The Kirkwood Urban Forest Preserve has added two acres to its site tucked in the heart of the bustling intown neighborhood.
The new land, along Dearborn Street just off of busy Memorial Drive, increases the size of the urban forest to 10 acres. Importantly, the two acres gives the “secret garden,” as the Kirkwood Urban Forest Preserve is often called, valuable street frontage, making it more accessible to the public.
“We wanted street frontage so people would know that something was here — signage doesn’t always do it,” said Earl Williamson, chair of the Kirkwood Neighbors Organization‘s environmental committee, following a Feb. 24 dedication ceremony for the urban forest’s expansion.
Justin Cutler, commissioner of Atlanta’s Department of Parks and Recreation, said the city and The Conservation Fund worked together to acquire the two acres where single-family, dilapidated houses once stood. The Conservation Fund purchased the property last year for just over $2 million, according to DeKalb County property records.
“This is a strategic acquisition, preserving canopy, preserving natural areas and bringing more vibrancy to the neighborhood and to the overall ecosystem of Atlanta,” Cutler said Feb. 24.
“We’re always looking for property acquisitions that either bring parks and spaces to parts of our community that don’t have access, or properties that enhance existing access by creating a new entry point or a new access point,” Cutler said.
The urban forest is located within residential neighborhoods along, Dixie, Clay and Dearborn streets. Its upkeep is done entirely by volunteers with the Friends of Kirkwood Urban Forest and the environmental committee of the Kirkwood Neighbors Organization.
The Kirkwood Neighbors Organization has been seeking to acquire the property for about 20 years, when the urban forest was first created. The green space, which includes walking trails, a community…
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