PARTNERS

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GPLT has partnered with the American Battlefield Trust since 2013 to protect numerous historic battlefields in Georgia. GPLT holds conservation easements on these properties to ensure they remain in a natural state and that their historic value is protected in perpetuity. Learn more about the American Battlefield Trust (ABT). GPLT holds conservation easements on over 440 acres of Civil War battlefields in north Georgia and on 180 acres of an American Revolution battlefield.

Kettle Creek American Revolution Battlefield

In 2019, GPLT partnered with the American Battlefield Trust and Wilkes County to protect 180 acres of the Kettle Creek Battlefield. It is one of the few remaining intact Revolutionary War battlefields Georgia. While Wilkes County retains ownership of the property, GPLT holds a conservation easement to ensure that it remains in a natural state in perpetuity.

Chickamauga Civil War Battlefield

In 2013 and 2016, GPLT partnered with the Trust for Public Lands to protect more than 140 acres of the Chickamauga Battlefield. GPLT holds a conservation easement to ensure that this land remains in a natural state in perpetuity.

Rocky Face Ridge Civil War Battlefield

In 2016, GPLT partnered with the American Battlefield Trust and Whitfield County to protect over 300 acres at Rocky Face Ridge Park. While Whitfield County retains ownership of the property, GPLT holds a conservation easement to ensure that it remains in a natural state in perpetuity.

The American Chestnut is a large tree of the beech family, native to eastern North America. Before this native tree succumbed to chestnut blight—a disease caused by an Asian bark fungus—it was one of the most important forest trees throughout eastern North America and was considered the finest chestnut tree in the world.

This chestnut blight was accidentally introduced into North America on imported Asiatic Chestnut trees. It was first noticed on American Chestnut trees in what was then the New York Zoological Park, now known as the Bronx Zoo, in the borough of The Bronx, New York City, in 1904, by chief forester Hermann Merkel. Merkel estimated that by 1906, the blight had infected 98 percent of the chestnut trees in the borough. While Chinese Chestnut trees evolved with the blight and developed strong resistance, the American Chestnut had little resistance. The airborne bark fungus spread approximately 50 miles per year and, within a few decades, killed up to 4 billion American Chestnut trees, representing about one-quarter of the hardwood tree population.

In April 2012, the Georgia Piedmont Land Trust (GPLT) became a participant in the testing and trial program sponsored by the American Chestnut Foundation. The goal of the program is for participants to plant American Chestnut seedlings in an orchard or forest setting.

The objective of the American Chestnut Foundation Project is to develop a blight-resistant American Chestnut tree through scientific research and breeding, and to restore the tree to its native forests across the eastern United States.

Learn more about the Georgia Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation and the American Chestnut Foundation.

GPLT Hybrid American Chestnut Orchards

Board member Dale Higdon, a retired Georgia Forestry Commission forester, is the champion, leader, and resident expert for the GPLT Hybrid American Chestnut project.

The first GPLT orchard was planted in March 2013. A second orchard was established on another GPLT property in February 2018. Control plantings of American Chestnuts and Chinese Chestnuts were planted alongside the new test hybrids. As a participant in the American Chestnut Foundation project, GPLT has committed to providing regular reports and photos documenting the health and progress of the chestnut plantings.

In 2019, Dr. John French, a member of the Georgia Chestnut Board, plant pathologist, and soil scientist, took soil samples from both GPLT orchard sites. He reported that the root disease, Phytophthora, was found in abundance at both locations. He surmised that both sites are hot spots for this disease, primarily due to the high clay content of the soil and because both locations were former farm and logging sites. This makes them highly suitable for testing various hybrid strains for resistance to root disease.

GPLT planted its first orchard in 2013, consisting of 17 seedlings, including both Chinese Chestnuts and hybrids. In 2014, 34 seedlings were planted, and in 2015, 17 more seedlings were added. Many of these seedlings have not survived.

GPLT planted another orchard in 2018 consisting of 20 seedlings by 2019 only about 1/2 of the seedlings had survived.

GPLT holds several conservation easements and title to several properties in Gwinnett County. Learn more about Gwinnett County.

Beaver Ruin Wetland Park – Passive Wetlands Park

In 2007, a conservation easement covering a portion of the floodplain of Bromolow Creek (also referred to as Beaver Ruin Creek on some maps), running roughly parallel to I-85 near the Beaver Ruin Road exit, was assigned to the Gwinnett Open Land Trust, now known as the Georgia Piedmont Land Trust. The easement was part of a 1990s settlement to compensate for substantial damage caused by a developer who had clear-cut surrounding forests and severely damaged the floodplain.

Later in 2007, Gwinnett County acquired this and adjacent land to create a passive park for residents of an underserved area of the county. The Beaver Ruin Wetland Park site, composed of over 58 acres, is a floodplain corridor associated with blueline Bromolow Creek, which dominates the northern half of the site. Bromolow Creek enters the site from the west within well-defined banks.

A master plan for the park was created and published in September 2008. GPLT participated in the development of the plan as a member of the Master Plan Steering Committee. Funding for the park, now based on a somewhat revised plan, became available through the 2017 SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax).

Adjacent riparian areas support middle-aged tree species such as river birch and sycamore. Other areas along the creek feature black willow, alder, ironwood, and herbaceous vegetation, including cattail, Juncus effusus (common rush), and bulrush. The upland areas support a pine-hardwood mix, with hardwoods including sycamore, sweetgum, tulip poplar, and oak. The site is also home to numerous birds, waterfowl, beaver, deer, and a variety of reptiles.

Gwinnett County has begun developing Beaver Ruin Wetland Park and expects to open it to the public in early 2024. The park will be a passive wetland park featuring a playground, a wildlife observation tower, trails, boardwalks, and small shelters.

In 2008, GPLT partnered with the Monastery of the Holy Spirit to protect their conservation burial ground. While the Monastery retains ownership of the property, GPLT holds a conservation easement to ensure that it remains in a natural state in perpetuity. Learn more about the Monastery of the Holy Spirit.

Conservation Burial Ground

The Honey Creek Woodlands is a conservation burial ground in Conyers, Georgia located among the Monastery of the Holy Spirit's 2,300 acres and adjacent to the 8,000 acre Arabia Mountain Heritage Corridor. The Monastery offers a quiet and beautiful resting place for people of all faiths.

As a natural burial ground, Honey Creek Woodlands is a nature preserve first and bears little resemblance to a conventional cemetery. There are no manicured lawns or rows of headstones. Instead, burial sites are located among the trails, forests, meadows, wildflowers, and trees of the preserve. Graves are marked by simple engraved stone markers. ​

This alternative to modern burial returns the body to the earth in its most natural state, without use of embalming chemicals or a concrete vault. This lessens the impact of burial on the earth. Natural burials allow Honey Creek Woodlands to conserve nature by expanding the wildlife habitat, providing an environment for native plants to thrive, and providing clean air, and a cleaner watershed. ​

Bodies are laid to rest in a shroud or casket made of biodegradable materials. Cremated remains are also buried in biodegradable containers. The scattering of ashes is not allowed.

Learn more about green burial and the Honey Creek Woodlands Burial Ground.

GPLT has partnered with the Trust for Public Lands and the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program a Civil War battlefield. Learn more about the Trust for Public Lands.

Lost Mountain Battlefield

In 2013, GPLT partnered with the Trust for Public Lands and the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program to protect 132 acres of the Lost Mountain Battlefield. GPLT privately owns and protects this land to ensure that it remains in a natural state and that its historic value is preserved in perpetuity.

GPLT has partnered with Whitfield County since 2016. Learn more about Whitfield County.

Rocky Face Ridge Park

In 2014, the Whitfield County acquired the 301-acre Grant Farm, which abuts approximately 650 acres the county already owned. Together, the two properties comprise the Rocky Face Ridge Park. This site was the location of two Civil War battles in 1864 and served as a Confederate encampment when the Confederate Army spent the winter of 1863-1864 in Dalton following the Battle of Chattanooga. In 2016, GPLT partnered with Whitfield County and the American Battlefield Trust to protect over 300 acres at Rocky Face Ridge Park. While Whitfield County retains ownership of the property, GPLT holds a protective conservation easement. Working in concert with the state’s Historic Preservation Division, the easement requires GPLT to evaluate proposed uses to ensure that the property remains in a natural state and that its historic and archeological values are preserved.

GPLT has partnered with Wilks County since 2019.

Kettle Creek Battlefield

In 2019, GPLT partnered with Wilkes County and the American Battlefield Trust to protect 180 acres of the Kettle Creek Battlefield. While Wilkes County retains ownership of the property, GPLT holds a conservation easement to ensure that it remains in a natural state in perpetuity and that its historic and archeological values are preserved.

The Kettle Creek Revolutionary War Battlefield, located between modern Tyrone and Washington, Georgia, is one of the few remaining intact Revolutionary War battlefields in the state.

This site was the location of the first major victory for Patriot forces in the backcountry of Georgia. The battle ended with the defeat of a Loyalist militia force on its way to British-controlled Augusta. On February 14, 1779, a hastily organized group of only 360 Patriots defeated more than 800 Loyalists at the Battle of Kettle Creek, effectively breaking the British stranglehold on Georgia.