Video of trees initiatives in Atlanta

A presentation from Dr. Rosemary Cox, 11/12/2013, Lorax Lesson: Preserving Atlanta's Urban Tree Canopy.

Some interesting information. Covers The Lorax, tree plantings, invasives, native plants, Atlanta initiatives, etc.

Forecasting accuracy!

As you may recall, in the Park Pride Visioning sessions in 2012 to discuss the impact of connected trails through Morningside Lenox Park, neighbors identified several sources of potential negative consequences. Research was prepared around all of those issues and brought to the Visioning Sessions for discussion. The principle areas of predicted negative impact were Ecosystems, Environment, Quality of Life, and Safety.

With regard to safety, the research we found indicated that increased trails were associated with increased crime and that a primary mechanism for this increase was via permeability. Permeability has to do with the degree to which a neighborhood is easily accessible to non-residents as well as the volume of non-residents circulating in the neighborhood in any given time period. The higher the volume of non-neighbor circulation in the neighborhood and the greater the number of points of ingress and egress to a neighborhood, the higher the associated crime rates. More trails means more permeability.

Based on that research we forecast that any established residential areas opened up via new trails would experience an increase in crime. We made this forecast in the Park Pride sessions and in presentations to the City, to DeKalb County and to the MLPA.

South Fork Conservancy rejected all research predicting negative impacts on ecosystems, environment, quality of life, and crime (safety?), indicating that they would proceed with building connected trails regardless of neighborhood concerns and research evidence.

The one geographical location where South Fork did not receive strong pushback was at the confluence area around the western end of Lindridge Martin Manor where it abuts I-85. Using mitigation funding from the Department of Transportation, South Fork Conservancy built two trails in the confluence area, adjacent to the Lindridge Martin Manor neighborhood.

It now appears that there has been a sharp spike in rates of crime in Lindridge Martin Manor subsequent to the opening of the new trails, a spike that exceeds the crime levels in surrounding neighborhoods. This issue is now in front of APD’s Zone 2 to try and figure out how to address. There are no ready and apparent solutions.

It is regrettable that neighbors in Lindridge Martin Manor are bearing these difficult consequences. We advocated many times to Park Pride, to South Fork Conservancy, to the City Department of Parks, and to DeKalb County that all decisions around trails ought to be guided, not by good intentions and persuasive advocacy, but by evidence-based decision-making. It was such an approach that led us to forecast that there would be an increase in crime wherever the trails might be built. The subsequent crime increase at Lindridge Martin Manor validates our evidence-based approach. Our research and forecasts were accurate. We must continue to bring these facts to the attention of decision-makers to ensure that other neighborhoods do not bear similar consequences as a result of connected trails.

Question about any ecological or environmental benefits to heirloom plants

We have native plants and invasives. Native plants almost always have a superior beneficial impact on the local environment and ecosystem in terms of food for urban wildlife, diversity of life, reduced water consumption and water runoff, etc. Separate from the native versus invasives distinction, I wonder whether there is any observable urban wildlife benefit between contemporary pants versus heirloom plants. I have heard of heirloom apples, potatoes, tomatoes, and roses and I am sure there are many other forms. In fact, I saw heirloom tomatoes in the local grocery store just the other day. In my brief reading on heirloom plants, while there is acknowledgement of the benefits arising from their fitness for local circumstances based on their evolutionary history, I am not seeing any discussion about whether there is a environmental or ecological benefit. I assume that heirloom plants may put less stress on the environment by being more resilient in the face of weather variation and may require less water but I wonder if that is correct. Anybody know?

It takes a forest: How intown development puts Atlanta’s tree canopy at risk

It takes a forest: How intown development puts Atlanta’s tree canopy at risk by Layla Bellows.

Within the 133 square miles that constitute the city proper, this is no trick of the eye. The tree canopy covers almost half of the city—47.9 percent to be precise—according to an assessment released in 2014 by the Atlanta Tree Conservation Commission and Georgia Tech. Using satellite imagery to determine coverage down to the neighborhood level, the researchers confirmed that Atlanta has the country’s densest urban tree canopy. Without an oceanfront or mountain chain or broad river flowing through downtown, Atlanta’s most distinctive natural feature is its trees. Despite stringent ordinances aimed at protecting those trees, our canopy faces a paradoxical new threat: renewed interest in urban living. Population growth within the city and a surge in denser development may represent eco-friendly shifts from Atlanta’s car-centric sprawl, but those trends are paired with infill development that puts trees—especially older, taller “overstory” trees that form the canopy—at risk and reduces space to plant replacements. - See more at: http://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/it-takes-a-forest-how-intown-development-puts-atlantas-tree-canopy-at-risk/#sthash.4Zmps3dS.PAjaRDGi.dpuf

Read the whole thing.

Morningside trail development funding removed from City budget

A couple of months ago, we became aware that there were two requests for funding included in the City budgeting process, both related to trail development (through public and private properties) in northern Morningside. One request was for a million dollars and the other was an open-ended request. These apparently were long standing requests for funding. Given the overwhelming public opposition in Morningside Lenox Park to these proposed trails, expressed in Park Pride's Visioning process in 2012, we were surprised and alarmed.

We immediately went through the MLPA to get those funding requests removed from the City budgeting process. But having been unaware that those requests had been out there for some years, we were concerned that perhaps other funding requests might be lurking in the darker corners of the budgeting process, and in particular, concerned that requests might have been included in the finalized list of projects to be covered by the recently passed public infrastructure maintenance bond.

We now have confirmation from our City Councilman, Alex Wan, that there are no funds anywhere in the City budget for development of trails in Morningside Lenox Park. He also advised that he is aware of the community opposition and that the issue remains on his radar screen.

Deer in our midst

No this is not from out in the countryside. This is City of Atlanta, Morningside Lenox Park. The primary deer herd in our neighborhood resides in Zonolite but they migrate up and downstream for food and can be seen in backyards along the riparian corridors , in Johnson-Taylor Nature Preserve and in Morningside Nature Preserve. A trail construction group have been active in Zonolite this spring and the disruption appears to have unsettled the herd. Sadly, two stags were struck and killed on our neighborhood roads in the timeframe when path work was being done.

We continue working to contain the public infrastructure development which threatens our remaining greenspaces and urban wildlife and are making some progress. It is hard to estimate the size of the herd but based on various reports from around the neighborhood, I am guessing there are at least a half dozen deer in our midst and possibly more.

This picture was taken by a neighbor from their back porch, Spring 2015.

Click to enlarge

Urban wildlife means . . .

Perhaps we need to update our street signage.

Sally, out for her morning walk with Daisy, approached Johnson Road from Beech Valley. Out of the corner of her eye she saw an animal cavorting in a neighbor's yard. As she turned to observe more closely, it walked out of the yard and casually crossed the street. Not a cat, dog, fox or coyote. She turned to a fellow pedestrian, also watching. "Was that an otter?" A slow nod of the head accompanied by a look of disbelief.