Q: In the paper, I recently saw upcoming docent training for Trees Atlanta. I know they plant trees in the Atlanta area, but that’s all I know. Can you tell me about this organization?
A: Trees Atlanta is a nonprofit group that focuses on the city’s tree canopies through the planting and conserving of trees, and educating communities on the importance of trees. It began in 1985 with the drive to add green space in downtown Atlanta.
Incorporating trees into the cityscape, Trees Atlanta’s first funded project allowed the cutting of downtown sidewalks to provide space for planting trees. To-date 140,000 trees have been planted in the metro area.
“When flying into Atlanta one of the most striking views you get is from the airplane,” said Director of Outreach and Marketing Judy Yi. “You see how lush, green and canopied our city is. So we really believe that trees are iconic to our city. It is something that defines our identity.”
A partnership between 10 metro cities and nine other nonprofits formed their latest initiative “One Million Trees” as the need to plant, protect and educate expanded. Over the next 10 years, 1,000,000 trees will be planted and protected.
“The conserving part in a forest restoration effort is removing evasive species and replacing it with native species of forested areas. Think ivy and kudzu. When you see either climbing on trees, it is not natural. It will eventually kill that tree,” Yi said. “We try to educate the community about why and how they need to remove the invasive.
Credit: Trees Atlanta
Credit: Trees Atlanta
More than their aesthetic beauty and marking the seasons, the group knows the value of what trees contribute to society.
Trees Atlanta’s mission is based upon the wealth of benefits that trees provide: social, communal, environmental and economic.
Credit: Trees Atlanta
Credit: Trees Atlanta
“Trees are fundamentally critical to the health and well being of the people in our communities. We also know that streets in which there are more trees along the streets, the retailers on that street have higher sales volume,” Yi said. “Communities that have more trees have lower crime rates and part of that is more trees in a lush and natural environment encourages people to be outdoors more.”
For more information on training programs, summer camp, events, etc., visit https://www.treesatlanta.org/
New to Atlanta or simply have a question about this place we call home? Email your request to atlactualfact@gmail.com
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