Experience Nature in Northwest Atlanta

September 11

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Atlanta Audubon Society’s ninth annual Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary Tour, which includes the Trinity Church campus, will be Saturday, September 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In spite of many years of growth and development, the neighborhoods of Northwest Atlanta have retained lush and diverse landscapes, large lots and rolling topography. The Atlanta Audubon Society’s 2010 Wildlife Sanctuary Tour on September 11 will highlight three private residential gardens in Sandy Springs and Buckhead, the Blue Heron Nature Preserve on Roswell Road, and the grounds of Trinity Presbyterian Church.

Having undergone careful evaluation and inspection by the Atlanta Audubon Society, all of the properties are certified as backyard wildlife sanctuaries. Each reflects the owner’s tastes and interests while providing a nurturing environment for birds and other wild creatures through a focus on native plants.

Some features of these sanctuaries include a garden with a pond and waterfall, a Japanese garden, a pasture with horses bordering Nancy Creek, outdoor “rooms,” a nature trail, drought-tolerant planting, a woodland garden, unusual trees and shrubs, and preserved wetlands.

In addition, a book signing will be held from 10 a.m. until noon at the Blue Heron Nature Preserve on Roswell Road, site #3. Charles Seabrook of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Cumberland Island: Strong Women, Wild Horses) and John Yow (The Armchair Birder), both nature writers, will be available for signing their books. There will also be children’s activities at noon and refreshments at this site.

Brochures are available at the kiosk located at the entrance to Williams Hall. Information is available at the Atlanta Audubon Society website: www.atlantaaudubon.org. Ticket prices are $12 in advance, $15 on the day of the tour. Children accompanied by adults are free. For more information, see the Sustainability Committee bulletin board opposite Trinity’s Media Center.
Plan now to spend a wonderful Saturday out of doors, and to enjoy and learn from these wildlife sanctuary sites.