Ormewood Forest is over 6 acres of undeveloped private property located in the East Atlanta neighborhood in the City of Atlanta. Consisting of pristine forest and a headwater stream, the property supports a thriving amount of plants and animals. The East Atlanta neighborhood includes a rich history and preserving this property will contribute to the neighborhood’s efforts to be placed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
Location & Description
The west end of Ormewood Forest connects to Shadowridge Drive, the south end is the border of the City of Atlanta and unincorporated Dekalb County. On the northern end, the property connects to Ormewood Avenue and sits behind the 1300 block of Ormewood Avenue between Shadowridge Drive and Flat Shoals Avenue. On the east side, the property sits adjacent to houses on Flat Shoals Avenue. Thress Avenue is an abandoned city street that runs into the property from Shadowridge.
The historic Beulah Church of Christ Holiness church sat on the property for decades before being removed from the property in the mid 2000’s. Since then, the property has been neglected, and populated by invasive plant species. The stream that begins on the property is overtaxed and is suffering from poorly maintained street culverts.
Flora and Fauna
Ormewood Forest features a tree canopy that consists of multiple hardwood trees up to and over 100 years old, as well as a number of mature pines and other trees. As the property has not been properly maintained for decades, it is being overtaken by invasive plant species including:
- Japanese Chaff Flower
- English Ivy
- Privet
- Monkeygrass
- Japanese Honeysuckle
- Bamboo
- Kudzu
- Wisteria
With city and community effort, these invasive species can be removed and the forest returned to its healthy, natural state.
Neighbors in the East Atlanta neighborhood easily recognize the abundance of birds that call our neighborhood home. Ormewood Forest plays a huge part in providing a habitat to these birds and the birds that have been witnessed within include:
| Green Heron | Barred Owl | Eastern Towhee | Eastern Bluebird |
| Great Blue Heron | Mourning Dove | Chipping Sparrow | American Robin |
| Broad-winged Hawk | Red-shouldered Hawk | Northern Cardinal | Hermit Thrush |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Eastern Wood-Pewee | Red-winged Blackbird | Wood Thrush |
| Killdeer | Northern Flicker | Brown-headed Cowbird | Blue Jay |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Song Sparrow | Brown Thrasher |
| Belted Kingfisher | Red-headed Woodpecker | White-throated Sparrow | European Starling |
| Great Crested Flycatcher | Red-bellied Woodpecker | House Finch | Chestnut-sided Warbler |
| Carolina Chickadee | Downy Woodpecker | American Goldfinch | American Crow |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | Pileated Woodpecker | Scarlet Tanager | Brown-headed Nuthatch |
| Carolina Wren | Chimney Swift | Summer Tanager | Kentucky Warbler |
| Ovenbird | White-eyed Vireo | Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Tufted Titmouse |
| Tufted Titmouse | Northern Mockingbird | Black-and-white Warbler | Hooded Warbler |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | Gray Catbird | ||