tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14259139008169057402011-12-30T11:16:20.254-06:00Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.comBlogger3281100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-27042719537730405262011-09-15T10:01:00.006-05:002011-09-15T10:09:14.752-05:00

Don't forget to visit our booth at the fabulous Cooper-Young Festival this Saturday, September 17, from 9am-7pm. We'll be on the west side of Cooper near Felix.You can pick up a free sticker and help us celebrate the Old Forest State Natural Area by hugging the Old Forest Lorax. If you need our reprint of the 1960s CPOP tee -- as worn by the "little old ladies in tennis shoes" who defended

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-1566811231895786132011-08-31T08:15:00.004-05:002011-08-31T08:25:52.481-05:00

The pawpaws are ripe. North America's forgotten and largest native fruit now cover the understory of the Old Forest as the ripe pawpaws have begun falling from their branches to the forest floor, leaving a mild sweet-rotten smell in the air. I took my very first taste of a pawpaw on the hike last Sunday. It was good, it was rich and it had the texture of custard. It's supposed to taste like

gatesofmemphishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401189819920871321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-22273497142392933772011-08-04T07:53:00.003-05:002011-08-04T08:07:11.624-05:00

You have four more days to fill out the Overton Park community survey -- it closes on August 8. More than 1,500 of your neighbors have already shared their vision for our park. Please take the survey today!

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-24874438811827442572011-07-11T18:39:00.006-05:002011-07-11T19:18:46.460-05:00

Thanks to the fabulous Memphis Room of the Benjamin Hooks Central Library for giving all citizens free access to historical documents and a scanner. Click the images to biggify. Enjoy!

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-20756376899914476952011-06-27T22:25:00.011-05:002011-06-27T22:58:01.023-05:00

Saturday's public meeting got great media coverage from the Commercial Appeal and Memphis Daily News.If you missed it, there's a second meeting tomorrow -- Tuesday, June 28, 5pm-7pm -- at the Memphis College of Art's Rust Hall, in the heart of Overton Park.Drop in to fill out the (short and sweet) Speak Up! survey and get an awesome free t-shirt, or take the survey online at overtonpark.org. Our

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-32108577017240882142011-06-21T08:22:00.004-05:002011-06-21T08:28:35.377-05:00

Share your vision for Overton Park's future by joining your neighbors at an open-house meeting: this Saturday, June 25, 10am-Noon, and next week Tuesday, June 28, 5pm-7pm, at the Memphis College of Art's Rust Hall. Visit overtonpark.org for more info.

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-72962305330969475672011-06-08T08:42:00.004-05:002011-06-08T08:54:00.305-05:00

Governor Haslam has signed the Old Forest State Natural Area bill into law. It's official, people!Thanks again to the hundreds of awesome citizens and elected officials who made this happen, and most especially to Sen. Beverly Marrero and Rep. Jeanne Richardson for never giving up.

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-54924937368050394802011-05-20T21:30:00.002-05:002011-05-20T22:11:52.932-05:00

The Old Forest State Natural Area legislation passed the Tennessee House today, 94-0! Since it already passed the Senate (32-0), this means 126 acres of the Old Forest will become Tennessee's 82nd State Natural Area as soon as Governor Haslam signs the bill.It's taken 16 months of hard work from many wonderful people to give our 10,000-year-old forest the legal protection that it deserves, but

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-68117948685228939982011-05-03T10:43:00.003-05:002011-05-03T10:51:35.294-05:00

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe U.S. Supreme Court decision, we've reproduced a vintage CPOP shirt from the 1970s.Thanks to the great people at Bluff City Sports for spiffing up the original design for us!We will mail you this fabulous shirt as a thank-you gift when you donate $15 or more to CPOP. You can fill out the handy form below to donate

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-77938514779518432742011-04-14T08:40:00.002-05:002011-04-14T11:45:13.637-05:00

Yesterday the Old Forest State Natural Area bill was approved unanimously by committees in both the House and Senate of our state legislature. You can read the nitty-gritty in today's Commercial Appeal.THANK YOU to everyone who is pulling together to make this happen for our community: Sen. Beverly Marrero, Rep. Jeanne Richardson, Sen. Mark Norris, and many other state legislators; Mayor AC

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-48917983797215522242011-04-02T19:45:00.000-05:002011-04-02T19:49:45.500-05:00

We have truly awesome news for y'all — Mayor AC Wharton is supporting the Old Forest State Natural Area! This means we have an excellent chance at getting state legislation passed within the next month that will protect 126 acres of the Old Forest from future bulldozers.As you know from our FAQ and many blog posts, our goal was to include the fenced 17 acres in the State Natural Area designation.

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-71858544900338255282011-03-30T09:41:00.003-05:002011-03-30T09:57:47.386-05:00

The lovely and talented archivists of the Memphis Public Library have assembled a great historical collection of Overton Park postcards. You may click on each of the below images for a closer view, or visit their blog to browse the whole collection.Let's rebuild this amazing playground/deathtrap! Our kids need more giant slides in their lives.

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-91803363443411567372011-03-09T15:38:00.007-06:002011-03-09T16:06:21.693-06:00

Several years ago, we collaborated with Memphis Park Services and Park Friends Inc. to nominate the Old Forest for the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council "Landmark Trees" registry, and TUFC said yes. It took a little while to make it to their website, but here it is!Old Forest of Overton Park, MemphisNominated by the City of Memphis (Memphis Park Services Division), Park Friends, Inc., and the

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-56269839344446742072011-03-03T09:22:00.001-06:002011-03-03T09:23:31.227-06:00

On March 2, 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a final decision on Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe. This ruling effectively prevented Interstate 40 from bisecting Overton Park and Midtown Memphis. It remains a landmark administrative law case that has been cited in thousands of legal opinions across the nation.But as important as this ruling was, and is, the protection it gave to

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-5459465645430443942011-02-20T14:20:00.008-06:002011-02-20T14:30:15.375-06:00

Mayor A. C. Wharton's response to CPOP's letter and comment for the new Lick Creek study.Thank you, Mr. Mayor!

gatesofmemphishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401189819920871321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-33354086117052799242011-02-13T09:09:00.003-06:002011-02-13T09:25:13.318-06:00

CPOP is a member of a new coalition of Overton Park supporters that is being organized by two prominent businessmen, George Cates and Gary Shorb, as reported in today's Commercial Appeal.George Cates has been walking, biking and golfing at Overton Park for about 40 years -- long enough, as he puts it, "to see it deteriorate."Now 73, Cates is taking initial steps to deal with what he views as the

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-57740757156327309552011-01-21T13:42:00.004-06:002011-01-21T14:01:45.031-06:00

Mark your calendars now -- we'll be throwing down another Old Forest Jamboree on Sunday, February 13, 4pm-7pm, at the fabulous Hi-Tone Cafe.(Click image to biggify.)We ask a $10 donation from adults. Kids are welcome and get in free, as always.Here's the Facebook event so you can invite your friends and neighbors. We are very grateful to the many talented musicians who give their time and energy

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-38078920286597885912011-01-07T16:30:00.004-06:002011-01-07T16:37:06.305-06:00

It's wonderful to see Park Friends Inc. advocating, in today's Commercial Appeal, for a conservation easement to protect all of Overton Park. CPOP first made this modest proposal in April of 2010 (you can shortcut to the PDF or read the full saga here) and we need all the help we can get!This year, we look forward to working closely with Park Friends Inc. to create the Old Forest State Natural

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-496363072549638272010-12-25T08:37:00.003-06:002010-12-25T08:45:59.093-06:00

Letters to the EditorState protection has its benefitsSaturday, December 25, 2010 - The Commercial AppealI was serving as superintendent of Shelby Farms Park when the forest along the Wolf River was designated as the Lucius Burch State Natural Area in 1988.The effect of that designation was to provide Shelby County with support from the state of Tennessee. It also attracted citizen support that

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-80805999632409217892010-12-17T08:13:00.001-06:002010-12-17T08:14:52.682-06:00

Letters to the EditorFriday, December 17, 2010 - The Commercial AppealState can best protect Old ForestI am vice president of the International Society of Arboriculture, Southern Chapter. I am also on the board of directors of the West Tennessee Urban Forestry Group. I am sure I speak for these groups as a whole when I say that the Old Forest in Overton Park would benefit the most as a state

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-61387788080550235422010-12-16T09:17:00.002-06:002010-12-16T09:23:01.148-06:00

Letters to the EditorThursday, December 16, 2010 - The Commercial AppealPark suffers under city's careOpponents of the proposed Old Forest State Natural Area would likely prefer that Google Maps hurry up and replace the current satellite image of Overton Park.Click the image to view on Google MapsZoom in a bit and you can easily count more than 200 vehicles parked on Overton Park's classic

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-16017679942957297782010-12-15T08:04:00.002-06:002010-12-15T08:06:57.551-06:00

Letters to the EditorWednesday, December 15, 2010 - The Commercial AppealCity's record doesn't inspire trustLet me get this straight. The city wants a conservation easement in Overton Park with oversight by the city (Dec. 12 article) -- the same city that put a maintenance facility in the Old Forest, the same city that almost allowed Interstate 40 through the Old Forest, and the same city that

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-21440166786166411942010-12-14T11:30:00.002-06:002010-12-14T11:33:32.157-06:00

Letters to the EditorTuesday, December 14, 2010 - The Commercial AppealState natural area is no-brainerIf all parties involved claim to have the best interests of Overton Park at heart, why not designate it a state natural area? Why not have the most restrictive protection possible for such a unique and limited treasure?In your Dec. 12 article "To Protect/Parties differ on how best to preserve

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-15975381597830419782010-12-12T00:20:00.003-06:002010-12-13T09:41:01.930-06:00

Today's Commercial Appeal has a front-page story about our efforts to protect the Old Forest of Overton Park. Mayor AC Wharton's staff previously told us that he was still considering whether to support the Old Forest State Natural Area this year. It looks like he's decided to oppose it.Our City CAO, George Little, suggests that a conservation easement would be "less burdensome" because it would

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-70006875734300871872010-12-07T12:33:00.007-06:002010-12-16T14:05:13.515-06:00

Our community coalition to create the Old Forest State Natural Area at Overton Park is growing rapidly! We're very grateful to these groups for standing with CPOP and the Old Forest:Clean MemphisEvergreen Historic District AssociationFriends for Our RiverfrontGreater Memphis GreenlineHistoric Broad Business AssociationLivable MemphisMemphis HeritageMemphis Regional Design CenterMid-South Peace &

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-42100235255876276442010-12-02T08:25:00.004-06:002010-12-02T08:43:28.379-06:00

ViewpointThursday, December 2, 2010 - The Memphis FlyerOverton Park LegacyMemphis' historic "Old Forest" needs permanent protection.By Naomi Van TolNearly 40 years ago, the original Citizens to Preserve Overton Park (CPOP) won a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that blocked the extension of Interstate 40 through Overton Park and a large swath of Midtown. Our community owes a great debt to this small

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-67590738139448680152010-12-01T20:26:00.000-06:002010-12-01T20:26:01.008-06:00

A public service message from some of our friends:Wouldn't it be rad if Overton Park was connected to Shelby Farms Park? This radiculous concept is taking shape in the form of a bike/ped "artway" that passes from Overton Park through the Broad Avenue Arts District and down Tillman Street to the western terminus of the Shelby Farms Greenline.Livable Memphis spearheaded this project and was awarded

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-12391257083504876462010-11-27T12:25:00.002-06:002010-11-27T12:25:00.699-06:00

Thanks to the efforts of Councilman Jim Strickland, the City of Memphis has hired an independent consultant, TetraTech, to study flooding and its solutions in the Lick Creek Basin. TetraTech, Mayor Wharton and Councilman Strickland kicked off the study with a public meeting at Snowden Elementary this past Monday to begin gathering public input.CPOP sent the letter below as our official comment.

gatesofmemphishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401189819920871321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-88506680375450331472010-11-19T12:03:00.006-06:002010-11-19T12:30:08.195-06:00

November 15, 2010Ms. Cynthia BuchananDirector of Park Services, City of Memphis2599 Avery Ave.Memphis, TN 38112Dear Director Buchanan:As you know, CPOP supports the idea of a conservation easement to protect Overton Park from inappropriate uses in the future. We also support a Tennessee State Natural Area designation for the 150-acre Old Forest, because we think it's the simplest, cheapest and

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-612681412492051982010-10-21T08:27:00.005-05:002010-10-21T09:32:59.549-05:00

A number of interesting points were raised in today's Commercial Appeal article about moving the General Services maintenance area out of Overton Park.It's great to see Mayor Wharton and CAO George Little affirming their commitment to legal protection for Overton Park's old growth forest. It's also great to see support for viewing the Greensward as a fully developed space for people, which it is,

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-90250333758462841412010-10-03T09:12:00.003-05:002010-10-03T09:18:15.704-05:00

The Memphis Daily News printed an article about the Memphis Zoo's future plans this week, and they also did a great editorial about Overton Park as a whole. This is our favorite part: "If there are no plans for wildlife in the Chickasaw Bluff exhibit that would require barriers, the existing fence around the 17 acres should come down and if necessary be replaced with something that preserves a

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-45865939941828336672010-09-23T18:45:00.003-05:002011-01-07T13:20:37.986-06:00

Why should we create the Old Forest State Natural Area at Overton Park?Overton Park covers 342 acres of public parkland that is owned by the citizens of Memphis. When Overton Park was created in 1901, it had 200 acres of old growth forest. We've since lost 50 acres of that forest. In the past five years alone, our city officials have allowed the destruction of eight acres of this 10,000-year old

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-1978392127111839162010-09-15T21:26:00.008-05:002010-09-15T21:47:47.561-05:00

This year our booth is on the south side of Young, east of Cooper and just east of Blythe.View Citizens to Preserve Overton Park in a larger mapStop by and say hello, get a free sticker and a great t-shirt (for a $10 donation) and learn how you can help protect our great Old Forest.

gatesofmemphishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401189819920871321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-24466034935054606602010-08-11T07:50:00.001-05:002010-08-11T07:50:00.321-05:00

The Commercial Appeal has an excellent story and editorial about the Old Forest and Overton Park in their Sunday edition. Both recap the issues and conflicts over the future and integrity of the Park.Old Forest, old fight by Michael Kelley sunlights our goal to have the Old Forest permanently protected as a Tennessee State Natural Area and the Memphis Zoo's proposal to use a conservation

gatesofmemphishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401189819920871321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-45328186967680687942010-08-07T22:10:00.000-05:002010-08-07T22:19:15.529-05:00

Sunday was our third semi-annual Old Forest Jamboree at the Hi Tone Cafe. I was really excited to raise some money for the forest, eat Hi Tone pizza, drink a few Ghost River beers, hang out with friends, and listen to excellent local music. We had a great turnout and a great time despite the 105-degree heat wave. I finally got to see Cotton & Coal in concert, fronted by my good buddy and

Stacey Greenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14716896540454461639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-71306803085530452092010-07-12T09:42:00.001-05:002010-07-12T09:46:27.617-05:00

Join us for a party at the fabulous Hi Tone Cafe! We'll have music from Cotton & Coal, the Memphis Dawls, and the Bluff City Backsliders.$10 donation at the door to benefit CPOP, kids are welcome at no charge, and the venue is smoke-free. Hi Tone pizza will be half price and grownups get a free Ghost River beer. Invite your friends and neighbors!

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-43634634700178419342010-07-05T16:30:00.001-05:002010-07-05T16:42:32.220-05:00

We are thrilled to announce that the Old Forest of Overton Park has been accepted for listing on the Tennessee Landmark & Historic Tree Register, which is maintained by the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council.The purpose of this statewide registry is to "recognize noteworthy trees or groves of tree and acknowledge the significance selected individual trees or stands have had to communities, the

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-59366619316602854282010-06-25T18:39:00.005-05:002010-06-25T19:32:39.813-05:00

Evergreen Historic District Association For The Win!If you live in the Evergreen neighborhood, you should be very proud that your leaders are standing up for the integrity of Overton Park and speaking truth to power.[Click to biggify]

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-84656703599719979852010-05-17T18:10:00.000-05:002010-05-17T18:14:55.900-05:00

It's been a busy spring and we've fallen behind in our blogging duties, so let's bring everyone up to date. Earlier this year, the two Tennessee state legislators whose districts include Overton Park -- Rep. Jeanne Richardson and Sen. Beverly Marrero -- introduced a bill to designate the 150-acre Old Forest State Natural Area. We asked you to write support letters to state legislators and Mayor

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-76006721702119363122010-05-12T16:33:00.006-05:002010-05-12T16:43:04.718-05:00

Check out the University of Memphis alumni magazine for a great article on CPOP!"Stacey Greenberg and Jimmy Ogle are trying to make as big of an impression as possible while leaving the smallest of footprints behind. The two University of Memphis alumni are part of a grassroots effort to save a rare, virgin forest found in Memphis that is as old as the city itself."You can read the rest online.

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-38830861992237930602010-04-20T09:10:00.004-05:002010-04-20T09:21:46.674-05:00

Have fun and be sweet, y'all!(Click the images if you want more info.)

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-29448573619534644662010-04-06T09:17:00.002-05:002010-04-06T09:20:18.554-05:00

"Natural Areas of West Tennessee" with Allan TrentlyMemphis Botanic GardenWednesday, April 7, 201012:00pm-1:00pmThere are 14 Tennessee state natural areas between the Mississippi River and the Natchez Trace Parkway. Stewardship ecologist Allan Trently will give a brief account of these areas and show numerous photographs of the landscape, animals and plants from each with a strong emphasis on the

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-19880001293958238172010-04-05T08:46:00.000-05:002010-04-06T09:17:15.532-05:00

LETTERS TO THE EDITORMonday, April 5, 2010 - Commercial AppealOld Forest needs protectionI can only echo the tone and content of your April 2 letters regarding the Memphis Zoo's encroachment into the unique Old Forest area. My son (a Memphian), my 4-year-old grandson and I visited the zoo on March 29. I'd heard and read about it, but was somewhat aghast at how big an area of the Old Forest the

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-60915038114846908932010-04-02T17:13:00.002-05:002010-04-02T17:21:42.696-05:00

LETTERS TO THE EDITORFriday, April 2, 2010 - Commercial AppealZoo sprawls out of controlI read with interest and dismay the March 24 Viewpoint guest column of Chuck Brady concerning the use of the Overton Park Forest for further expansion of the Memphis Zoo ("Conservation easement is right solution"). I am a great fan of the zoo and visit it several times a year. I am dismayed at the seemingly

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-82044219926190815192010-03-29T16:59:00.001-05:002010-04-02T17:12:57.102-05:00

LETTERS TO THE EDITORMonday, March 29, 2010 - Commercial AppealOld Forest needs legal shieldI was delighted to see Naomi Van Tol's March 19 Viewpoint guest column ("We deserve healthy forest, healthy zoo"), and I support completely the efforts of Citizens to Preserve Overton Park to enact the Old Forest State Natural Area bill to protect the Mid-South's last old-growth forest.As an environmental

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-35937732490478961292010-03-28T08:42:00.005-05:002010-03-28T09:06:07.225-05:00

Last week was so busy, we forgot to post these notable news items:Forest for the Trees from the Memphis Flyer.Natural Area Conversation from Park Friends Inc.We strongly agree with PFI that the Greensward needs permanent protection, too.If we follow the Shelby Farms model of land preservation, as proposed last week by the Memphis Zoo, it would make perfect sense to create the 150-acre Old Forest

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-61323083797058892222010-03-24T15:45:00.000-05:002010-03-24T15:49:19.592-05:00

Last Friday we asked the Memphis Zoo to join us in supporting the Old Forest State Natural Area legislation. Today we have our answer from the Zoo's CEO/President Chuck Brady: Hell, no! I'm paraphrasing, but that's the gist of it.It's great that the Memphis Zoo has finally decided to support some type of legal protection for the Old Forest. We're making progress! It's not great that Mr. Brady

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-7502981501591585542010-03-19T14:18:00.003-05:002010-03-19T14:26:23.866-05:00

GUEST COLUMNFriday, March 19, 2010 - The Commercial Appeal"We deserve healthy forest, healthy zoo"By Naomi Van TolOverton Park is the communal backyard of Midtown Memphis. Its institutions give us art, music and entertainment, and these things are important, but its natural spaces are essential. Ever since Overton Park was created in 1901, its peaceful fields and forest paths have given joy to

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-77018437523257371612010-03-15T15:04:00.009-05:002010-03-15T15:33:16.449-05:00

Here's a guest post from our friend Elaine Blanchard, a wonderful storyteller, who read this piece at last month's Old Forest Jamboree. Thanks, Elaine!I grew up in Gainesville, Florida. We lived in town and next to Sweet Water Branch, a fabulous creek filled with tadpoles and crawdads. Elephant ears hung from the creek bank. Tall ferns were everywhere. There was a heavily wooded area, about the

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-38934042484376864112010-03-12T16:09:00.004-06:002010-03-12T16:15:48.311-06:00

Join CPOP's next free public nature hike -- 10am, Saturday, March 13 -- as we search the Old Forest for the first signs of spring.We meet on the Lick Creek bridge at the east end of Old Forest Lane, next to the Rainbow Lake parking lot. Kids are always welcome. We hike rain or shine. Email naomi@spiny.com or call 901-278-2396 if you need more info.

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-26008639025402590602010-03-08T12:49:00.005-06:002010-03-08T13:14:25.056-06:00

The Old Forest State Natural Area is our dream, but it won't become a reality without your help. Please call or write your state legislators today. This is a time-sensitive issue; don't wait!Ask your senator to support SB 2415 (Marrero) and ask your representative to support HB 2563 (Richardson). If Sen. Marrero or Rep. Richardson are your legislators, thank them for standing up for the Old

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-35895035386004188862010-03-03T21:48:00.007-06:002010-03-03T22:06:59.856-06:00

If you love the Old Forest, you must bookmark this blog: A Year in the Woods. It features the photography of Jenn Allmon and the writing of Steve Black. Here's an excerpt from their latest entry: I am wondering about the names of trees. Latin and Common. When I was a child walking in the woods, there were only trees. Skinny trees. Fat trees. Tall trees. Young trees. The word tree sufficed, can

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-63881008344863402602010-02-26T14:43:00.007-06:002010-02-26T15:19:55.975-06:00

(Click image to biggify.)

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-45871721658917793992010-02-15T15:59:00.003-06:002010-02-15T16:01:33.549-06:00

Yesterday we had our second annual Old Forest Jamboree at the fabulous Hi Tone Cafe. Last year, I thought we made it kid-friendly by having it start at 7pm on a Wednesday. While we did have a few kids in attendance, it was nothing compared to this year! Sunday afternoon from 3-6 (when there is no school on Monday) proved to be way more kid-friendly. In fact, I believe we had more kids in

Stacey Greenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14716896540454461639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-72257281259281612902010-02-12T13:00:00.005-06:002010-02-12T13:14:57.303-06:00

We've got a big weekend coming up! Join us at 10:00am tomorrow, Feb. 13, for our regular second Saturday nature hike. We meet next to the Rainbow Lake parking area for a free guided walk in the Old Forest.This Sunday, Feb. 14, is Valentine's Day and we're showing our love for the forest. Grab your friends and sweethearts and come on down to the Hi Tone Cafe from 3:00pm to 6:00pm for our second

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-22209405730683472592010-02-09T10:24:00.002-06:002010-02-09T10:40:39.970-06:00

Yesterday, we received a reply from Mayor Wharton to our January 6 letter. We are very pleased by his fair-minded approach and commitment to transparency.(Click to biggify.)

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-18394032523680733152010-02-02T08:21:00.007-06:002010-02-02T09:13:23.571-06:00

As promised, the Old Forest botanical report has finally been released to the public! This plant survey was commissioned in 2008 by the Park Services division of the City of Memphis and was conducted over a 12-month period by a renowned local botanist, Tom Heineke.You can download the full report (184KB PDF) and read it for yourself. We particularly like the conclusion:Overton Park Forest is a

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-84600741762598714202010-01-28T13:09:00.003-06:002010-02-02T18:07:57.206-06:00

Join us on Sunday, February 14, 3pm to 6pm, for a CPOP benefit at the fabulous Hi Tone Cafe! We'll have rockin' music, half-price Hi Tone pizza, and every grownup gets a free Ghost River beer. Kids are welcome and the venue is smoke-free.Big thanks to the Hi Tone management and our musical performers for their amazing generosity!Click the image to biggify.

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-39139728885548727792010-01-19T09:02:00.001-06:002010-01-19T09:10:20.545-06:00

You know how we keep saying that Overton Park's old growth forest needs legal protection? It's time to get that done.Senator Beverly Marrero and Representative Jeanne Richardson -- the two Tennessee state legislators whose districts cover Overton Park -- just filed a bill to create the 150-acre Old Forest State Natural Area.Passage of this bill would save the Old Forest from future inappropriate

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-90281265531782933282010-01-12T19:15:00.005-06:002010-01-12T19:27:27.532-06:00

Two of our supporters -- Jenn Allmon and Stephen Black -- recently began blogging the Old Forest in photos and poetry. If you love our forest too, you'll want to bookmark their blog!Excerpt:The dead are always present in a real woods:so many trees lie on their sides.After standing so tall for so long they are slowly rotting themselvesback to earth.

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-6345828354589062872010-01-09T16:56:00.007-06:002010-01-09T17:23:21.536-06:00

Citizens to Preserve Overton Park618 S. Cox • Memphis, TN 38104January 6, 2010Mayor AC WhartonCity of Memphis125 N. Main St., Room 700Memphis, TN 38103Dear Mayor Wharton:I am writing on behalf of Citizens to Preserve Overton Park (CPOP), a nonprofit citizen group founded in March of 2008, to describe our concerns and request your help. As you may know, the original CPOP was founded in the 1950s

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-43606254223822067172009-11-30T09:34:00.000-06:002009-12-02T22:47:33.657-06:00

Yesterday's nature hike is featured on page B1 of today's Commercial Appeal! We had a wonderful group who insisted on exploring the forest for nearly three hours. Special thanks to Mike Brown, the CA photographer, who stuck with us the whole time and got stellar photos.Click the image to biggify.

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-16116499690866302822009-11-20T09:48:00.004-06:002009-11-20T10:13:01.230-06:00

Lately we've been lax about taking photos on our Old Forest nature hikes. Here's a psychedelic view of a hike we led for an adorable troop of Brownies in early November:Our most recent hike drew more than 30 people, no doubt thanks to the gorgeous fall weather this month. Here's the crowd gathering at our meeting spot on the Lick Creek bridge: Remember that we offer free guided nature walks at 10

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-18637589586794950062009-11-07T17:11:00.006-06:002009-12-07T17:50:16.428-06:00

Update: The City's latest proposal originally featured an earthen dam, but we are now informed that the dam would be made of textured concrete. We have corrected that info below.Update #2: The Memphis Flyer reported on this topic on November 26.Earlier this year, we worked with Park Friends Inc. and other Midtown groups to organize a citizen coalition to Save the Greensward from being turned into

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-84968240157127696322009-11-03T13:16:00.003-06:002009-11-03T13:20:39.844-06:00

I've been corresponding with Brian Carter over at the Zoo regarding the backside of Teton Trek.Dear Mr. Carter,I visited Teton Trek a couple of weeks ago and thought that the forest backdrop was breathtaking. In fact, from most of the exhibit, you can't even tell that there is a road behind there. However, yesterday while hiking through the forest and walking down the road, I was very

Stacey Greenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14716896540454461639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-42891509251200822202009-10-21T19:25:00.000-05:002009-10-21T19:28:32.376-05:00

Now, this is awesome news: Overton Park was just selected by The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) for their annual Landslide program. Go here to read all about it!TCLF established this program in 2002 "to focus attention on culturally significant landscapes at risk for alteration or destruction" and our park is one of 16 sites selected for Landslide 2009 from a field of nearly 100 sites

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-35735954034769736642009-10-19T11:52:00.004-05:002009-10-19T12:02:37.548-05:00

Foliage on file:Overton Park plants catalogued for futureMonday, October 19, 2009 - Commercial AppealBy Linda A. MooreIt took many trips to Overton Park to count them all, but Tom Heineke now knows that there are 332 plant varieties in the park's old-growth forest.He didn't count mosses, but his year-long inventory includes all the trees, shrubs, flowers and probably a lot of what some would call

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-8104244219023471022009-10-12T09:49:00.009-05:002009-10-12T10:32:21.858-05:00

Cool air. No mosquitoes. Fall is a wonderful time to walk the Old Forest trails! A few images from Saturday's hike to inspire you...Wild hydrangea hanging on.Hollow branch with remains of a honeybee hive.Arrow-leaved aster with pollinator.Leaves turning to earth.Virginia knotweed giving up the ghost.Spicebush berries - crush and smell them!Turkey tail lichen on a fallen tree.Virginia creeper

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-679404486268291402009-10-02T16:34:00.008-05:002009-10-02T17:00:14.411-05:00

Thanks to the awesome business owners of Midtown, you can sign our petition to unfence the 17 acres at these convenient locations:Otherlands Coffee BarMidtown VideoBreakaway Running - Union locationOutdoors Inc. - Union locationJoe's Wines & LiquorHollywood Feed - Union & Broad locationsJava CabanaMaggie's PharmWe are gathering signatures until November 15, so please spread the word! Our forest

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-60767455260343636722009-09-29T08:31:00.008-05:002009-10-01T13:24:38.100-05:00

We, the undersigned, petition the Mayor of Memphis and the Memphis City Council to remove the fence that surrounds 17 acres of Overton Park’s old growth forest.In 1988, the City Council designated 33 acres of Overton Park as an expansion area for the Memphis Zoo. In the past 21 years, the Zoo has developed 16 acres of that expansion area for new exhibits. All of this publicly owned parkland is

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-18198408878392790262009-09-26T12:03:00.000-05:002009-09-26T12:03:41.378-05:00

Today's Commercial Appeal has a large story about the opening of the Memphis Zoo's Teton Trek exhibit. The article repeats the idea that we objected to the clearcut because 139 trees were removed. It also repeats Zoo CEO/Prez Chuck Brady's claim that Teton Trek was part of the 1988 Overton Park Master Plan and was publicly known.We'd like to set the record straight, once again, on those two

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-64790660507164726312009-09-18T21:04:00.005-05:002009-09-18T21:41:22.789-05:00

Don't forget to stop by CPOP's booth at the Cooper-Young Festival tomorrow -- Saturday, September 19, 9:00am to 7:00pm -- to sign our petition and claim your free hug. If you're not a hugger, we will also offer free fist-bumps and air-kisses.Our booth will be near the north end of the festival, on the east side of Cooper between Elzey and Evelyn. We'll have plenty of our popular "Save the Old

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-3667899097441768632009-09-17T18:31:00.000-05:002009-09-17T18:37:25.455-05:00

... let's call the whole thing Asimina triloba!We just got a nice note from a Washington DC blog called The Natural Capital, thanking us for slapping a Creative Commons license on Old Forest photos like this one:Their pawpaw post is very informative and also includes other, much better, photos of pawpaw trees and fruits. (They think the distinctive smell emitted by crushed pawpaw leaves is

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-42699504999079566012009-09-15T19:11:00.000-05:002009-09-15T19:26:20.275-05:00

As I ranted about previously, the Memphis Zoo released concept drawings in late July for their proposed 17-acre Chickasaw Bluffs exhibit, which would be located due south of the Teton Trek exhibit and due east of Rainbow Lake.The leaders of the Memphis Zoo are inviting the public to comment on this proposed exhibit (a 180-degree policy shift that CPOP applauds and wants to encourage) so please

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-56837902279485199042009-09-04T13:12:00.011-05:002009-09-04T13:28:10.308-05:00

Okay, so it doesn't actually have much footage from last week's hike. But it does convey the beautiful peace of the Old Forest.To quote Ed Wood, "my next one will be better."

gatesofmemphishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401189819920871321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-7227689620559017152009-09-03T18:54:00.001-05:002009-09-04T19:00:07.343-05:00

Letters to the EditorThursday, September 3, 2009 - The Commercial AppealClueless about the ecosystemGiven the worldwide awareness of the importance of the ecosystem and the incredibly parochial attitudes of U.S. citizens, I'm not surprised that the Memphis Zoo got away with the disgraceful clear-cutting and total lack of responsive planning with regard to Teton Trek. However, I will campaign as

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-92107757926757885042009-08-30T16:06:00.017-05:002009-08-30T19:05:12.431-05:00

Last October, CPOP had a major difference of opinion with Park Friends Inc. and City of Memphis Park Services about whether the understory of the Old Forest should be "thinned out" along the internal park roads. You can review that saga here if you wish.In particular, PFI proposed removing the understory of the dogwood triangle on the north side of the forest, next to the fenced-off 17 acres.

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-19217821289695925622009-08-22T11:41:00.004-05:002009-08-22T11:48:55.719-05:00

In celebration of this gorgeous summer weather, we're adding an impromptu hike to our regular schedule. Join CPOP at 10am tomorrow, Sunday, August 23, for a guided nature walk in the old growth forest of Overton Park.As always, we meet on the Lick Creek bridge at the east end of Old Forest Lane, next to the Rainbow Lake parking lot. We cover a leisurely 1.5 miles on dirt trails. Kids are very

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-72568251600428543202009-08-05T18:51:00.004-05:002009-08-05T19:47:56.446-05:00

Sorry for the belated media mention, but if you're wondering why Lick Creek has been looking and smelling super-funky lately (and not in a good way) please check out this article from last week's Memphis Flyer.The City of Memphis says the CBU detention basin is no longer discharging silt or sewage into Lenox Bayou, and that the Lick Creek sewage bypass at Florence and Diana was fixed on Monday,

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-3889570288919135772009-08-03T08:42:00.005-05:002009-08-03T08:52:00.807-05:00

Letters to the EditorSaturday, August 1, 2009 - The Memphis NewsClick the image to biggify.

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-69295510548049066222009-07-26T19:07:00.000-05:002009-07-26T19:09:19.479-05:00

Our favorite Memphis Zoo spokesmodel sent an email Friday afternoon to tell us about the Zoo's concept drawings for the proposed Chickasaw Bluffs exhibit. This marked the very first time the Zoo has initiated contact with CPOP, ever, so you can imagine how excited everyone was. I'm thinking of framing it!From: Brian Carter, bcarter@memphiszoo.orgSubject: Chickasaw Bluffs Artist ConceptsDate:

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-86012157016203015382009-07-25T17:15:00.001-05:002009-07-25T17:23:20.054-05:00

We will usually tell you on our Old Forest hikes that you should keep hiking because the seasons' flow changes the Forest so much. What you see this month will almost certainly look much different next month and incredibly different 6 months from now.Sometimes the changes aren't by season or human. The huge storm that passed over Memphis on June 12, 2009, knocked down a few trees and changed

gatesofmemphishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401189819920871321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-49944729750538884922009-07-16T22:21:00.000-05:002009-07-16T22:32:42.730-05:00

Remember back in March, when the City of Memphis engineering staff consulted their Magic 8-Ball and announced that an 18-foot-deep stormwater detention basin would be the perfect fit for Overton Park's historic Greensward? The Memphis Zoo was okay with this plan once the City engineers proved there'd still be enough space for the Zoo's overflow parking.But most of the people who actually like

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-46424313705661700832009-06-29T00:10:00.001-05:002009-06-29T12:22:47.023-05:00

Yesterday was a great day to wander the shady paths of the Old Forest. You could have fried eggs on the asphalt parking lot, but, as always, the forest air was many degrees cooler. Thanks, trees!The leaf litter on the forest floor is dry this time of year, amplifying the rustling activity of the small creatures around us. We saw broadhead skinks and five-lined skinks, both of which are harmless

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-88694931055962469972009-06-12T18:36:00.003-05:002009-06-12T18:50:18.431-05:00

Join CPOP for a free guided nature ramble tomorrow morning -- 10am, Saturday, June 13 -- through the amazing Old Forest of Overton Park. We meet next to the Rainbow Lake parking lot at the east end of Old Forest Lane.It looks like we can expect muddy trails and a smattering of storm debris, but that's part of the fun! As always, kids are welcome no matter how old they are.If you can't join us,

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-60273059209660526772009-06-04T23:39:00.002-05:002009-06-04T23:46:19.407-05:00

Tonight I attended a meeting to discuss the future of the Greensward in Overton Park. Hugh Teaford, an engineer with the City, started the meeting off by handing Martha Kelly, of Park Friends, this letter:The rest of the meeting was spent discussing alternate plans to reduce flooding in Midtown. In attendance were several neighborhood reps, Jim Jalenak from the Zoo's board, Cindy Buchanan from

Stacey Greenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14716896540454461639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-34502693781283429292009-05-22T12:30:00.000-05:002009-05-22T12:36:02.893-05:00

The Memphis Zoo's Brian Carter sent a reply to my earlier letter:A few things:I know the Zoo doesn't want the exact same for the 17 acres as CPOP does. If I believed that I would have asked them to take down the Fence. I know they want to keep the Fence.What I thought possible, based on Carter's original statement that they wanted the same things, is that the Zoo might want to protect the Old

gatesofmemphishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401189819920871321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-75901925010599490242009-05-20T10:30:00.000-05:002009-05-20T10:36:18.159-05:00

Remember two months ago, when the Memphis Zoo cleared and grubbed the understory of two acres of forest inside their fence?If you plan to disturb more than one acre of land for a construction project in Tennessee, you are supposed to get a stormwater construction permit before you start work. We discovered that the Zoo did not have a permit to destroy this particular patch of forest understory.We

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-88591475006512841422009-05-17T08:30:00.001-05:002009-05-17T08:30:00.817-05:00

Responding to our request to meet in the 17 acres to discuss the Chickasaw Bluffs exhibit, the Zoo has given us an answer:No.However, since they've agreed that the 17 acres is a part of Overton Park's old-growth forest, both in conversations and on their website, a conservation easement should be a no-brainer for them, for us, for the City of Memphis.In fact, their unveiling of the Chickasaw

gatesofmemphishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401189819920871321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-51054999288637132752009-05-05T11:46:00.004-05:002009-05-05T13:34:57.005-05:00

Jimmy Ogle unearthed this editorial cartoon from 1957:I couldn't resist bringing it up to date (with apologies to the late great Cal Alley):

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-64838614773673460062009-05-01T12:47:00.004-05:002009-05-01T13:05:42.179-05:00

About 30 people turned up for last Sunday's hike with Tom Heineke, the botanist who is conducting a year-long plant survey of the Old Forest. Tom said that his species count is well over 300 and very diverse, with 55 different plant families represented so far.Earlier this year the Memphis Zoo chose to deny access to the forest within their fence, despite the fact that it's publicly owned land,

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-83366812723602722472009-04-24T19:40:00.002-05:002009-04-24T19:44:10.732-05:00

This Sunday, April 26, we're offering two free guided nature hikes in the beautiful Old Forest of Overton Park.The first hike will begin at our usual time of 10:00am, for all you Emily Dickinson fans.The second hike will begin at 2:00pm and will be guided by botanist Tom Heineke, who was hired nine months ago by Memphis Park Services to conduct a year-long plant survey of our forest.Both hikes

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-80684790556707797932009-04-14T14:50:00.001-05:002009-04-14T14:54:31.103-05:00

An enthusiastic crowd of 35 people joined us for Saturday's nature mosey at Overton Park. Beautiful weather, beautiful wildflowers, who could ask for anything more?Moseyers, by Jimmy OgleDogwood blooming, by Amie VanderfordMayapple flower, by Melissa BridgmanRed buckeye, by Melissa BridgmanBlue phlox, by Corey GriffinRed buckeye, by Corey GriffinThanks to Amie, Melissa and Corey for adding those

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-12152937219037137362009-04-13T08:30:00.004-05:002009-04-13T08:30:01.022-05:00

Below is the recap of the telephone conversation I had last week with Zoo Director Chuck Brady regarding the Zoo's planning for the Chickasaw Bluffs exhibit and the recent understory clearing.(Click the image to read)The conversation was a follow up from our earlier talk.The next step: into the 17 acres for an on-the-ground meeting with the Zoo.

gatesofmemphishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401189819920871321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-19069629647482328552009-04-10T09:58:00.003-05:002009-04-10T10:29:10.285-05:00

Join us tomorrow morning -- 10:00am, Saturday, April 11 -- for a wildflower hike in the beautiful Old Forest of Overton Park. We meet at the Lick Creek bridge at the east end of Old Forest Lane, next to the Rainbow Lake parking area. We cover a leisurely 1.5 miles on dirt trails. Kids are always welcome!

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-52385900152344077522009-04-06T11:58:00.005-05:002009-04-06T12:12:24.133-05:00

Our own Jimmy Ogle will represent CPOP tomorrow at a Rhodes College workshop that is intended to "add a dimension to current debates about urban greenspaces in Memphis." This event is open to the public. Here's the skinny:The History and Culture of City Parks, Urban Greenspaces, and Urban Planning: A WorkshopCulminating in a round table discussion ofMemphis’s Greenspace Heritage and its Future7

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-17468095727876018462009-04-01T09:15:00.001-05:002009-04-01T09:28:24.319-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEApril 1, 2009Memphis Zoo Expands To 342 AcresMEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Memphis Zoo is pleased to announce a bold new expansion plan that will nearly quadruple its size to a total of 342 acres."We couldn't be more thrilled about this tremendous opportunity," said Memphis Zoo director Chuck Brady. "We always like to think of ourselves as a hungry anaconda on the prowl, and Overton

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-34820627428798189922009-03-30T08:30:00.002-05:002009-03-30T00:05:31.853-05:00

As we reported last week, the Zoo has cleared and grubbed the understory just south of the Northwest Passage exhibit.This was an industrial clearing.The remains sticking out of the mud.Here it comes VECA!Grapevines vivisected.As comparison, below is the sister forest in the 17 acres, just a few feet across the tramway from the understory massacre.Fenced and endangered by confirmed forest maulers,

gatesofmemphishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401189819920871321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-87021767090170341672009-03-28T19:31:00.006-05:002009-03-28T19:42:27.335-05:00

Join us tomorrow morning -- 10:00am, Sunday, March 29 -- for a wildflower hike in the beautiful Old Forest of Overton Park. We meet at the Lick Creek bridge at the east end of Old Forest Lane, next to the Rainbow Lake parking area. We cover a leisurely 1.5 miles on dirt trails. Kids are always welcome!Here's a little preview of what you'll see:

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425913900816905740.post-43194715282526132009-03-24T16:52:00.000-05:002009-03-24T16:57:42.313-05:00

Here's a map showing the approximate location of the Memphis Zoo's clearing and grubbing operation:Coincidentally, we recently left a phone message for the Zoo CEO Chuck Brady asking when we could meet to discuss his future development plans. We hadn't heard back, so we called again today and got his secretary. She said he's out of town for the next week.

Naomi Van Tolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11132516900840559976noreply@blogger.com1