2018 Wildlife Sanctuary Tour
Joe Pye Weed at one of the tour properties. Photo by Dottie Head.
Saturday, September 15
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Don't miss the annual Atlanta Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Tour on Saturday, September 15. This year’s tour will feature six properties in Decatur/DeKalb County. Each property has been certified by Atlanta Audubon as a Wildlife Sanctuary because it provides four essential criteria for attracting wildlife and birds: food sources (including at least 50% native plants), nesting sites, shelter, and water sources. Visitors will see a wide variety of native plants in a diversity of settings that attract a number of birds, butterflies, and other wildlife.
To protect the privacy of our homewoners, private property addresses will be provided to those who purchase tickets in advance of the event via email the week prior to the event. Scroll down this page for descriptions of this year's tour properties.
Advance tickets are now on sale for $20 for Atlanta Audubon members and $25 for non-members. On the day of the event, walk up tickets will be available for $25 for Atlanta Audubon members and $30 for non-members. Tickets will be available using cash or check only at all tour sites. Credit cards will be accepted at the main site at the CRH/Oldcastle Trail. Children under 12 are free with a paying adult.
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Don't miss the annual Atlanta Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Tour on Saturday, September 15. This year’s tour will feature six properties in Decatur/DeKalb County. Each property has been certified by Atlanta Audubon as a Wildlife Sanctuary because it provides four essential criteria for attracting wildlife and birds: food sources (including at least 50% native plants), nesting sites, shelter, and water sources. Visitors will see a wide variety of native plants in a diversity of settings that attract a number of birds, butterflies, and other wildlife.
To protect the privacy of our homewoners, private property addresses will be provided to those who purchase tickets in advance of the event via email the week prior to the event. Scroll down this page for descriptions of this year's tour properties.
Advance tickets are now on sale for $20 for Atlanta Audubon members and $25 for non-members. On the day of the event, walk up tickets will be available for $25 for Atlanta Audubon members and $30 for non-members. Tickets will be available using cash or check only at all tour sites. Credit cards will be accepted at the main site at the CRH/Oldcastle Trail. Children under 12 are free with a paying adult.
Special Offer for New members
Photo by Dottie Head.
Join Atlanta Audubon Society at the Family ($50) level or higher and receive two free tickets to our 2018 Wildlife Sanctuary Tour. The tour will take place on Saturday, September 15, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM in Decatur/DeKalb County. You will be prompted to fill out a check box to receive the complimentary tickets as you go through the membership enrollment process.
2018 Tour Properties
The OldCastle Nature Trail at Marcus Autism Center will be the headquarters site during the 2018 Wildlife Sanctuary Tour. Photo by Dottie Head.
Public Properties
OldCastle Nature Trail at Marcus Autism Center
1920 Briarcliff Road, NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
Nestled among 13-acres of mature hardwood forest, the CRH/Oldcastle Nature Trail at Marcus Autism Center was developed and constructed by Oldcastle employees in partnership with Marcus Autism Center, one of the largest autism centers in the U.S. The trail connects the center and a nearby elementary school with the surrounding residential community. With towering overstory trees, including American Beech, Tulip Poplar, and a variety of oak species, the gravel trail meanders through the forest and is like a cool drink of water on a hot summer day. There is a nice mix of mid-story and understory trees and plants, including wild columbine, woodlands aster, American beautyberry, dwarf pawpaw, Christmas fern, and other species. The trail boasts an outdoor learning space, benches, wildlife viewing platforms, and an outdoor amphitheater. A pollinator garden can be found near the Briar Vista Terrace entrance, which attracts bees and butterflies. Oldcastle employees and volunteers maintain the trail and have spent countless hours removing Japanse wisteria and other non-natives from the landscape. They also sponsor a variety of community events throughout the year, including the annual Community Day and an Earth Day Event. Atlanta Audubon was thrilled to partner with CRH/Oldcastle on the development of this trail and regularly conducts bird surveys along the trail.
Property Notes: This will be the headquarters site for Atlanta Audubon on the day of the tour. On-site ticket sales will be available at this site on the tour day. Enter the Marcus Autism Center off of Briarcliff Road and drive down the right side of the building. The trail entrance and Atlanta Audubon booth will be set up near the trail entrance. Ample parking is available at the Marcus Autism Center.
OldCastle Nature Trail at Marcus Autism Center
1920 Briarcliff Road, NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
Nestled among 13-acres of mature hardwood forest, the CRH/Oldcastle Nature Trail at Marcus Autism Center was developed and constructed by Oldcastle employees in partnership with Marcus Autism Center, one of the largest autism centers in the U.S. The trail connects the center and a nearby elementary school with the surrounding residential community. With towering overstory trees, including American Beech, Tulip Poplar, and a variety of oak species, the gravel trail meanders through the forest and is like a cool drink of water on a hot summer day. There is a nice mix of mid-story and understory trees and plants, including wild columbine, woodlands aster, American beautyberry, dwarf pawpaw, Christmas fern, and other species. The trail boasts an outdoor learning space, benches, wildlife viewing platforms, and an outdoor amphitheater. A pollinator garden can be found near the Briar Vista Terrace entrance, which attracts bees and butterflies. Oldcastle employees and volunteers maintain the trail and have spent countless hours removing Japanse wisteria and other non-natives from the landscape. They also sponsor a variety of community events throughout the year, including the annual Community Day and an Earth Day Event. Atlanta Audubon was thrilled to partner with CRH/Oldcastle on the development of this trail and regularly conducts bird surveys along the trail.
Property Notes: This will be the headquarters site for Atlanta Audubon on the day of the tour. On-site ticket sales will be available at this site on the tour day. Enter the Marcus Autism Center off of Briarcliff Road and drive down the right side of the building. The trail entrance and Atlanta Audubon booth will be set up near the trail entrance. Ample parking is available at the Marcus Autism Center.
The Wylde Center's Hawk Hollow has more than 600 species of native plants. Photo by Dottie Head.
Wylde Center's Hawk Hollow
2304 1st Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30317
A half-acre natural woodland, Hawk Hollow was donated to the Wylde Center in 2012. The Wylde Center’s mission is to educate, cultivate greenspaces, and build community in the areas they serve. When purchased, Hawk Hollow was overrun with invasive species, including kudzu, wisteria, and privet. Through the hard work of many volunteers and a herd of goats, the property was cleared, and more than 600 species of native Georgia plants have been installed in their place. A delightful pollinator garden welcomes visitors to the property and a shaded creek runs alongside. Don’t miss the Hobbit houses on the back of the property, which are available for rent to campers. Lovely overstory trees, including the hollowed-out tulip poplar which gave the property its name, grace the park, along with a host of other natives, including purple coneflower, butterfly weed, golden rod, silky dogwood, sweet shrub, spice bush, cardinal flower, and crossvine that make this city garden a welcome stop for the many school groups and neighbors who visit.
2304 1st Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30317
A half-acre natural woodland, Hawk Hollow was donated to the Wylde Center in 2012. The Wylde Center’s mission is to educate, cultivate greenspaces, and build community in the areas they serve. When purchased, Hawk Hollow was overrun with invasive species, including kudzu, wisteria, and privet. Through the hard work of many volunteers and a herd of goats, the property was cleared, and more than 600 species of native Georgia plants have been installed in their place. A delightful pollinator garden welcomes visitors to the property and a shaded creek runs alongside. Don’t miss the Hobbit houses on the back of the property, which are available for rent to campers. Lovely overstory trees, including the hollowed-out tulip poplar which gave the property its name, grace the park, along with a host of other natives, including purple coneflower, butterfly weed, golden rod, silky dogwood, sweet shrub, spice bush, cardinal flower, and crossvine that make this city garden a welcome stop for the many school groups and neighbors who visit.
Certified by both Atlanta Audubon and the Georgia Native Plant Society, this property is bursting with native plants. Photo by homeowner.
Private Home #1
Decatur, GA 30033
If you are a fan of native plants, you will not want to miss this stop on the 2018 tour. Certified as both an Atlanta Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary and a Georgia Native Plant Society Gold Certified Native Plant Habitat, this private garden is chock full of natives. A landscape architect and ecologist with a certificate in Native Plants from UGA, the homeowner uses her garden as a proving ground for more native plants than one can imagine. There are two bog gardens, 37 species of trees, 31 species of shrubs, more than 10 species of fern, and much more. As an added bonus, the house features two green roofs! Dog hobble, oakleaf hydrangea, viburnum, coral honeysuckle, false blue indigo, black cherry, hearts-a-bustin’, silver bell, and the list goes on and on.
Decatur, GA 30033
If you are a fan of native plants, you will not want to miss this stop on the 2018 tour. Certified as both an Atlanta Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary and a Georgia Native Plant Society Gold Certified Native Plant Habitat, this private garden is chock full of natives. A landscape architect and ecologist with a certificate in Native Plants from UGA, the homeowner uses her garden as a proving ground for more native plants than one can imagine. There are two bog gardens, 37 species of trees, 31 species of shrubs, more than 10 species of fern, and much more. As an added bonus, the house features two green roofs! Dog hobble, oakleaf hydrangea, viburnum, coral honeysuckle, false blue indigo, black cherry, hearts-a-bustin’, silver bell, and the list goes on and on.
Buckeye at private home #2. Photo by Dottie Head.
Private Home # 2
Decatur, GA 30033
The first thing that catches your eye at this property is the sanctuary sign. It’s artfully placed on an owl box at the top of a snag in the front yard. The Leyland cypress came down long ago, but it stands sentinel over the front yard offering habitat for owls, woodpeckers, and other birds. The yard contains a menagerie of trees and shrubs, ranging from swamp azalea and bottle brush buckeye to a variety of oaks, tea olive, sourwood, and two pecan trees. The property owner is an environmental consultant so you’ll see many of the plants she uses in her stream and wetland restoration work, including river oats, switch grass, and swamp azalea.
Decatur, GA 30033
The first thing that catches your eye at this property is the sanctuary sign. It’s artfully placed on an owl box at the top of a snag in the front yard. The Leyland cypress came down long ago, but it stands sentinel over the front yard offering habitat for owls, woodpeckers, and other birds. The yard contains a menagerie of trees and shrubs, ranging from swamp azalea and bottle brush buckeye to a variety of oaks, tea olive, sourwood, and two pecan trees. The property owner is an environmental consultant so you’ll see many of the plants she uses in her stream and wetland restoration work, including river oats, switch grass, and swamp azalea.
A more manicured landscape, stop #3 is just outside of downtown Decatur and provides a lovely oasis for birds. Photo by Dottie Head.
Private Home #3
Decatur, GA 30030
Nestled near downtown Decatur, this lovely home and garden provide an oasis for wildlife just down the street from Decatur’s city center. A more manicured sanctuary, this landscape draws you in and makes you want to sit down and admire the view. Certified in 2018, the homeowner have been working hard over the past few years to increase the number of native plants in their landscape. The backyard contains some lovely, old growth tulip poplars, oaks, and magnolia that provide shade to most of the garden. Native hydrangeas, Solomon’s seal, cross vine, and serviceberry, are just a few of the shade tolerant plants that adorn this private sanctuary.
Decatur, GA 30030
Nestled near downtown Decatur, this lovely home and garden provide an oasis for wildlife just down the street from Decatur’s city center. A more manicured sanctuary, this landscape draws you in and makes you want to sit down and admire the view. Certified in 2018, the homeowner have been working hard over the past few years to increase the number of native plants in their landscape. The backyard contains some lovely, old growth tulip poplars, oaks, and magnolia that provide shade to most of the garden. Native hydrangeas, Solomon’s seal, cross vine, and serviceberry, are just a few of the shade tolerant plants that adorn this private sanctuary.
Located in the Oakhurst area, stop #4 is bursting with colorful natives. Photo by Dottie Head.
Private Home #4
Decatur, GA 30030
This private garden in the Lenox Place neighborhood in Decatur is a true gem. Thoughtfully designed on all four sides, the garden welcomes visitors to explore and the birds love it. The front yard features a delightful seating area from which visitors can enjoy the recently installed pollinator garden. As you meander down the right side of the house, you will find a plethora of plants along the narrow pathway, including ironweed, spicebush, obedient plant, and Joe Pye weed. In addition to a food garden and chicken coop, the backyard features a variety of native plants such as Savannah holly, aster, milkweed, oakleaf hydrangea and much more. An explosion of colorful zinnias, along with baptista, pink phlox, royal catchfly, and other line the path on the left side of the house along with some whimsical yard art, and berry bushes, that makes this garden a delight to the senses and a haven for birds.
Decatur, GA 30030
This private garden in the Lenox Place neighborhood in Decatur is a true gem. Thoughtfully designed on all four sides, the garden welcomes visitors to explore and the birds love it. The front yard features a delightful seating area from which visitors can enjoy the recently installed pollinator garden. As you meander down the right side of the house, you will find a plethora of plants along the narrow pathway, including ironweed, spicebush, obedient plant, and Joe Pye weed. In addition to a food garden and chicken coop, the backyard features a variety of native plants such as Savannah holly, aster, milkweed, oakleaf hydrangea and much more. An explosion of colorful zinnias, along with baptista, pink phlox, royal catchfly, and other line the path on the left side of the house along with some whimsical yard art, and berry bushes, that makes this garden a delight to the senses and a haven for birds.
