A Living Legacy for Future Generations

The Chattahoochee RiverLands is a generational project and will unfold and evolve over many decades. The Greenway will interpret the rich cultural and ecological history of the Chattahoochee and set up a new adaptive template that guides regional growth, conservation, and stewardship. The region holds immense cultural and historic resources that reveal centuries of human history; the RiverLands will carefully facilitate opportunities for communities and neighbors to interpret and link these sites into a spatial storytelling network that can evolve as the region grows. Signage and wayfinding will unite the RiverLands and create inviting and accessible spaces that serve the diverse population of the Metro Atlanta Region. The RiverLands will promote responsible urban development that reduces impacts to the river and encourages stewardship and engagement with ecological resources for populations young and old. The Chattahoochee RiverLands is a living legacy that will evolve and grow over multiple generations.

ANTICIPATE GROWTH AND FOSTER EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT

As the Metro Atlanta population increases, the Chattahoochee RiverLands will provide a template for future conservation efforts while preparing the region for growth. The project will propose best practices for development by bringing trails to areas suitable for growth while establishing tributary buffers and stormwater management strategies. Carefully planned parks and Greenway connection points will serve growing neighborhoods and developing new agricultural and riparian conservation lands will preserve the ecological legacy of the Chattahoochee for the next generation. With growth, comes concerns for potential displacement of historically underserved communities. The Chattahoochee RiverLands will propose tools to prevent displacement and gentrification while improving the quality of life benefits for communities along the corridor.

ORIENT AND EDUCATE THROUGH SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING

Investments in continuous legible signage and other wayfinding strategies along the RiverLands Greenway will provide multiple benefits in terms of safety and responsible use. Creative co-branding, including mile markers and trail head signage, will guide people through multiple jurisdictions while articulating an identity for the RiverLands. Environmental signage will enhance responsible use and appreciation that complement the physical route of the Greenway.

REVEAL AND CONNECT HISTORIC RESOURCES

The RiverLands will connect the large number of historic and cultural resources that line the river corridor, in a way that reveals the evolving human relationship with the Chattahoochee River. As new historic sites are inevitably identified, the trail must propose flexible strategies to accommodate, creatively interpret, and integrate these discoveries into the identity of the overall Greenway.

INTERPRET AND DESIGN LANDSCAPE CHANGE

The RiverLands is a year-round destination meant to expose people to the majesty and dynamism of the Georgia Piedmont landscape. The design will amplify the seasonal experience of the landscape and accommodate different activities year-round. Seasonally specific activities, like summer float trips, fall hawk-watches, and spring wildflower tours, are important aspects of the project. Creating educational experiences that draw people’s attention to landscape change, such as species tracking and water quality monitoring, is also critical.