Atlanta Has Always Been Famous For Its Trees
by Alan Toney
I was priviledged to grow up in Atlanta during the 1950s, and I can remember when you could look out across the city and see buildings that looked planted in a vast woodland. The city seemed carefully placed inside a mature forest containing many trees that were sometimes 4 to 5 feet in diameter. In summer their canopies towered over homes and streets hiding most human activity until fall when, in an explosion of color, their leaves fell by the millions exposing the city to the winter sky.
I used to sneak out of our house on warm summer nights just to walk the quiet streets of my neighborhood. The houses, with new TV sets glowing inside them, seemed secondary to the trees that sheltered us from the heat and pollution of the famous and well-traveled Peachtree Road, that was just two blocks away. I would lay on my back in our front yard and look up into the massive branches. I had never heard the words "old growth" or "eco-system", but I knew the trees allowed many living things to co-exist with humans. In the dark I could glimpse those secret residents of our neighborhood. Bats, flying squirrels, opossums, and raccoons moved about, wile all around me the fresh night air was filled with sweet forest smells. Further off I could hear insects, owls, and tree frogs; I felt blessed to live in such a place.
This was about the same time that the first great assault on Atlanta's trees was being planned. The City wanted expressways, and much of the layout for its superhighway system was adjusted to go through the most inexpensive land available. In those days that usually translated into black neighborhoods and forested lots.
Today, developers are systematically destroying the last remnants of forest around town. Citizen's groups and environmentalists have fought back by passing laws that protect neighborhoods, trees, and stream buffers. While these efforts have helped, that great economic engine called development has fought back. Developers are wealthy and powerful and they usually get what they want in this town. Right now, they want to scrape the earth bare and pipe any stream that gets in their way. Their focus is on short-term profits and our political leaders seem willing to follow them down this short-sighted path.
We keep hearing that livability is what will keep a city prosperous in the new millenium. Companies locate their corporate campuses in comfortable places with pleasing environments. It helps them attract the best and brightest employees available. The Atlanta of my youth was one of those places, but today, the whole metro Atlanta region seems intent maximizing growth at all cost. I think we all realize that something beautiful is being lost, but I wonder if we realize that we may be tarnishing our economic future as well.
Last updated: 20 Sep 00