Tapestry Greenspace

SE Trust is proud to announce the creation and filing of a perpetual Conservation Easement for Tapestry Greenspace in Fulton County, Ga. SE Trust has perpetually protected and conserved the seven-acre, historic, “hidden gem” greenspace from future development and other risks while ensuring that it remains a neighborhood greenspace. Tapestry Greenspace is in SE Atlanta within the Ormewood Park community.

In 1986 the Mansour Farm, spanned 18 kudzu-covered acres and fronted E. Confederate (now United Ave.) and Walker Avenues in Atlanta. It was purchased by FCS Urban Ministries for the purpose of building an intentional, mixed income development that embraced diversity. It was subdivided into 30 lots with smaller, volunteer-built homes interspersed among modest and larger houses. The Tapestry Community was formed as a neighborhood block association that held ownership to the seven acres of common passive green space behind the houses. There are two playgrounds with sand, slides and swings, and a Tapestry community garden. A shuffleboard court, tree house, wood benches and a woodland path were added in 2012. In 2008, Tapestry planted 120 trees on the community property after the City of Atlanta’s storm water sewer separation project was completed. Another 25 native trees were planted in 2010 and 41 more in 2012.

Successes have included:

• In 2013-14 Tapestry received a grant through the 5 Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program and, with the help of Trees Atlanta, Atlanta Audubon Society, City of Atlanta Adopt a Stream, City of Atlanta Dept. of Watershed Management, Atlanta Community Food Bank, Fulton County Master Gardeners, Cascade Springs, and Elements Landscape Architect, continued the stream bank restoration project, built bluebird and owl boxes, and offered educational opportunities to elementary and middle school students.
• Tapestry received a Love Your Block grant in May 2015 from the Atlanta Community Foundation. With this funding, Tapestry Community volunteers and Trees Atlanta summer campers planted alders as winter food source for beavers, American beautyberries for native birds and three varieties of milkweed for butterflies.
• Since 2010, Tapestry has partnered with the Atlanta Community Food Bank to provide an acre of land for the ACFB’s community garden projects at no charge. The five plots are interspersed on the community property and these garden projects benefit the following: Georgia WIC Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program, horticultural therapy for adults and children, and ACFB volunteer groups as educational opportunities.
• Entrenchment Creek and Stockade Creek are wetland areas which run through the community property. Tapestry volunteers conduct monthly chemical and biological water monitoring of Entrenchment Creek through the Georgia Adopt A Stream Program.

“We are honored to partner with the Tapestry community to conserve this historic nature preserve in the heart of the city,” said Bill Jones, founder, SE Trust. “This project has been a labor of love for the homeowners and the entire Atlanta environmental community for decades and we are honored to now have the opportunity to preserve this greenspace for generations to come.”