A conversation with Conservationist Bob Kerr

Hello dear reader!

Today we want to tell you about an amazing human that we are honored to call a friend. He has been instrumental in ensuring the existence and protection of our local nature. Our first installment of Folks Who Make A Difference speaks with Bob Kerr, a long time Atlanta resident and Conservationist.

It all started in Cabbagetown

Born in Alabama in 1933, Bob’s family moved to Shannon, Ga when he was a baby. By the time he was 3 years old, they had settled in Cabbagetown, a small neighborhood in Atlanta. His parents worked at the nearby Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill until his father was drafted into the military for WWII when Bob was 10. We have been down the street that he grew up on several times. You can see the old (now inoperable) smoke stacks of the mill from there. The mill has since been renovated into apartments and condos, keeping much of the original charm of the building.

Bob told us that his dad fought in the South Pacific during the last 3 years of the war, and saw the signing ceremony when Japan surrendered. One day when Bob and his 2 sisters were at the movies, the newsreel that played that day included a visual of their dad walking between two gun stations! (Newsreels were often shown before a movie as a precursor to television news, which fully replaced this form of media by the 1960’s.)

His mother continued to work at the mill, but later in life became a hostess at her daughter’s Southern Style restaurant. One of Bob’s sisters was physically and mentally handicapped, and he and his younger sister helped care for her. The two of them made breakfast and all three of their beds before ensuring they got to school on time every day.

A hard worker from an early age

Bob’s first jobs began when he was a pre-teen. Some of his work included shining shoes at the local barber shop. He also sold produce on the streets in Southeast Atlanta, and Christmas trees at the State Farmer’s Market. Maybe the most fun, being a “soda-jerk” at a drug store in West End. This began a work ethic that would stay with him throughout his career.

Service and training

After graduating from Roosevelt High School he got a job with Southern Bell (now called Bell South) where he learned to use computers. He then joined the U. S. Marines as a reservist, and served active duty for two years at the latter part of the Korean Conflict. Once he finished his military service, he designed and installed computer based business systems for many diverse companies and government agencies. He also got married, had two children, and in the evenings attended George Washington University until he moved back to Atlanta, where he attended Georgia State University.

A man ahead of his time

Bob continued working with computers, got divorced and joined the Georgia Conservancy. He was also a campaign manger for a young Republican who was elected to the Georgia House. After taking volunteer leadership positions with the Georgia Conservancy, he decided to make a career out of it and became a professional Conservationist.

About 10 years later, the Governor at the time, Zell Miller (1991 – 1999), asked Bob to head the Georgia Hazardous Waste Management Authority. Governor Miller wanted Bob to provide guidance on whether they should build a Hazardous Waste Incinerator in Taylor County (about 100 miles south of Atlanta). Bob’s recommendation was a resounding NO, and he convinced the Governor to let him use allocated funds to create a new agency aimed at helping manufacturers reduce their use of hazardous materials instead.

House Speaker Tom Murphy (1973-2002) decided that this new agency should be a division in the DNR. Bob planned, organized and led this division for many years, and it was a forerunner to what is now called Sustainability Programs. This is one of his accomplishments that Bob is most proud of.

In the early 80s, he met his current wife, Linda DiSantis and they married in 1987. Currently a retired Attorney, she too has a passion for the natural world and helping it thrive. Some of her work in Law has included Environmental Law and Corporate Governance. She’s been a member of the Georgia Audubon Board of Directors for over 9 years, serving as Chair of the Board for 7 of those years.

Non-profit work

An active member of several organizations, Bob has worked with the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) as first a Member, then Board Member and eventually Board Chair. NPCA is a very large, national non-profit that is dedicated to the support of National Parks. You can learn more about them and how you can get involved by following the link above.

After that, Bob followed the same path with the Marine Conservation Biology Institute (now called Marine Conservation Institute or MCI) as Board Member and Board Chair. They are a national organization based in Seattle, WA that is staffed with Marine Biologists as well as others, who are dedicated to identifying and advocating for protection of important areas of our oceans. You can also learn about the important work they do at the link above.

One of the projects Bob was involved in during his time as Board Chair with the Marine Conservation Institute was influencing then President George W. Bush to designate protection of over 1200 linear miles of the waters surrounding the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. MCI was responsible for the support and in-person advocacy that led to this coming to fruition.

In addition to serving the Boards of several non-profit organizations, Bob has also advocated for handicapped people and once served on the Board for the Society for the Prevention of Blindness.

Retired, but far from sedentary

Now that he has retired, Bob still leads a very active and engaging life. He just recently celebrated his 90th birthday, and wow what an impressive guest list was there! Former Senator Sam Nunn was in attendance, as were others. The stories told about him and his journey through conservationism are inspiring.

In the early 2000s, Bob and Linda got two of the best dogs you’d ever want to meet. Sadie, a Brittney Spaniel in 2003, and Mollie, a German Shorthaired Pointer in 2005. Spider had been their petsitter, and I got to meet them all in 2007. Sadie and Mollie would stay at our house when Bob and Linda traveled.

And oh do they travel! They have taken some amazing trips together, and still do! In fact, as of this writing, they just got back from a beautiful tour of some magnificent natural settings from the Appalachian Mountains to the Owen Sound in Canada.

Bob currently does volunteer work with the South Fork Conservancy, a non-profit organization whose mission is to build a natural surface walking trail along the length of the South Fork of Peachtree Creek.

The South Fork Conservancy was created by Bob and others, to provide connections to and through green spaces for use by members of the communities that the trails connect. So far, they have been a success at that goal. They are continuing that work, he says though, “There is still so much more to do. However, it has allowed many members of underserved communities to experience and enjoy a walk along a Creekside in a more natural environment.”

Parks, trails and beaches

Bob has also been significantly involved in legislative efforts to create wilderness protection in areas of North Georgia, Western North Carolina and Cumberland Island. Most recently he has been involved in the restoration of Zonolite Park and the Confluence Trail as well as the Confluence Trail Pedestrian Bridge project. This bridge connects to other trail systems in the area such as The Cheshire Farm and the Meadow Loop Trails.

In asking how the work he does makes the world a better place, Bob says he feels that what he is a part of can influence the little corner of the world we live in. He stated that our urban development has degraded a lot of natural habitats, and working with the South Fork Conservancy restores the places that had been home to the native wildlife so that they may once again thrive.

He says the work that the South Fork Conservancy does provides an additional opportunity for people to enjoy a more natural experience when out walking, and perhaps learn more about natural systems, which he thinks is a good thing. Additionally, for the people of the neighborhoods that the trails touch, he says it is very important that the people there get an opportunity to see and feel some sense of the natural world. Bob’s philosophy? He says “We are inclined to cherish nature when we are exposed to it. When you see and experience that something is special, you will attempt to ensure it is loved and protected.”

Our closing thoughts

We want to thank you Bob. Because of you, we have wonderful havens to enjoy. It is truly medicine for the soul to be able to sit in a natural setting amongst the wildlife, the flora and fauna and natural waters that flow through. These spaces mean so much to us. Thank you for being a steward of the lands and the wildlife, and for making city life a bit more peaceful. May your example be followed for generations to come.

Some of our goals at SpiderRain are creating community and bringing awareness about people who are doing things for the betterment of society and the planet, in addition to other things. We want to see people like this have a bigger impact, and by telling you about them, and the work they do, they can get better visibility and in turn, more opportunities to help make more positive change. To learn about other people who are working to make the world a better place, we post their stories here.

So we leave it to you, dear reader to share the links to these stories with your friends and help these amazing people make the world a more beautiful place. Wouldn’t you just love to know that you are part of positive change? If we all work together, we can make it happen!

Love, SpiderRain