On April 25, 2017, the Lullwater Conservation Garden was officially designated as a "Dedicated Forest" and inducted into the Old Growth Forest Network. It joins several other forests in Dekalb County also designated as part of the network, including: Fernbank Forest; Frazer Forest; and Deepdene Park. They each represent the remaining fragments of the original forest that covered what is now Dekalb County. Only a fraction of this country’s original forests remain standing today: 5% in the West and 1% in the East.
“A unique classification, the criteria for old-growth or original forest certification is trees that are 150-200 years old or older, uneven-aged trees, unusually high diversity of tree species, and native plant communities, especially ‘indicator’ species whose seeds never travel far from the mother plant -- such as Trillium, Bloodroot, Hepatica, and the Wild Gingers. Lullwater Conservation Garden has all four characteristics.”
The Conservation Garden is home to several trees that have been designated by Trees Atlanta as Atlanta Champion Trees, including two Silverbell Trees, a Tuliptree and a Blackgum Tree.
About The Lullwater Conservation Garden: The Lullwater Garden Club was founded on June 28, 1928 by a group of young women in the Druid Hills neighborhood. The Lullwater Conservation Garden is a six and one-half acre tract of land, which has been maintained by the Lullwater Garden Cub since 1931. Today, a rustic stone entrance welcomes visitors to enjoy our bird sanctuary, wildflower refuge, memorial garden, stone benches, and natural paths. The Garden is a serene "green belt" bordering a busy city. Open to the public, it is an all-encompassing project that involves all facets of garden work.
About the Old Growth Forrest Network: Joan Maloof, Professor Emeritus at Salisbury University, founded the Old-Growth Forest Network in 2007 to preserve, protect and promote the country's few remaining stands of old-growth forest. The preservation of unique and beautiful tracts of land as National Parks is often called America’s Best Idea. Now it is our turn to ensure that future generations can experience native forests in their mature diversity and complexity, in the communities where they are still found throughout the US. To learn more visit: http://www.oldgrowthforest.net/
