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BeltLine Arboretum Natural Neighborhood Series West Connection

What is the Atlanta BeltLine and Arboretum?

The Atlanta BeltLine is being implemented to connect 45 Atlanta neighborhoods and 40 city parks with transit, trails, greenspace, and new development along 22 miles of historic rail segments that encircle the city’s urban core. The BeltLine is attracting and organizing some of the region’s future growth around transit, trails, and parks, helping to change the pattern of regional sprawl and leading Exploring YOUR to a vibrant and livable Atlanta with an enhanced quality of life. The Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum is an outdoor, living tree museum following the path of the BeltLine around Atlanta’s city center. The BeltLine Arboretum will include planting and care of fourteen unique tree Natural Neighborhood collections; provide educational programming to all neighborhoods and constituents; and serve as a corridor of scientific research and education. The first section of BeltLine Arboretum is open in Atlanta’s What is Unique About West End; the balance will be built over the next twenty years. The BeltLine Arboretum will be a success when everyone in Atlanta can the West Connection identify their neighborhood by the trees that surround them, and therefore understand the value of trees in an urban environment. Natural Neighborhood ? www.beltline.org West Connection The West Connection natural neighborhood is Symbolic situated near numerous colleges, universities and Atlanta Audubon Society Trees Atlanta schools—Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse, Atlanta Audubon Society is the region’s Trees Atlanta is a nationally Morris Brown, Spellman and Washington High Brown primary education and conservation group recognized citizens group dedicated School—that make this area special to Atlanta. It is The Brown Thrasher, rufum, has a special place to protecting and improving dedicated to . Educational programs, a core center of connection for Atlanta’s citizens to in ’s heart. In 1970 it was officially adopted as the Atlanta’s urban forest by planting, state’s bird. conservation initiatives and community the important teaching and research efforts of these outreach are at the heart of the organization. conserving and educating. Trees in urban areas provide a number of This special thrasher is a large, rusty brown bird with white institutions. Neighborhoods in the West Connection Atlanta Audubon provides the community economic, health and social benefits and are essential for clean air, underparts with heavy black streaking and a distinctive with important educational opportunities storm water management, erosion control, noise absorption, bird area include Hunter Hills, Washington Park, Mozley yellow eye that helps separate it from the . including field trips, workshops, the exclusive and wildlife , and more. Since 1985, Trees Atlanta has planted Park, Westview, West End, Ashview Heights and Males and females look alike. The Brown Thrasher is one of the mimic birds that can mimic the calls of other birds. It has Master Birder Program, birding camps for young people and and distributed 75,000 trees. Trees Atlanta programs include Harris Chiles. a very extensive song list and usually repeats its songs in scholarship programs. Individuals and communities are engaged in NeighborWoods, volunteer-based planting and care of trees 6-10 sets of two notes instead of the three notes of the Northern feet tall; Large Trees, planting and care of trees 10-15 feet tall; Forest This special natural neighborhood not only provides unique ways to directly impact the conservation of birds. Atlanta . Audubon’s conservation work focuses on “Creating, Promoting Restoration, a program that teaches citizens about the problems trails and an important tree canopy (see “What are It is extremely secretive and Preserving Bird-Friendly Habitat,” and includes overseeing the of invasive species and how to evaluate, manage and improve the Benefits of the Trees in My Neighborhood?” community green spaces; Neighborhood Arboreta, a program that and most likely got Georgia Important Bird Areas program, monitoring eastern hemlock inside), but it gives birds and wildlife suitable green its name from how it places identifying markers next to neighborhood trees along with trees to combat the hemlock woolly adelgid in the North Georgia space to thrive and flourish. Spring and fall migrant forages for food. The Mountains, managing the Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary Certification a self-guided walking tour map of the area; and Education, offering species of birds will rest and refuel here before Brown Thrasher uses its program, and serving as the steward for a 183-acre wildlife programming year round to teach citizens about the importance of long curved bill to thrash sanctuary. Protecting the birds that we love is the most important trees. Trees Atlanta does not just plant trees…we plant communities. traveling on. Birds and other wildlife that make leaves and debris out thing we do. www.atlantaaudubon.org www.treesatlanta.org this area their home year-round will also benefit of the way hoping to from the West Connection natural neighborhood. uncover its primary diet Answers: Wildlife in Your Neighborhood About the Photos of . It will also eat You will find many common birds here including 1. Eastern Gray Squirrel (often raids the nests of many types Cover: and other small of birds) Luna Moth, Monarch Caterpillar, and Northern Cardinals, Cedar Waxwings, Red-headed . 2. Virginia Opossum (nocturnal and North America’s only Blue Grosbeak by Dan Vickers; Bald Cypress by Steve Sanchez Woodpeckers and Northern . Other The breeding season marsupial—mammals of which the females have a pouch) Inside Left Panel: wildlife might include deer, foxes, beavers, squirrels, for the Brown Thrasher 3. Green Tree (females can lay up to 400 in shallow Sassafrass and Eastern Red Cedar by Steve Sanchez; chipmunks, raccoons, opossums, along with various begins in late March and water) Squirrel, Eastern Chipmunk, and Raccoon by Dan Vickers; the bird will usually have types of and . Deer have even Brown Thrasher by Dan Vickers 4. Eastern Chipmunk (its diet consists of grains, nuts, birds’ eggs, Green Tree Frog by Darlene Moore between two and six eggs. small , fungi, worms and insects) Design by Laura Woods been seen nearby in Westview Cemetery. How do The cup-shaped nest is constructed out of twigs, dead leaves 5. Raccoon (walking on all four feet with an arch in its back deer affect other and the local ecology? and other grasses. This species is also an aggressive defender of its nest. In the past, farmers believed that the breeding of and non-retractable claws, it uses the whole sole of the foot Take a walk at different times of the day and “heel to toe” as it walks, like humans) the Brown Thrasher was a signal of the arrival of spring and a This publication is made possible observe wildlife and how they share your natural sign to begin planting crops. The Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum Natural Neighborhood Series was written and through the generous support of: neighborhood. produced by Atlanta Audubon Society, 2009. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. West Connection Symbolic Trees What are the Benefits of the The Importance of Green Space: What Do the Birds and Wildlife in Trees in My Neighborhood? What Can YOU Do Your Neighborhood Need to Thrive? Sassafras to Make a Difference? Trees perform environmental, social, and Sassafras, Sassafras albidum, with Food economic services that directly benefit thick, grey to brown deeply- Birds and wildlife need suitable green space to Feeders and plantings that offer , flowers, furrowed bark, can grow 30 to 60 people and wildlife living in urban areas. thrive and flourish. In the last 20 years, much and berries for wildlife feet tall. This tree produces fantastic They include: of metro-Atlanta’s natural tree cover (important • Feeders placed near your home will give you fall leaf color in willow, mitten or many hours of enjoyment. Feeders also provide habitat for bird and wildlife species) has been 3 lobed shapes, and has a round, • Improving air quality relief to birds during winter weather. Food can blue , attractive to birds. This replaced with concrete and asphalt. Habitat also come from trees and plants that produce • Removing chemical pollutants in the ground, tree is found in upland and bottom- loss and sprawl have devastated what was once fruit and seeds. water and air land forests, forming thickets in Atlanta’s rich heritage of urban green spaces and abandoned fields. • Reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in is the biggest culprit for the decline of bird and Water Birdbaths, water gardens, or natural features with the atmosphere wildlife species. Birds like the Brown Thrasher, flowing water Common Grackle and are Eastern Red Cedar • Water is essential. Water sources can be natural • Cooling urban areas by providing shade and impacted by the loss of green space. They lose In early America, the Eastern Red (like a stream) or man-made (birdbaths). retaining moisture Cedar, Juniperus virginiana, probably important nesting sites and areas to feed. This also • Always provide clean water, replacing it in your formed extensive groves, sometimes • Assisting in energy conservation as trees intercept greatly affects migrating birds that no longer have birdbaths regularly to avoid disease. excluding almost all other trees. radiant heat and block the wind important sites to rest and eat. Pieces of these groves can still be Shelter found in parts of eastern Tennessee • Securing or increasing water supplies by Active nesting areas or shelters that attract and and Kentucky, where the tree recharging our watersheds protect birds and other wildlife reaches a height of 100 feet. Today, • Shelter is needed to protect birds and wildlife its wood is primarily used in the • Increasing biodiversity by providing for a from inclement weather and from predators. making of mothproof chests and diverse population of birds, mammals and insects Always try to keep your indoors, if possible. closets. Its fruit is actually a blue Four million birds are killed each day by cone prized by people for making • Helping with noise reduction by acting as an (both domestic and feral). gin, but more importantly, effective buffer to screen-out urban noises it a source of food for wildlife. Nesting Sites • Reducing erosion and soil loss Bird boxes, natural cavities, or wood piles and You can make a difference for birds and wildlife vine tangles • Providing a valuable source of both human food Get Educated! Get Involved! in your own backyard. Finding ways to provide • You can provide many types of nesting sites, and feed for urban households from piles of sticks to dense shrubs. Also, if you food, water, shelter, and nesting sites for Making a difference for Georgia’s environment, including have a dead tree and it isn’t a safety hazard for • Calming and slowing traffic breeding and raising young are critical. You may its birds and wildlife, means becoming educated about people or property, consider letting it stand. It can provide important nesting sites for many what is happening in your special neighborhood, in your think that your yard will not make a difference • Reducing the extremes of flooding and drought types of wildlife. state, across the country and around the world. in the larger scheme of things, but you can help Making a difference in the world begins with just • Increasing property values and promoting provide important individual corridors of vital one person…YOU ! community pride green space for birds and wildlife. Consider, for instance, planting trees with Trees Atlanta (www. treesatlanta.org ) or certifying your own backyard, Wildlife in Your Neighborhood as a wildlife sanctuary (visit www.atlantaaudubon. Did You Know? Here are just a few of the many amazing creatures you can find in your neighborhood. org for more details). When requirements are Birds at a feeder will often throw many seeds on the Can you name them? Have you seen them in your natural neighborhood and do you know where they live? met, homeowners receive a sign stating that their ground. While birds may unintentionally drop seeds, property is registered as a “wildlife sanctuary” more often they are dropping them on purpose because a is too large or the shell of the seed is too hard. with Atlanta Audubon Society. Creating a wildlife In addition, some birds, such as Northern Cardinals, sanctuary in your backyard is an important way to with their heavy-duty , have trouble opening conserve and protect our environment. softer or smaller seeds and, hence, will drop them.

Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum Natural Neighborhood Series West Connection