A serene area of woodland in Sandy Springs, Georgia, has become a lasting source of enjoyment for the community through the efforts of one woman who sought to preserve her lifetime home. Rather than allow the land to lose its character to development, she worked with conservation groups to preserve it for future generations.
Margaret “Peggy” Miles was born and raised at the 24-acre family farm where the mature trees and natural habitats were untouched.
A family property with a history of its own
Friends of Lost Corner, an all-volunteer nonprofit, now supports stewardship, educational programs, and community engagement in partnership with the city. The Miles family purchased the land in the early 20th century, and Peggy Miles spent her entire life there. However, for Miles, this forest was never strange. She knew all about the vegetation and wildlife present in this area, as she was attached to the landscape which had been part of her family for many years. This area had an extensive history that went far beyond the Miles family itself. The preservation process involved collaboration between Miles, the conservation groups, and the local government. Sandy Springs Conservancy worked to bring together the partners and funding needed to protect the woodland While the Trust for Public Land assisted in the process. The legacy of Peggy Miles exists in the landscape itself. In working to conserve the woodlands on behalf of her family and ensuring that those lands will remain preserved for the future, she helped ensure that a piece of land was made available for residents to enjoy the outdoors and learn about the history of the area.
Miles passed away in 2008, but the conservation effort continued. The Trust for Public Land acquired the rest of the two acres from her estate , and in August 2012, the Sandy Springs City Council approved the final step to add those acres to the preserve. It marked the fulfillment of an ongoing plan to conserve the entire 24-acre tract for public use.
As a result, 22 acres of the land were designated as the Lost Corner Preserve in 2008, as she had wished before her death.
Her father gave this isolated piece of land the name “Lost Corner” since it would be hard for visitors to find their way through there. This land had existed long before Sandy Springs became what it is today, and there were signs that it had once been settled by humans and used for farming.
The research helps explain why collaborations like the one that created Lost Corner Preserve can be important. For example, the NICHES Land Trust was presented in 2022 with 400 acres of Lois Farris North Farm, as well as a restoration effort that would preserve and improve wildlife habitat. Research published in Annual Review of Resource Economics examines the role of land trusts, private landowners, and public policy in protecting privately held land. Conservation may require coordination of property, financing, and stewardship rather than placing all responsibility on a single entity. The practice has been implemented in many different locations in the US. these examples illustrate the potential of estate planning to carry forward a landowner’s conservation efforts after their death While the context may be different in each case.
