Rock/Creek today announced another $1,000 gift to help save Stringer's Ridge.
Rick Wood, executive director of the Trust For Public Land, said more than $2 million has been raised of the $2.5 million needed to fully preserve 92 acres on four hilltops along the scenic ridge.
The donation serves as the kickoff to The Rock/Creek Challenge. In the Challenge, customers and friends of Rock/Creek are encouraged to donate to Trust for Public Land (TPL) in order to match Rock/Creek's $5,000 commitment to Help Save Stringer's Ridge.
To date, Rock/Creek has donated $2,000 to the Stringer's project. The first gift came from a Rock/Creek environmental grant program with Patagonia, a manufacturer of outdoor clothing and gear with a long history of environmental stewardship. This most recent gift came from the money raised at the recent Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race.
The proposed acquisition to preserve the ridge began in 2007, after developers threatened to convert the undeveloped land into mass-residential area. Chattanooga residents opposed the land developer's plant and the Trust for Public Land joined in partnership with the city of Chattanooga to protect the scenic and historic landscape in September 2008.
Mr. Wood said, "Continuing with today's public campaign, TPL's dream to preserve Stringer's Ridge as an undeveloped area continues to gain ground through support from community groups, individual donations, and corporate donations such as this.
"We could not do this kind of work without people stepping up and saying this is really important. This is truly a grassroots-oriented campaign dependent on the diversity of donations. We are so close and it has been amazing to see the outreach and interest."
In January, the trust obtained a 37-acre portion of the ridge along with the landowner's agreement to establish a conservation easement to relinquish rights to future development on the remaining 55 acres.
Mr. Wood said, "We have plans to hire ecologists, landscape architects, and historians to truly understand and evaluate the treasure we are acquiring.
"A public planning meeting will be held for residents and volunteers interested in establishing public parks and building trails."