We’re excited to introduce you to Piedmont Park Conservancy our nonprofit partner fighting to preserve greenspaces in our community! Their mission is to enhance and preserve Piedmont Park as a vital, urban green space, and as a cultural and recreational resource that enriches the quality of life for all Atlantans.

Read more about Piedmont Park in our interview below!

Can you share some impact stats or comments about the work being done by your organization? 

During 2023, we had 2834 volunteers give back to the Park by dedicating 9551 hours of their time. Our volunteers helped support Green Market, lead history tours, collect litter throughout the Park, spread mulch in high-traffic areas, remove overgrown vegetation, and so much more! Piedmont Park would not be the same if it were not for our fantastic volunteers.

What’s the history of your organization? How and why did it get started?

Since 1989, the Piedmont Park Conservancy has dedicated itself to preserving, protecting, and enhancing Piedmont Park for all Atlantans. Operating under a collaborative agreement with the City of Atlanta, the Conservancy has raised and contributed more than $110M to restore the park and build and maintain new features. In addition, the Conservancy offers a wide range of programs to visitors of all ages and backgrounds and with the help of thousands of volunteers annually, serves as the park's primary steward and keeper.

What kind of programming do you offer to the community? 

We provide volunteer opportunities, guided history tours, EnviroVentures Camp, venue rentals, Green Market, field trip programs, and a rotation of seasonal events (such as swim-in movies, biking club, and canning classes). In addition, we oversee the Active Oval, dog parks, and the pool. Check out all of our programs at https://piedmontpark.org/programs/

What’s your biggest highlight or success from the past year?

We are beyond proud of the number of volunteers and hours served in the Park, which are back to where they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the area along the south side of Lake Clara Meer was cleared out so well by volunteers that you can now see straight across the Lake, which previously had no visibility.

How many volunteers do you need every month, and can you describe the experience of serving with your organization for the volunteer? What do they do? What’s a day in the life as a volunteer with your organization?

The number of volunteers we need/have the capacity for varies with the season. We can always use volunteers to help collect litter no matter the season because people visit the Park year-round. These are very relaxed opportunities where folks can walk around the Park and help keep it beautiful.

Our conservation/beautification projects adjust for the seasons. In the spring, we spread mulch, lay pine straw, and clean out flower beds. All of this is in preparation for our busy season. In the fall, volunteers help remove overgrown vegetation, aid in managing all the leaves, and prepare the Park for winter. We strive to be in tune with the needs of the Park and work hard to have volunteers do projects that serve its best interests.

What types of projects do you offer? What are your biggest projects available, and needs from volunteers? Tell us about a few different offerings.

We have individual opportunities where folks can sign up as they are available to give back. Folks can choose from opportunities such as Pick Up & Pitch In, conservation/beautification projects, leading history tours or any other offerings as they are needed in the Park.

We can also have group volunteer projects. These are a great chance for your team/club/company to give back, connect, and be in nature. For these types of opportunities, it is recommended to contact Loren Lownes at llownes@piedmontpark.org.

What do volunteers love about working with your organization?

Volunteers love a chance to be outside (especially if the weather is nice) and see the impact they are making. Whether that be seeing all the weeds they remove, all the litter collected, the flowers planted, or tour patrons enjoying learning about the Park, our volunteers can see how they make the Park a better place for all Atlantans.

What’s going to be happening with your organization in 2024 that you’re really excited about?

We are celebrating our 35th Anniversary in 2024, and to mark this milestone, the Conservancy will undertake an ambitious and comprehensive park master planning initiative starting this spring. Our plan will center on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to add new acreage and green space to the park, ensuring it remains a local and regional treasure for decades to come.

In addition, we will undertake $2.5M in park enhancements to better our park for now and the future, including park beautifications, infrastructure improvements, and new park amenities.

As we commit to the park’s care in our next 35 years (and beyond), we will create an operating reserve fund to provide a solid underpinning and sure-footedness for the Conservancy. Finally, we will launch a public awareness campaign to build additional support for our work. We are excited to be celebrating 35 years of caring for the park we all love.

Let’s leave our readers with a list of ways they can jump in and get involved. Tell us how we can support you!

There are so many ways folks can jump in and help us celebrate 35 years of the Conservancy! The best way place to learn more about Piedmont Park Conservancy, our happenings, and how to get involved is to check out our website, https://piedmontpark.org/

Volunteer through Hands On Atlanta with Piedmont Park Conservancy!