Historic and Scenic Lost Mountain Protected

Historic and scenic Lost Mountain in Cobb County, Ga., has been permanently protected, The Trust for Public Land, Georgia Piedmont Land Trust (GPLT) and Athens Land Trust (ALT) announced today. During the Civil War, Lost Mountain served as the southwesterly anchor of a ten-mile Confederate defensive line against Union troops marching toward Atlanta preceding the battle of Kennesaw Mountain. Confederate earthworks remain on the property.

The family of Raymond M. Reed of Cobb County conveyed title of 152 acres in metropolitan Atlanta through a charitable donation and a discounted sale to GPLT. The conveyance was facilitated by The Trust for Public Land. A conservation easement permanently restricting development on the property will be held by ALT.

“Acquiring this beautiful property through the years was a gratifying experience. Preserving this Lost Mountain property for public use and appreciation is a most satisfying experience for myself and my children. We are glad it will be enjoyed by many Cobb County families for years to come,” said Raymond M. Reed.

Raymond M. Reed is a prominent attorney and community leader in Cobb County, previously serving in the Georgia General Assembly House of Representatives. Mr. Reed and his wife, Mary, are residents of Smyrna, where he has lived for over 96 years. Pieces of the property were first acquired by Mr. Reed in the 1960s.

“Lost Mountain will remain a historic and natural treasure for people to enjoy and learn from,” said Curt Soper, The Trust for Public Land’s Georgia state director. “The chance to conserve this much land in such a heavily developed and suburban setting doesn’t come along very often.”

“Preserving the important cultural and historical features of Lost Mountain is consistent with our mission and commitment to the Piedmont region and specifically in Cobb County,” said Rebecca Spitler, GPLT board president.

The protection of the property concludes over 2 years of efforts by Debora Reed Hudson, Patricia Reed Carter, and Ray Reed, Jr. (Mr. Reed’s 3 children), Quito Anderson (an attorney with the law firm of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan), and partners.

“I am thrilled that we have finally found a way to protect this important piece of property,” said Helen Goreham, Cobb County commissioner. “The property’s historic and environmental resources will now be available for this and future generations. This is an example of government and non-profit organizations working with private property owners to improve quality-of-life and preserve our heritage for all the citizens of Cobb County.”

“Georgia Piedmont Land Trust will work to develop limited public access to Lost Mountain for hiking, nature observation, and historical interpretation,” said Spitler.

The Trust for Public Land partnered with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to secure funding for the discounted purchase price through a Civil War Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant, administered by the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program and awarded through the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). LWCF is a federal conservation program and its funding is generated from a portion of revenues paid by oil and gas companies to drill in offshore federal waters, rather than from taxpayer dollars. U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson and U.S. Representative Phil Gingrey supported the project and support the ABPP.

“I have been pleased to work with the Trust for Public Land and the Georgia Piedmont Land Trust to preserve this historic and scenic green space for many years,” said Senator Isakson. “I was happy to again support their application for this grant and am delighted that their efforts have come to fruition.”

Mostly forested, Lost Mountain preserves habitat for diverse species, including the uncommon dwarf Ohio buckeye and running cedar.

Founded in 1972, The Trust for Public Land is the leading nonprofit working to conserve land for people. Operating from more than 30 offices nationwide, The Trust for Public Land has protected more than three million acres from the inner city to the wilderness and helped generate more than $34 billion in public funds for conservation. Nearly ten million people live within a ten-minute walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year.

The Georgia Piedmont Land Trust is a Georgia non-profit conservation organization, committed to the preservation of open and greenspace, lands with historical and archeological importance, and working lands in the Piedmont region of Georgia.

Athens Land Trust is an accredited land trust that holds conservation easements protecting 8,123 acres of land in 20 Georgia Counties. These protected lands include river corridors, forests, wetlands, farmland, riparian areas, public greenspace, and historic sites.