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Background information on the Wildwood Urban Forest - Sunday, February 23, 2003

The Wildwood Urban Forest refers to an informal designation of approximately 65.97 acres of land that is 5 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta.  In 2001, after an overwhelming community effort, 31.35 acres were saved from development and purchased by the City of Atlanta for $1.85 million.  This smaller parcel of land is bordered by Wellbourne Drive and residential properties on the west, and Wildwood Road on the south.  It is south of Cheshire Bridge Road.  It is a wooded, mature canopy that is undeveloped and contains uplands and floodplains.  This mixed habitat makes it unique for an urban environment.  The floodplain is drainage for the South Fork of Peachtree Creek, a major tributary of the Chattahoochee River. The remaining four parcels that comprise the 66 acres are adjacent to the northern end of this parcel and extend north and east; one of the parcels is part of the proposed Georgia Power site.  These four parcels also contain significant floodplain for the Creek. Because of the Creek, the parcels are part of the Greenway Acquisition Project.

The City of Atlanta Greenway Acquisition Project (GAP) is a $25 million effort to protect targeted streamside areas in perpetuity.  This effort is in connection with the settlement of an enforcement action taken against the City by the EPA, EPD, the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper Fund, the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, and W. Robert Hancock, Jr.  The project will acquire streamside buffer areas to protect the streamside areas from development and to provide a vegetated filter for surface runoff.  The overall intent is to protect water quality by reducing erosion and nonpoint source pollution.  Potential parcels for acquisition are evaluated and given a ranking of Priority 1, 2, or 3.  Priority 1 parcels are the first to be considered for acquisition because of their suitability for fulfilling the purposes of the GAP.  The City has hired a consultant, USI, to implement the GAP plan and negotiate with willing landowners for purchase of their land.

Currently, the City of Atlanta and The Wildwood Urban Forest Steering Committee are working to develop a Master Plan for the 31-acre parcel owned by the City.  The Steering Committee members are residents of the neighborhood with expertise in architecture, landscape architecture, native plants, planning, fund raising, marketing and management.  This group of volunteers is addressing the many issues associated with the design and management of the parcel so that it meets the needs of the community and satisfies the requirements of the City.  One of the important issues is the future acquisition of the remaining parcels for the 66 acres. All of these are listed as Priority 1 acquisition parcels in the GAP plan.  Currently the consultants are looking at possible agreements on three of the four parcels.  These negotiations may be impacted by the Georgia Power substation project.  The substation project is in conflict with the environmental purposes of the GAP especially for water quality protection.  There is concern that the substation has the potential to release toxic materials into the soils and surface water.

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