New Phase Ready for New Director

News Release                       April 30, 2015                        Questions?  404-213-0127

      CONSERVANCY ENTERS NEW PHASE, SEEKS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR  

            The South Fork Conservancy needs help with an ambitious plan to link intown Peachtree Creek tributaries to Emory University via low-impact trails. Three separate trails are nearing completion, and a plan to connect them at the headwaters of Peachtree Creek near Buckhead and the BeltLine is underway.

            "We are calling our next phase The Confluence Trails, at the headwaters of Peachtree Creek beneath I-85 and Georgia 400 near Lindbergh Drive," explains South Fork Board Chair Bob Kerr.

              "Now we need a confluence of supporters to make the Confluence Trail a reality. The South Fork's success in our first five years showed us the demand for more connected low impact trails. We need to add staff to make our vision of connecting people to the creeks come true," Kerr said.  "Our founding Executive Director Sally Sears wants to return to the board to raise the funds to complete this important project.  We need to hire her successor with experience in non-profits and building projects."  South Fork Board member Anthony Powers with Intown Ace Hardware on Scott Boulevard is leading the board's search committee.

                Successful trail building and creek restoration includes the 12 acre DeKalb County Zonolite Park, near Briarcliff Road, and the half mile Cheshire Farm Trail between Cheshire Bridge Road and Lindbergh Drive.  These projects required comprehensive partnerships with federal, state and local governments, plus Trees Atlanta, Park Pride, the Kendeda Fund, the Million Mile Greenway and US Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

            The Cheshire Farm Trail cost a million dollars from Georgia Road and Toll Authority funds, and partnerships with the Lindridge Martin Manor Neighborhood Association and the Lindbergh LaVista Corridor Coalition.

            For more information, and maps and directions to the new trails, go to the website at www.SouthForkConservancy.org.  Inquiries may be sent to sally@southforkconservancy.org.

The Creek Rose!

The Creek Rising Party introduced new friends to the trails and meadows.

The South Fork's Creek Rising, our annual fund raiser, gleaned twice the dollars as last year for trail building, maintenance and operations. Plus it was fun for double as many friends.  Dave Kaufman, right, approaches Bob Kerr, center, and Park Pride's Ayanna Williams as they enjoy the trail to the creek at Zonolite Park.                      Photo Tricia Francisco

March 2015 Headwater Highlights

Time To Party with the Creek Rising

It's PARTY time! Spring means the Creek is Rising. Our annual friend and fund-raiser is Thursday, April 16, from 5-8 p.m. at Zonolite Park. 

Find beauty on the banks at Creek Rising Party. Perhaps a mushroom quiche? Or a sip of Bog Water?

Tickets are limited, so reserve yours now.  Click Here for a fast purchase. 

Party chair Debra Edelson is promising Klezmer Cajun music as we explore the creek trails with food, drink and fun. 

New signposts point to the Creek  

US Fish and Wildlife scientist Kevin Lowry inspects the new posts with South Fork Board Chair Bob Kerr, right.

DeKalb County's Parks and Rec crews used skill and muscle to build new trail signposts at Zonolite Park in late March. Sign panels coming soon  will hold maps, information about the creek and  remind trail users of the contaminated dirt removed from the floodplain to restore these creekside 12 acres.  

The unique sign posts feature a colorful chevron on cedar wood; long-lasting, and reminiscent of centuries of Indian life here.  They have gaps between the cedar, allowing visitors to see through the posts to others approaching.

Emory launches Earth Month 

Honoring the Earth at Emory began March 31 with a foodie fest and a scavenger hunt. South Fork's Diane Ryu set maps and stories in front of thousands of students changing classes... and perhaps changing the earth!

Science Festival Second Year Scores

South Fork's not just nature,  you know. Last year, as a founding exhibitor for the Atlanta Science Festival, we gave tours of the creek to dozens of unbelieving Atlantans. They barely knew the creeks and all this ecology was even here.
This second year of support for the Atlanta Science Festival brought volunteer Science Festival enthusiasts to join Tom Tomaka, in plaid on the right, replanting and inspecting our native chestnut orchard.

Boy Scouts build, install bird houses at Confluence

Ashton Edmeades enlisted Robert Weimar left, Zode Compton on the ground and Alex Langan, right.  

When you next walk the Confluence trails, look for the ten new bird houses hiding along the creek. Ashton says "All ten birdhouses were constructed  from long lasting Cypress wood that will age to a silvery grey over time. After consulting on appropriate birdhouses for the area with Ms. Joy Carter, President of the Atlanta Audubon Society, we built and installed five Bluebird Houses and five Wren Houses. These houses accommodate Bluebirds, Carolina and House Wrens, Chickadees, and Tufted Titmice." For more, click here! 

How can we make our creek banks grow?

We can trust Home Depot's garden guru Marty Harris, with Eileen Clarr, to come up with great ideas for plants for perilous places. They invited South Fork's Martha Hall and Dorothy Sussman to promote trails at the Lindbergh Home Depot Garden Kickoff day March 21. About a million people saw our maps & promised help.