be ample work for people of all ages and abilities!

A few festival highlights to look forward to:

• Live music and recycled art from local artists
• A special brew created for the festival from Sweetwater’s Dank Tank series
• A bike valet courtesy of Atlanta Bicycle Coalition
• Green Jeopardy
• Educational events and environmental booths

The Sweetwater 420 Festival hours are 12 – 10 p.m. on Saturday, April 18th and 12:30 – 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 19th.
420 is Sweetwater’s signature brew and represents a date that conveniently falls close to Earth Week every year (among other things). If you haven’t had it before, you should.

Pen and ink illustration of the stack stone column entrance to the "Little Lullwater" park in Atlanta (illustration by Rod Pittam)

Pen and ink sketch of native plants for sale

This blog post has been getting a large amount of attention lately, which I imagine is because people are looking for fall plant sales in Atlanta. This blog pertains to plant sales that happened this past spring 2009, but you can click here for Atlanta’s fall plant sales in 2009! But please feel free to keep reading about the Lullwater Garden Club!

Every year around the third Saturday in April, the Lullwater Garden Club hosts its extensive plant sale in conjunction with the Druid Hills Tour of Homes. Consisting of everything from native plants dug up from Garden Club members’ yards to store-bought Georgia annuals, it’s an imperative stop as your Atlanta or Decatur garden starts to take root this spring!

• When: Friday & Saturday, April 17th-18th from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, 19th, 2009 from 1 – 5 p.m.
• Where: 799 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30306 in Druid Hills
• What: Tons of native annual and perennial plants for bargain prices! Including irises, lenten roses, ferns, succulents, many varieties of heirloom tomatoes, peppers, moonvines, helleborus, heirloom basil, etc.
• Why: All proceeds go to support the Lullwater Garden Club and the conservation of Lullwater Conservation Garden. So you can green your garden and help green the Lullwater garden, too! Not sure where the park is? Not to be confused with Emory’s Lullwater Park (which is also spectacular), “Little Lullwater” as we fondly call is, is located along Lullwater Road in Druid Hills, across the street from where The By Way deadends into Lullwater.
  

  Lullwater Garden Club members volunteer to staff the table to raise money for the Lullwater Conservation Garden

The Lullwater Garden Club was founded on June 28th, 1928 by two ladies from historic Druid Hills along with 24 other local women. Always philanthropic, in 1931, they adopted the project of preserving the Lullwater Conservation Garden. Here is an excerpt from the club’s history page on their website:

The Lullwater Conservation Garden is a six and one half acre tract of land, which has been maintained by the Lullwater Garden Club since 1931.  Located in historic Druid Hills, the property originally belonged to the Dan Johnson family and later to the Candler estate.  In 1964, the Lullwater Garden Club purchased the garden from Emory University for $1,500.

This garden is a beautiful stretch of natural woodland between Lullwater Parkway and Lullwater Road and bisected by Lullwater Creek.  The original landscape plan provided for the planting of more than one thousand trees, shrubs and bulbs.  A cedar tree was planted as a permanent Christmas tree for the birds.  This garden has developed into a splendid profusion of Georgia’s native trees, shrubs, flowers, and ferns.

Today, a rustic stone entrance welcomes visitors to enjoy our bird sanctuary, wildflower refuge, memorial garden, footbridges, stone benches and natural paths. The Garden is a serene “green belt” bordering a busy city. Open to the public, it is an all-encompassing project which involves all facets of garden work.

We believe that by honoring our past and by being diligent custodians of the present, we can make a difference in the future.

The wetlands and bamboo in a rare winter moment here in Decatur! (photo courtesy of the CSNP website)

Last month, I posted this blog about Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve here in Decatur and it seems a lot of folks are interested in the park! So I wanted to put up info about the next workday for the Preserve down the road from Medlock Park…

• What: Volunteer Day at Clyde Shepherd to maintain the trails, clear kudzu and invasive plant species, and beautify the park
• When: this Saturday, March 7th (and the first Saturday of every month) from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Bring this: gloves and a water bottle
• Map it!