Yay Atlanta!!

In May 2018, the City of Atlanta launched its first urban ecology study. This effort will evaluate and inventory the City’s natural environs, including rivers and creeks, forest and tree canopy, ridges and watersheds, public and private green spaces, and other features that encompass and define the City’s existing landscape. The Urban Ecology Framework will identify what natural features are unique to the City of Atlanta, how ecosystems or habitats can be restored, and which policies promote development aligned with those features and systems. This inventory will be used to define a better future condition for the natural environment, including high-level recommendations about future green spaces, green connections, and green policies. This work represents the implementation of the Atlanta City Design value Nature, which aims to improve and accentuate Atlanta’s authentic character in a way that can accommodate a much larger population.

The Urban Ecology Framework (UEF) is being led by the Department of City Planning with involvement and cross-collaboration from other City Departments, such as Departments of Watershed Management and Parks and Recreation, as well as Partner organizations like Trees Atlanta and Park Pride. The consultant team, led by Biohabitats, Inc, is facilitating an ecological assessment to be followed by an evaluation of the Tree Preservation Ordinance (TPO).