The Sierra Club's Position Statement for the Preservation of the Johnson Ferry North Unit

Including Hyde Farm of the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area as a Limited Access Area

Approved by Centennial Group Sierra Club Excom

Confirmed by the Georgia Chapter Conservation Committee

Members of the Centennial Group of the Georgia Sierra Club have been very actively involved for over four years in procuring and funding Hyde Farm and preserving it as a living exhibit of farming and for the environmental protection of the surrounding park land. The intent is to use it heavily as a 'hands on' teaching tool for school children throughout the metro area. The farm also has the potential to become a farm cooperative to help defray operating costs. It is currently being farmed by a caretaker retained by Cobb County who had already worked with Mr. Hyde.

It is, however, unacceptable that the farm be connected to the NPS Johnson Ferry North Unit by way of mountain bike trails, a pedestrian/bike bridge across the Chattahoochee River into Sandy Springs and a 10' wide compacted gravel road. The proposed plans additionally call for 5 steel bridges across creeks feeding into the Chattahoochee for vehicles and mountain bikes leading from the Sandy Springs Bridge to Johnson Ferry Road. We strongly oppose this plan as it would destroy one of the last remaining semi-wild and environmentally sensitive areas in metro Atlanta. The foot trails, as they exist today, can simply be improved by adding 2 small wooden bridges across the 2 largest creeks which would complete the hiking trails that exist today going from Johnson Ferry Road to Morgan Falls and Hyde Farm. This is the least intrusive way to protect this uniquely pristine park section and expand access to Morgan Falls.

No matter what anyone says, completion of the project as proposed will bring mountain bikes and other vehicles into the park and with it destruction of foot trails, as they exist today, in the valley and the hills in and around Hyde Farm. In addition, the diverse wildlife will be driven out forever and the abundant flora trampled.

The Sierra Club is not against bikes and we suggest connecting existing bike lanes up Johnson Ferry Road to Mt. Bethel and from there to the recently approved trails along Lower Roswell Road and into Fulton County and Roswell. If the section of Johnson Ferry Road/Abernathy Road now under construction would also have bike lanes another loop from Roswell via Sandy Springs into Cobb County could be completed. There is no need to destroy one of the last almost pristine valleys along the Chattahoochee River that is enjoyed by hikers and nature lovers who often come with their families and pets.