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Trash blights Atlanta nature preserve: 'I nicknamed it trash island'

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Updated  February 23, 2023 7:11pm EST
Atlanta
FOX 5 Atlanta

Man wants Atlanta nature preserve cleaned up

A southwest Atlanta nature preserve sits on more than 100 acres and is a habitat for animals and plants along Cascade Road. But one neighbor says there are plenty of unnatural things too that he wants to see gone.

ATLANTA - From the serene sound of water to the chirping birds, Cascade Springs Nature Preserve on Atlanta's southwest side brings hundreds out daily for a hike or a stroll.

"It really was a hidden gem for years, most people were not even aware that it was here," said Amecia Williams.

Those who visit say the beauty is often overshadowed by what others leave behind, some of which has ended up in the Utoy Creek.

"Whatever you can imagine in a regular dump, that's what's in the creek," said Jonathan Hill.

Hill lives down the street and hikes at the preserve regularly. He says part of the creek has been filled with trash for more than six months. He says he tried to get it fixed, but the people he contacted never got back to him.

"I nicknamed it trash island," he said. "It's this massive buildup of litter of Styrofoam, of basketballs."

Hill took matters into his own hands over the weekend. He says he spent two hours in the water and pulled out some of the garbage, enough to fill six large trash bags.

"Whenever you scoop back the first layer of trash, more keeps bubbling up," he said.

The preserve is a city of Atlanta park and is in Council District 11. Councilwoman Marci Collier Overstreet sent FOX 5 a statement about the preserve:

"We are aware of the issues and have reached out to the Department of Parks and Recreation to make sure they are aware of the situation. My office has always advocated for investment at the Cascade Springs Nature Preserve in order to promote safety, maintenance, and cleanliness there."

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Some frequent visitors of Cascade Springs Nature Preserve say trash is ruining their enjoyment of the trails there. (FOX 5)

Visitors hope the city will get this cleaned up.

"I think that most of the people that come here also care," Hill said. "I think that they probably just gotten immune to how much garbage is here, so you don't see what you've adapted to."

"It is just sad when people find out about stuff and then the quality of the experience goes down because people don't clean up behind them," Williams said.

After FOX 5 asked about the trash in the creek, the City of Atlanta Parks and Recreation Department sent a crew out and says it will get it cleaned up. It released this statement:

"Cascade Springs Nature Preserve is one of the City's most beloved greenspaces. The Department of Parks and Recreation has carefully assessed the impacted creek area near Harbin Road and concluded the likely cause for the existing backup: Often with the occurrence of heavy or frequent rainfall, trash and debris accumulate. Many of the City’s parks are in watershed areas and after heavy rain, debris accumulation can and does occur. Our park teams have been notified and we are prioritizing the concern. DPR extends its thanks for bringing this to our attention and to those who provided assistance.  In Partnership with Park Pride and various community agencies, DPR holds park clean up events year-round. Those interested are more than welcome to become involved in the effort to keep our parks and greenspaces beautiful. In the event of any future concerns, please contact our responsive Parks Customer Service teams at 404-546-6813."