Morningside Nature Preserve, Natural sanctuary in Morningside neighborhood, Atlanta, United States.
Morningside Nature Preserve is a 33.1-acre municipal nature reserve in Atlanta's Morningside/Lenox Park neighborhood, bisected by the South Fork of Peachtree Creek. About two miles of unpaved multi-use trails run through the woodland, with a large wooden suspension bridge completed in October 2010 linking the eastern and western networks.
In the late 1990s a developer bought the tract, then called Wildwood Urban Forest, and proposed clear-cutting it for a subdivision. In 1999 residents Rochelle Routman and Susan Robinson formed the Wildwood Urban Forest Committee and partnered with The Nature Conservancy to negotiate a buyout. About 600 households raised $150,000, matched by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and $300,000 from the Georgia Greenspace Fund; the City of Atlanta added $1,336,125 in park impact funds, and the purchase was approved on January 31, 2001. The site was renamed Morningside Nature Preserve in 2006.
The sandy banks of South Fork Peachtree Creek serve as an informal gathering spot where residents bring their dogs to play and swim. The waterside has become a natural meeting place for the neighborhood community.
Access to the preserve is available through two main entrances located on Wellbourne Road or near the Georgia Power Substation on Lenox Road. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear and be prepared for uneven terrain and natural obstacles.
A wooden suspension bridge crosses South Fork Peachtree Creek and links the eastern and western trail networks of the preserve. This structure offers visitors a different perspective on the forest and waterway as they travel through.
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