Atlanta City Council approves measure to protect tree canopy

The Atlanta City Council recently gave the nod to an ordinance imposing a 180-day moratorium on accepting any application to remove more than ten trees on residential zoned parcels of five acres or larger.

Councilwoman Natalyn Archibong proposed the measure, which passed unanimously.

The six month moratorium gives the city the chance to look into the impact that development is having on Atlanta’s tree canopy and to come up with ways to increase and preserve the canopy, according to city officials. Information supplied by the city says that 36 percent of the city is covered in trees, while other U.S. cities on average have 27 percent tree coverage.