The Sandy Springs Conservancy has invested more than $1 million in the community to provide educational, technical, and financial support to create more than 100 acres of parks throughout the city.
The Conservancy was founded in 2001 before Sandy Springs’ incorporation as a city. Its purpose is sustaining and expanding greenspace amenities in the community to improve the quality of life for present and future generations, a spokesperson said.
The Conservancy’s mission is to create, conserve, and connect parks, trails, and green space in Sandy Springs. It supports opportunities to create, preserve, enhance, plan, and implement parks and usable green space amenities and make them accessible to the community. Trails provide access to the amenities and encourage outdoor activity, which increases health and wellness.
By building partnerships, bringing stakeholders together, and providing funding for greenspace projects, the non-profit organization achieves its mission, according to the spokesperson.
To encourage community involvement in neighborhood sustainability initiatives, the Conservancy’s Micro Project program provides grants to residents, Scouts, and other volunteer groups for green space improvement projects.
Restorations to the Sandy Springs Library Reading Garden have been among projects undertaken with collaborative partners. The Conservancy supports the city in creating a new park, Old Riverside Park in northern Sandy Springs along the Chattahoochee River.
Joining with stakeholders, the conservancy is working to help implement the Sandy Springs Springway. This trail master plan calls for 31 miles of paved pedestrian and bicycle paths throughout the city, connecting neighborhoods, workplaces, parks, and river amenities to trail networks in other communities. The conservancy creates educational and recreational opportunities with its Trail Blazers guided walk program. Participants explore parks in Sandy Springs and neighboring communities. Other educational opportunities include speaking engagements and the annual Thought Leaders Dinner.
For more information about the organization, visit sandyspringsconservancy.org.
