North Jackson Nature Preserve
Mississippi Communities United for Progress
Jackson, Mississippi
2024
Proposed ADA accessible boardwalk.
Funded by
Through the Equitable Resilience Program with EPA, SMM is working with 15 communities across the south and southwest. Jackson, Mississippi faces significant environmental challenges, including frequent flooding from the Pearl River and its tributaries, as well as aging infrastructure that struggles to cope with increasingly severe weather events. The city has experienced major flooding in recent years, most notably in 2020 and 2022, which caused widespread damage and disruption to residents' lives. These flood events have disproportionately affected low-income and predominantly Black neighborhoods, exacerbating existing racial and economic disparities in the city.
Ramona Williams, photographed during the 1-day design charrette.
Credit:
Giancarlo D'Agostaro
Existing condition of proposed North Jackson Nature Preserve site.
“[The preserve] will help to relieve the system, the pressure on the poor and old infrastructure. And it increases the social network. We need to get our communities healthy. And for me, that starts with the environment that we live in.”
Ramona Williams, Executive Director, Mississippi Communities United for Progress
In response to these challenges, three neighborhoods — Canton Club, Parkway, and McLeod — have come together through Mississippi Communities United for Progress (MCUP) to develop a vision for a more resilient Northeast Jackson. This vision centers on the creation of the North Jackson Nature Preserve, a dynamic space designed to serve as both a buffer against flood events and an accessible recreational area for all residents. The preserve aims to demonstrate how nature-based solutions and green infrastructure can effectively address flooding issues while providing much-needed open space. By incorporating ADA-accessible features, the project ensures inclusivity, allowing all community members to benefit from and enjoy the space.
Existing condition of forested area on the proposed nature preserve site.
Proposed ADA-accessible boardwalk.
Existing condition of the Pearl River.
Proposed Pearl River overlook.
