Na'Taki Osborne-Jelks Named Atlanta's 2011 Cox Conserves Hero

ATLANTA, Nov. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Channel 2 WSB-TV, in partnership with The Trust for Public Land (TPL),  announced Na'Taki Osborne-Jelks as Atlanta's 2011 Cox Conserves Hero. As her nonprofit of choice, the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance will receive $5,000.

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Osborne-Jelks was nominated for her efforts to revitalize a 26-acre urban forest preserve and nature center in the middle of a low-to-moderate income community in Southwest Atlanta. She raised money and engaged hundreds of volunteers to manage the Outdoor Activity Center.

"I want people to know that the environment is linked to everything we do in society," said Osborne-Jelks. "It's a part of us, and what happens in the environment affects us."

Each of the finalists received $1,250 to donate to his or her environmental nonprofit of choice:

• Connie Weathers (Sustainable Norcross)
• Greg Burson (Park Pride)
• Lane Hurst (Elachee Nature Science Center)
• Malcolm Barnard (Johns Creek Community Wildlife Habitat)

This is the third year for Atlanta's Cox Conserves Heroes program. Don Wells was named Atlanta's 2009 Cox Conserves Hero. As Wells' environmental nonprofit of choice, Mountain Stewards received $5,000. In 2010, Angel Poventud was named Atlanta's Cox Conserves Hero and selected Trees Atlanta to receive $5,000. Georgia Organics, the Historic Fourth Ward Park Conservancy, Keeping It Wild and Park Pride have also received donations through the Cox Conserves Heroes program.

For more information, visit CoxConservesHeroes.com or find us on Facebook.

Social Media: #CoxConservesHeroes and #CoxConservesHero

About Cox Conserves Heroes (CoxConservesHeroes.com)

The Cox Conserves Heroes program was created through a partnership between TPL and Cox Enterprises, the parent company of Channel 2 WSB-TV, to honor everyday conservationists. Since the program launched in 2008, nearly $180,000 has been donated to local environmental nonprofits. Cox Conserves Heroes also runs in Arizona, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Virginia.

Cox Conserves is Cox Enterprises' national sustainability program. In Georgia, Cox has solar installations, energy conservation programs, a water conservation center and an eco-friendly fleet. Through its waste management programs, more than 500 tons of materials have been recycled at its headquarters. In October 2011, ‎forty-five volunteers from Cox partnered with Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper to remove 1,200 pounds of trash from the Whitewater Creek area in Atlanta.

About Channel 2 WSB-TV (wsbtv.com)

Part of Cox Media Group, Channel 2 WSB-TV is an ABC affiliate and ranks as Atlanta's number one local television station. Cox Media Group, Inc. is an integrated broadcasting, publishing, direct marketing and digital media company that includes the national advertising rep firms of Cox Reps. With $1.8 billion in revenue, the company operations include 15 broadcast television stations and one local cable channel, 85 radio stations, eight daily newspapers and more than a dozen non-daily publications, and more than 100 digital services.  Additionally, CMG owns and operates Valpak, one of the leading direct marketing companies in North America. 

About The Trust for Public Land (tpl.org)

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit land conservation organization that conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and natural areas, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. Since 1972, TPL has completed nearly 5,000 land conservation projects in 46 states, protecting 3 million acres. TPL has helped states and communities craft and pass over 382 ballot measures, generating $34 billion in local conservation funds. In Georgia, TPL has conserved more than 20,000 acres and has three primary programmatic areas: Parks for People (including the Atlanta BeltLine), Chattahoochee River Protection Campaign and Georgia Green (G2).

SOURCE Cox Conserves