Protecting Our Natural Heritage

For decades, planning and growth around Atlanta has encouraged and abetted sprawl and discouraged land conservation. Conventional wisdom held that land preservation, while offering important social benefits, drained local government finances and did not contribute to economic growth. However, Georgia’s natural heritage is much more than scenery—it is the foundation of a strong economy, providing value for the state and its people in many ways. Protecting our Natural Heritage presents a series of case studies showing that additional tools for land preservation will provide tangible economic returns for communities across the state.

For decades, planning and growth around Atlanta has encouraged and abetted sprawl and discouraged land conservation. Conventional wisdom held that land preservation, while offering important social benefits, drained local government finances and did not contribute to economic growth. However, Georgia’s natural heritage is much more than scenery—it is the foundation of a strong economy, providing value for the state and its people in many ways. Protecting our Natural Heritage presents a series of case studies showing that additional tools for land preservation will provide tangible economic returns for communities across the state.

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Authors

Travis Madsen

Policy Analyst

Elizabeth Ridlington

Associate Director and Senior Policy Analyst, Frontier Group

Elizabeth Ridlington is associate director and senior policy analyst with Frontier Group. She focuses primarily on global warming, toxics, health care and clean vehicles, and has written dozens of reports on these and other subjects. Elizabeth graduated with honors from Harvard with a degree in government. She joined Frontier Group in 2002. She lives in Northern California with her son.

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