Advocacy Platform
& Initiatives

Conserve Atlanta’s greenspaces, the native habitats within them, and the ecological networks they comprise.

Grow the City’s capacity to maintain its existing inventory of public parks, greenspaces and trails (including the Atlanta BeltLine).

Sustainably and equitably improve and expand Atlanta’s network of public parks, greenspaces and trails.

Park Pride is committed to ensuring that greenspace issues are prominent topics in the upcoming elections for Atlanta’s next mayor and City Council president. On July 13th, 2017, Park Pride (along with several nonprofit partners) hosted the Mayoral Forum on Greenspace. Nearly 400 greenspace enthusiasts attended to hear the candidates discuss their views on parks, trees, trails and watersheds, and what the future of Atlanta’s environment might look like under each potential administration. See the links below for full coverage of this effort:

• Video of Mayoral Forum on Greenspace
• Saporta Report: Mayoral candidates talk equity, vie for green vote, at Downtown forum 
• Mayoral written responses to greenspace policy questionnaire

Park Pride advocates for increased funding for park operations and maintenance in the City of Atlanta. In May of each budget cycle, we call on our most passionate park advocates to join us at City of Atlanta Council meetings to show support for an increased budget. Check Park Pride’s calendar for the dates/times/locations of budget hearings at Atlanta City Hall and other advocacy initiatives.

Park Pride supports the development of a greenspace plan for parks that prioritizes connectivity. Current planning efforts we currently engage in include the Citywide Design Project, the Westside Future Fund’s Plan Westside initiative, and the City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation’s comprehensive park planning effort.

Park Pride encourages residents to become a voice for their own parks by joining or starting a Friends of the Park group. Friends groups and members are also invited to monthly Park Meetings where  community leaders and park advocates from throughout Atlanta for education, networking and strategy.

With the goal of conserving Georgia’s precious natural resources – its people, jobs, land and water – through a sustainable source of funding for land and water conservation, The Georgia Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy, Trust for Public Land, Georgia Wildlife Federation, The Conservation Fund and Park Pride joined forces in 2010 as a coalition advocating for dedicated conservation funding.

Our state currently lacks a dedicated funding mechanism for the conservation for priority lands, the stewardship of state parks and wildlife management areas, and the support of local parks and preserves – the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act (GOSA) seeks to change that. Governor Nathan Deal signed the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act (HB 332) into law at the State Capitol in May 2017. Now *YOU* have the opportunity to vote during the November General Election ballot to dedicate a portion of existing sales tax on outdoor recreation equipment to the conservation of waters, lands, and wildlife.Read more.