The City of Atlanta is expanding its Carbon Credit Program to include four newly acquired properties, preserving over 200 acres of mature forest stands throughout the City: Southwest Nature Preserve, Utoy Creek Nature Preserve, Mount Zion Nature Preserve, and South River Nature Preserve. Protecting these four preserves will have positive environmental, social, health, recreational, and long-term ecological benefits. The City has demonstrated its commitment to sustainability, climate resilience, and protected urban forests through the successful implementation of its first carbon project, the Lake Charlotte Nature Preserve Carbon Credit Program.

Scaling up the City of Atlanta’s Carbon Credit Program is a cornerstone of Atlanta’s comprehensive climate action, greenspace accessibility, and urban resilience strategy. This initiative supports the City’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving the goal of providing greenspace access within a half-mile walking distance for all Atlanta residents. In partnership with the City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation and the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience as well as non-profit organizations like the Conservation Fund, and other regional stakeholders, the program focuses on protecting and preserving Atlanta’s vital urban forests, reinforcing its legacy as the “City in the Trees.”

Total Credits Issued: 7,009

• 2026: 7,009 credits issued

Total Credits Sold: 0

Total Credits Retired: 0

Total Credits Cancelled: 0

Total Credits Available for Purchase: 7,009

Co-Benefits

Forest preservation projects not only reduce carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but provide ecosystem services or co-benefits that can be quantified. The co-benefits from this project represent a savings (avoided costs) of $93,178 per year, and $3,727,154 over 40 years.

• Rain interception (stormwater management) – 25,979 m3/year, $67,951 per year
• Air quality – 3.8874 t/yr, $9,033 per year
• Energy – cooling (electricity) – 200,495 kWh/year, $15,217 per year
• Energy – heating (natural gas) – 94,017 kBtu/year, $976 per year

Social Impacts

The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an urgent call for action and global partnership among all countries, representing key benchmarks for creating a better world and environment for everyone. Well-designed and managed urban forests make significant contributions to the environmental sustainability, economic viability and livability of cities.

The main SDGs for this project are described below, with more detailed information in the Project Design Document.

This forest will advance public health by improving air quality, reducing heat exposure, and expanding opportunities for residents to connect with nature. For example, the forest acts as a natural air filter for neighborhoods bordered by busy roads and the dense canopy cover helps reduce extreme heat, especially in areas where tree cover has declined due to development.

The nature preserve strengthens Atlanta’s resilience by embedding functional forests in rapidly urbanizing areas, where they serve as natural infrastructure for surrounding neighborhoods. The forest intercepts stormwater which helps absorb rainfall, reduces flooding, and improves livability by filtering pollutants from high-volume roadways.

The forest supports Atlanta’s climate goals through carbon mitigation and adaptation. The forest acts as a carbon sink with its mature stands and helps reduce local energy demand through shading and cooling services. By creating and enhancing wildlife habitat, the preserve strengthens ecological networks that contribute to climate resilience.