It will take much to reverse centuries of environmental damage and make our relationship with nature sustainable and beneficial for all. This year the U.S. government published Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful, which recommends a community-led campaign to put 30% of the nation into conservation by 2030 -- a goal known as 30x30.

With 15,000 projected new residents per decade, and pressing needs of affordable housing, rewarding jobs, better public schools, and expanding infrastructure, we call for ACC to showcase how to wisely balance environmental health and economic growth. Nature, the Creation, is resilient. She will heal our environment if we give her the space she needs. What will it take?

The Shoal Creek Sanctuary on Athens’ eastside teaches us that conservation needs 1) legal protection of the land forever, without any possible future conversion of it even to other essential uses, such as housing, timber harvesting, and athletic fields; 2) land management to remove nuisance species, nurture beneficial ones, and enhance carbon capture and functions such as cleansing pollutants from our drinking water; 3) science to monitor species diversity and health, understand ecosystems and their drivers, and guide management, and 4) community involvement to help and equitably share the rewards.

We propose to conserve 24,000 acres, slightly over 30% of ACC, in a network of legacy forests and other habitats within walking access for all residents. Connecting these areas will be wildlife corridors of power line easements restored as prairies, riparian zones along rivers and creeks managed to better filter our water supply and slow stormwater runoff, and road verges planted with native wildflowers for pollinators.

30x30 must not be a government land grab. Our network should be largely private land under the legal protection and stewardship of Athens Land Trust and Oconee River Land Trust. It should include some existing government land, notably the State Botanical Garden and Sandy Creek Nature Center.

A plan costing $250 million but shared over generations through "Long-term Survival Bonds” is affordable. ACC residents could pay on average under 15 cents each per day to provide incentives for landowners to create conservation easements for 30x30, restricting development and harvesting, but allowing hunting, hiking and other recreation.

Athens, let’s show the world how to heal our environment. Please join us.

John Pickering, pick@discoverlife.org
Audrey Hughes, hughesa@clarke.k12.ga.us