Ch. 2 WSB-TV Names Linda Cotten Taylor as Atlanta's 2016 Cox Conserves Hero

Program donates $20,000 to environmental nonprofits in Metro Atlanta

ATLANTA, Nov. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ch. 2 WSB-TV and The Trust for Public Land announced Linda Cotten Taylor as Atlanta's 2016 Cox Conserves Hero. The program honors volunteers who are creating, preserving or enhancing outdoor spaces.   

Cotten Taylor believes that park maintenance and improvement is everyone's duty versus just a few individuals. She brought this belief to life by securing funding to make improvements at Chapel Hill Park that include a playground, fishing pier, fitness stations and signage. In addition to being the park's lead fundraiser, she facilitates volunteer cleanups and works with the Parks Department on security issues. Cotten Taylor's nonprofit of choice, Park Pride, will receive $10,000 on her behalf.

The two finalists each will receive $5,000 for their nonprofits of choice. Chris Beck selected Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve as his nonprofit of choice; Pauline Drake chose Park Pride.

Previous recipients of Atlanta's Cox Conserves Heroes award are Tom Branch, Bob Scott, John Gordon, Donna Shearer, Na'Taki Osborne-Jelks, Angel Poventud and Don Wells.

Financial support from Cox Conserves Heroes has helped create community gardens, build trails, plant trees, provide environmental education and maintain parks, as well as create outdoor classrooms and certified wildlife habitats at area schools throughout Metro Atlanta.

Cox Conserves Heroes takes place in Arizona, California, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts and Virginia and Washington. The program has named 53 winners and has donated nearly $800,000 to environmental nonprofits.

The national program was created in 2008 through a partnership between The Trust for Public Land and Cox Enterprises, the parent company of Ch. 2 WSB-TV. The partnership stems from Cox Enterprises' national Cox Conserves sustainability program that focuses on reducing waste and energy consumption, conserving water and inspiring eco-friendly behavior.

For more information, visit CoxConservesHeroes.com or Facebook.

Social Media: #CoxConservesHeroes and #CoxConservesHero

About Channel 2 WSB-TV:
The ABC Affiliate is part of Cox Media Group and ranks as Atlanta's number one local television station. The station also operates its website, wsbtv.com, its mobile site, wap.wsbtv.com, and airs MeTV on its digital channel 2.2.

About The Trust for Public Land:
The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come.  Millions of people live within a one-half mile walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year.  To support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to you, visit http://www.tpl.org.

About Cox Conserves:
Launched in 2007 by Chairman Jim Kennedy, Cox Conserves is Cox Enterprises' national sustainability program. Cox Conserves focuses on reducing waste and energy consumption, as well as conserving water. The program engages each of the company's major subsidiaries (Cox Communications, Cox Automotive and Cox Media Group) and encourages Cox Enterprises' 60,000 employees and their families to engage in eco-friendly practices.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161116/440099

SOURCE Cox Conserves

For further information: Kristen Anderson, The Trust for Public Land, 415-800-5178, kristen.anderson@tpl.org; Elizabeth Olmstead, Cox Enterprises, 678-645-0762, elizabeth.olmstead@coxinc.com