ATLANTA, Aug. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Channel 2 WSB-TV y The Trust for Public Land (TPL) are seeking nominations for Atlanta's fourth annual Cox Conserves Heroes program. Nominations are being accepted for volunteers who are helping to create, preserve or enhance shared outdoor spaces throughout Metro Atlanta. A total of $15,000 will be donated to local environmental nonprofits on behalf of the winner and finalists.

Nominations are open through August 20. To nominate a volunteer, visit http://www.wsbtv.com/coxconservesheroes.

A judging panel comprised of local civic and environmental leaders will select three finalists who then compete to be named Atlanta's 2012 Cox Conserves Hero. The winner, chosen through an online public vote, will receive $10,000 to donate to his or her environmental nonprofit of choice. The finalists will each receive $2,500 for their selected nonprofits.

Nominee activities must be done on a volunteer basis and may not be part of one's paid employment.

The following Metro Atlanta organizations have received financial support from the Cox Conserves Heroes program: Elachee Nature Science Center, Georgia Organics, Historic Fourth Ward Park Conservancy, Johns Creek Community Wildlife Habitat, Keeping It Wild, Mountain Stewards, Park Pride, Sustainable Norcross, Trees Atlantay el West Atlanta Watershed Alliance. Financial support from Cox Conserves Heroes has helped build trails, plant trees, provide environmental education, maintain parks, as well as create outdoor classrooms and certified wildlife habitats at area schools.

Social Media: #CoxConservesHeroes and #CoxConservesHero

About Cox Conserves Heroes (CoxConservesHeroes.com)  
The Cox Conserves Heroes program was created through a partnership between The Trust for Public Land and Cox Enterprises, the parent company of Channel 2 WSB-TV, to honor everyday conservationists. Since the program launched in 2008, 20 individuals have been recognized as Cox Conserves Heroes and more than $200,000 has been donated to local environmental nonprofits. Cox Conserves Heroes also takes place in Arizona, San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Seattle, Orange County (Calif.) and Virginia.

About Channel 2 WSB-TV (wsbtv.com)  
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.

Cox Media Group is an integrated broadcasting, publishing, direct marketing and digital media company that includes the national advertising rep firms of Cox Reps. Additionally, CMG owns and operates Valpak, one of North America's leading direct marketing companies. With $1.7 billion in revenue, the company operations include 15 broadcast television stations and one local cable channel, 86 radio stations, eight daily newspapers and more than a dozen non-daily publications, and more than 100 digital services. CMG operates in more than 30 media markets and reaches approximately 52 million Americans weekly, including 30 million TV viewers, more than 4 million print and online newspaper readers, and 18 million radio listeners. For more information about Cox Media Group, please check us out online at www.coxmediagroup.com.   

About The Trust for Public Land (tpl.org) 
The Trust for Public Land conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and other natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. Since 1972, we have completed 5,200 park and conservation projects, conserved more than 3 million acres, and helped generate $33 billion in state and local conservation funding.

SOURCE Channel 2 WSB-TV