In 1986 the Mansour Farm, spanned 18 kudzu-covered acres and fronted E. Confederate (now United Ave.) and Walker Avenues in Atlanta. It was purchased by FCS Urban Ministries for the purpose of building an intentional, mixed income development that embraced diversity. It was subdivided into 30 lots with smaller, volunteer-built homes by Charis Community Housing interspersed among modest and larger houses. The Tapestry Community HOA was formed as a neighborhood block association that held ownership to the seven acres of common passive green space behind the houses. There are two playgrounds with sand, slides and swings, and a Tapestry community garden. A shuffleboard court, tree house, wood benches and a woodland path were added in 2012.

In 2008, Tapestry planted 120 trees on the community property after the City of Atlanta’s storm water sewer separation project was completed. Another 25 native trees were planted in 2010 and 41 more in 2012. Their goal for the greenspace remains the removal of invasive and nonnative plants/trees while propagating native plants/trees to maintain and enhance the biodiversity of the greenspace.

“Tapestry Greenspace is a magnet, drawing our neighbors out of their homes and into nature,” said Lou Clymore, Tapestry Greenspace neighbor. “Tapestry is important to me personally because it is an outlet for my latent desire to be a naturalist. I have studied and learned tree and shrub identification, birding and I’m grateful this space welcomes all in the neighborhood.”

In addition, other Tapestry successes have included:

• In 2013-14 Tapestry received a grant through the 5 Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program and, with the help of Trees Atlanta, Atlanta Audubon Society, City of Atlanta Adopt a Stream, City of Atlanta Dept. of Watershed Management, Atlanta Community Food Bank, Fulton County Master Gardeners, Cascade Springs, and Elements Landscape Architect, continued the stream bank restoration project, built bluebird and owl boxes, and offered educational opportunities to elementary and middle school students.

• Tapestry received a Love Your Block grant in May 2015 from the Atlanta Community Foundation. With this funding, Tapestry Community volunteers and Trees Atlanta summer campers planted alders as winter food source for beavers, American

  beautyberries for native birds and three varieties of milkweed for butterflies.

• Since 2010, Tapestry has partnered with the Atlanta Community Food Bank to provide an acre of land for the ACFB’s community garden projects at no charge. The five plots are interspersed on the community property and these garden projects benefit the following:Georgia WIC Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program, horticultural therapy for adults and children, and ACFB volunteer groups as educational opportunities.

• Entrenchment Creek and Stockade Creek are wetland areas which run through the community property. Tapestry volunteers conduct monthly chemical and biological water monitoring of Entrenchment Creek through the Georgia Adopt A Stream Program.

In 2022 Southeastern Trust for Parks & Land led the creation and filing of a perpetual Conservation Easement for Tapestry Greenspace in Fulton County, Ga. As of December 2022, SE Trust has perpetually protected and conserved this seven-acre, historic, “hidden gem” greenspace owned by the Tapestry Community Homeowners Association. The greenspace, located in the Ormewood Park community of Atlanta, has been protected and conserved from future development and other risks while ensuring that it remains a neighborhood greenspace.