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Join Trees Atlanta, the Trust for Public Land, The Alliance at Cook Park, City of Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management, and Jacobs Engineering for a walk through Rodney Cook Sr. Park. This patch of Atlanta’s urban forest is a powerful example of how green space can support both people and the environment. This area has been severely affected by repeated flooding, jeopardizing the lives of Atlanta residents in the Vine City neighborhood. You’ll learn how community members, non-profit partners, and the City collaborated to create a “sponge park”—designed to absorb and manage stormwater while creating a beautiful, welcoming space for the community & a model for resilience in Atlanta

As we explore, we’ll celebrate the many ways trees, community, waterways, and our landscapes are connected. We’ll learn how urban forests and green infrastructure work together to reduce flooding, improve water quality, and create cooler, healthier neighborhoods.  Come walk, reflect, and discover how places like Cook Park help protect and improve Atlanta’s urban forest—while offering a hopeful vision for the future of our city.

Your Guides:

• Carrie Salvary is a long-term resident of Vine City and Chair of the Board at The Alliance for Cook Park. She has a bachelors degree in sociology with a minor in psychology. She has served her neighborhood in numerous ways: she was the founder and president of the Vine City Civic Association; Vice-Chair, Secretary, land use, zoning and housing committee chair of the Association and NPU-L, and led the Tyler Place CDC. Ms Salvary received the Park Pride Aspirational Award on behalf of the Alliance of Cook Park.
• Jay Wozniak is the Park Program Director for Public Lands (Georgia / Alabama) with the Trust for Public Land. Jay Wozniak is responsible for coordinating the community engagement, design, and construction of parks for the non-profit organization. Jay led the design and construction coordination for the 16-acre Cook Park in Atlanta’s historic Vine City. Mr. Wozniak graduated from Ohio State with a degree in landscape architecture and earned his MBA from Georgia Tech's Scheller College of Business. He is a LEED Accredited Professional with over 20 years of experience leading and collaborating on the planning, design, and construction of sustainable open space projects throughout the Southeast.
• Cory Rayburn is a Senior Water Resources Engineer for Jacobs who specializes in promoting sustainable and innovative solutions to protect and restore our water resources. Cory attended the University of Georgia, receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Health Science and earned a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Kennesaw State University. Cory is a past President of the Southeast Stormwater Association, District Supervisor for the Fulton County Soil and Water Conservation District, and a former member of Governor Kemp’s Stakeholder Advisory Board.
• Baker Ownes works in Green Infrastructure in the Office of Watershed Protection in the Department of Watershed Management. Baker has a Masters of Natural Resources from the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at UGA and is also on the board for the Atlanta chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society. He lives in Grant Park and has a wild yard that supports an incredible amount of wildlife.

Additional Information:

• Meeting and Parking Information: Meet at Cook Park 285 Walnut St NW, Atlanta, GA 30314, We'll meet on the bridge inside Cook Park. The park is a few blocks away from the Vine City MARTA Station. MARTA Route 94 serves the areas. Street parking is available. New bike lanes on Joseph E Boone Blvd connect directly to the Westside Beltline connector, providing easy cycling to this park. Street parking is available.
• Terrain, Length, and Incline Information: This will be a leisurely walk in the park, about 1 mile.
• What to Bring and Wear: Reusable water bottle, sun and bug protection. Wear Sneakers or hiking shoes. Comfortable clothes.
• Registration required. This event is free, please consider making a donation when you make your registration.
• Safety and Cancellation Policy: Learn more about our safety protocols and Cancellation Policy here.
• Questions: If you have any questions or comments regarding this event, please email education@treesatlanta.org.

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