Opinion: Lessons from the grassroots environmental victory at Overton Park
A photograph from 1970 shows Interstate 40 heading straight toward Overton Park. (Courtesy Willie Bearden)
Brooks Lamb
Brooks Lamb is the Land Protection and Access Specialist at American Farmland Trust. He is also an author and an adjunct professor at Rhodes College. Brooks grew up on a small family farm in Middle Tennessee and now lives in Memphis.
How did a small group of citizens persevere for so long to block an interstate route through the park? They cultivated relationships with the place, through walks in the forest and picnics by the lake. Close connections led to enduring affection.
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