Blue Heron Nature Preserve

Conservation: as an ecological treasure filled with woodlands, wetlands, riparian creek areas over 30-acres, a meadow, Blue Heron Nature Preserve is committed to tap the beauty and wonder of our greenspace regionally as a dynamic outdoor classroom and research hub for metropolitan atlanta and beyond. In 2022, we started a partnership with Georgia tech and the city of atlanta to leverage the use of drone and apps for our ongoing tree canopy work. Our native plant garden has grown in size and appreciation with the help of volunteers. In total, over xxx volunteers from corporate and university groups donated xxx hours for social distancing trail cleanups and removal of invasive plants. We are excited to present the findings of our tree canopy study at the largest parks and greenspace conference in the southeast in march 2023.

Public art:2022 witnessed the blossoming of our nature-themed art programs. A record 11 visual artists and 3 performing artists from the atlanta region and the southeast participated in our art of Nature outdoor art exhibition, curated by the Blue Heron artist-in-residence. The fertile ground exhibition and partnership with zucot gallery and atlanta public schools (aps) expanded appreciation of the natural beauty of our Preserve to 70 aps art educators and 150 aps students. Art lovers were also feted with three exhibitions from emerging and established artists from atlanta to dallas, Texas. Our arts program stands out as one of the few community-based nonprofit organizations to provide free, environmental arts programs in the southeast.

Education: Blue Heron Nature Preserve, Inc. Enhanced the quality and reach of our environmental education programs in 2022. Understanding that our curriculum should be dynamic like our 30-acre greenspace, Blue Heron educators complemented our reggio emilia curriculum with art activities for the 930 students and families in our summer and school break camps, scout programs, and after school programs, and counselor-in-training programs. Through partnerships with organizations serving underserved families, we were honored to inspire children and adults of diverse backgrounds about the Nature beauty at our 30-acre Preserve and the greenspaces in their communities.

Partnerships:reflecting the importance of partnerships to established our organization in 2000, Blue Heron Nature Preserve, Inc. Understands the power of partnerships to advance conservation, environmental education, and nature-inspired arts in atlanta and beyond. We initiated partnerships with greening youth foundation for environmental education outreach programs, trees atlanta for critical tree plantings along our stream buffer, and Georgia tech and the city of atlanta for our tree canopy work. Honoring our founders role as an atlanta public school (aps) educator, our longstanding aps partnership deepened from the fertile ground initiative with zucot gallery. Partnerships with corporate and civic partners helped us to beautify and enhance the environmental health of our greenspace. Working with respected partners on impactful initiatives in 2022 positions Blue Heron Nature Preserve, Inc. well for a successful 2023.

Blueway trail: with the addition of railing and boardwalk to our 3-mile earth-friendly blueway trail in 2020, Blue Heron Nature Preserve took advantage of this improved access to the Preserve to develop well-received public programming in 2022. We resumed year-round environmental education programs and outreach programs at our city of atlanta park for children in surrounding neighborhoods and beyond. Our organization launched volunteer saturdays to promote exploration and environmental stewardship in the spaces adjoining the blueway trail. These initiatives were complemented with our fertile ground partnership with atlanta public schools and zucot gallery, partnership with the greening youth foundation to serve unrepresented youths, the art of Nature outdoor exhibition, and august health and wellness programs.