A COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION STRATEGY FOR GEORGIA GREENWAYS

In 1976 the State of Georgia published the Environmental Corridor Stud y (K. Dawson, W. Munnikhuysen and R. Roark, 1976. Georgia Environmenta l Corridor Study. Office of Planning and Research, Dept. Natural Resou rces, Atlanta, GA). The study is a survey of greenway potential, focus ing on a statewide interconnected system. The study process combined i ntrinsic values (natural resources, environmental quality and aestheti cs) with extrinsic values (human use, accessibility, market demand and land use) and endangeredness to provide priorities for greenway conse rvation. In coordination with a unique program titled Heritage Trust, initiated by then-Governor Jimmy Carter to explore conservation easeme nts, zoning and direct acquisition, the corridor study became recogniz ed as an excellent source of information for greenway implementation. Under Heritage Trust, over 40 000 ha of land were acquired. The curren t governor, Zell Miller, established Preservation 2000, a program whic h is continuing the work of Heritage Trust for the 1990s. To quote fro m the recent Preservation 2000 brochure (H. Young, 1993. Preservation 2000 Program: Summary of Program and Progress. Dept. Natural Resources , Atlanta, GA). 'By the end of 1994, the state will acquire [an additi onal 40 000 hectares] of natural areas, parks, greenways and other wil d lands.' The State of Georgia has also updated the corridor study in the Georgia Trails and Greenways Plan (A. Soriano, 1992. Georgia Trail s and Greenways Plan. Dept. Natural Resources, Atlanta, GA), which pro vides technical assistance to local communities on issues of greenway planning including outdoor recreation planning process, land and water conservation programs, management issues and agency action plans. Uni que to all of the planning and acquisition programs has been the hypot hesis that, when site nominations are made for conservation purchase o n a statewide basis irrespective of greenways, most priority conservat ion areas are found to be within greenway boundaries. This is certainl y due to the substantial conservation potential of greenways. Of Herit age Trust nominations, 90% were within greenway corridors. This percen tage has increased to 93% with the Preservation 2000 program. Greenway s are increasing rapidly in importance as an overall conservation stra tegy in many areas throughout the world.