Tree News

For the second year, a $10,000 Urban Forestry Grant has been awarded to the GAA by the Georgia Forestry Commission's Urban & Community Forestry Grant Program. This grant will enable the GAA to retain it's current Executive Director, Donna Rayfield. Our Executive Director was originally hired on October 12, 2006 and serves on a part-time basis. She manages the day to day operations of the GAA including maintaining the GAA website, making arrangements for GAA meetings and workshops, and membership recruitment.

Join the Georgia Urban Forest Council on August 9th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center , located at 2020 Clean Water Drive, Buford, Georgia, for their 3rd quarter meeting and training session. DeKalb County Arborist India Shahid will facilitate a panel discussion featuring Jimmy Etheridge of the Georgia Transmission Corporation, Scott Souder and Susan Avent of the Georgia Power Company, and Hugh Tyer, a utility arborist consultant. Also featured on the program will be a brief talk on the green design elements of the center by Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center's Sheila Fowler, and an outdoor tour by a representative from the Jaeger Company of their award-winning landscape design. There will also be time for a self-guided tour of the exhibits. And, for those interested, there will be a ramble on the shady trails immediately following the program. The Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center is a unique building designed by Lord, Aeck ...

After months of little rain, trees around the Atlanta area are beginning to look a little parched. The weakest trees are the ones that succumb to moisture stress first. Sometimes its the trees that have been damaged from soil disturbance, such as on construction sites or even on lawns that have been over-manicured. Construction sites may have compacted soil that drives out pore space in the soil. Over manicured lawns may have been over-watered in the past or been graded by machinery that destroyed fine roots in the upper strata of the soil profile. Trees growing in regions that are already dry may be on the edge of critical moisture stress. A casual drive through south DeKalb County reveals Loblolly pines dying on the rock outcrops. These trees functioned under normal rainfall conditions, but this year has been especially hard on them. Perhaps, the stronger trees will re-populate the area. Once called "The most massive and longest lived organisms on Earth" by the late A...

On June 17, The Atlanta City Council made a striking modification the City's tree ordinance. Property owners will now be allowed to remove any tree that is growing within 5 feet of a house or duplex, without recompense. A permit will still be required from the City Arborist Division prior to removal, and no other tree may be removed under the same provision for 5 years. Furthermore, the exemption does not apply if the tree contributes 10 percent or more of the total tree canopy over the lot.

The Georgia Arborist Association's annual Tree Climbing Championship nears its registration deadline, as the Saturday, March 10 event draws close. Skilled tree climbers from all over the metro Atlanta area will compete in a full day of fun and activity at the United Methodist’s Children’s Home , located at 500 South Columbia Drive in Decatur. The event begins at 7:30 AM, and could last till 5:00 PM. The event brings together tree climbing professionals, enthusiasts, and hobbyists for fellowship and friendly games. Contestants compete in five preliminary events to qualify as one of three finalists in the Masters Challenge championship. Preliminary events include: secured foot lock, belayed speed climb, aerial rescue, throw line, and work climb. The winner of the Masters challenge will be sponsored to the Southern Chapter ISA Tree Climbing Championship in Little Rock, Arkansas, March 25-27, 2007. Prizes will be awarded to winners of each event. Tree lovers of all background...

The Mayor and Council of Sandy Springs adopted a new Tree Conservation Ordinance, February 6, 2007, which was effective upon adoption. The Ordinance introduces concepts to protect tree canopy throughout the city, establishes a Tree Bank, and provides Administrative Standards and Best Management Practices. This new Ordinance will be the subject of two identical training sessions, conducted by the City Arborist, Michael Barnett. They are scheduled for: • Monday, February 12, 2007 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm in the City Council Chambers of City Hall, 7840 Roswell Road, building 500, and, repeated, • Thursday, February 22, 2007 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm in the Training room adjacent to the Council Chambers of City Hall. The City of Sandy Springs is posting an open invitation to all who wish to participate.

A public meeting on Jan. 11 will give Sandy Springs citizens an opportunity to ask questions about the city's proposed tree ordinance. There will be a presentation on how the ordinance works, the minimum requirements for land disturbance permits, the definition of specimen trees, the variance process, problems typically encountered on sites and enforcement. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, located at City Hall in the Morgan Falls office park.