Community | 13
FEBRUARY 2020 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net
Blue Heron names new director, completes Blueway trail
Blue Heron Nature Preserve has
named a new executive director short
ly after completing its internal Blueway
trail system.
Melody Harclerode is the new di
rector, replacing Kevin McCauley, who
retired at year’s end. Harclerode pre
viously served nearly three years as ex
ecutive director of the Sandy Springs
Conservancy. She is a past president of
the Atlanta chapter of the American In
stitute of Architects and former direc
tor of programs at the Arabia Mountain
Heritage Area Alliance in DeKalb Coun
ty. She also writes an architecture col
umn for Atlanta INtown, a sister publi
cation of Reporter Newspapers.
Harclerode joined Blue Heron mem
bers for a tour of the Blueway trail on
Jan. 26. Blue Heron recently
work on the 3-mile internal section of
the trail, following the installation of
bridges in the Land O Lakes area, and
it is now fully open to the public. The
project took three years and $750,000
to complete.
A second phase of the project, which
would link the trail to Chastain
and the PATH400 multiuse trail, is still
in the works and has no current
line, according to Blue Heron.
Blue Heron consists of three
tinct parcels of land totaling 30 acres
Its main entrance is at 4055 Roswell
Road. It shares facilities with the Atlan
ta Audubon Society and the Amphibian
Foundation. For more information, see
bhnp.org.
Top left, New Blue Heron Executive Director Melody
Harclerode talks with Allison Barnett of Park Pride.
Top right, Kevin McCauley, the former executive
director, explains the plan to connect the
Blueway to PATH400 and Chastain Park.
Left, Lauren Reynolds, Blue Heron’s education coordinator,
stands on a boardwalk section of the trail.
Bottom, The group walks the trail in the Emma Wetlands.
Photos by Phil Mosier
BH
