The word “arboretum” may conjure images of shaded forests and mossy paths in bucolic settings far from city lights. But Greg Levine, the executive director of Trees Atlanta, thinks of neighborhoods such as Inman Park and stretches of the Atlanta Beltline that also qualify for the title.
“An arboretum is a botanical garden that focuses on woody plants, so the Beltline is an arboretum,” said Levine. “Six years ago, we created a master plan for it, and we’ve even added to it since. We already have planted almost 700 trees with 61 varieties. We’ll have a lot of diversity, so we’re also working on labeling everything.”
When in full flourish, the young Beltline trees will turn walking and biking lanes into shady links between neighborhoods and pocket parks. In between, there will be stretches of color, thanks to city crews and Trees Atlanta volunteers and staffers who, last week, began planting wildflower meadows along the eastern edge of the Beltline off Ponce de Leon Avenue. The project will continue for the next three months.
“The meadows idea was added into the master plan,” said Levine. “It includes 12 species of grass and 32 wildflowers that are native to Georgia. But you won’t see the flowers until next season. They’re all young plants that don’t really get a good bloom the first year. But everything goes well, the grasses will be tall by fall.”
Folks who want to discover these natural wonders now have several free opportunities to take guided tours of the planted areas. The first takes place at 1 p.m. March 22 and is part of the city-wide Phoenix Flies, a celebration of the city’s landmarks sponsored by the Atlanta Preservation Center. Levine will lead strollers on a 90-minute tour from Inman Park to the Martin Luther King, Jr., Historic district. To register, visit www.preserveatlanta.com, or call 404-688-3353.
Beginning in April, Trees Atlanta will begin offering regular free Beltline arboretum tours led by trained docents who will follow different routes and focus on the variety of plant and tree life along the way. The 90-minute sessions will be held on Saturdays and will begin in on the Beltline’s east side. Information about these tours is online at beltline.org, and registration is required.
“This is an official tour, and we wanted it to be centered around urban ecosystems,” said Levine. “People want to be more connected to improving their environment, and these tours will connect them to the what’s happening with the arboretum. It’s also a great way to educate people about the benefits of plants and trees while they’re out and about getting some exercise.”
Also in April, Levine will be organizing 300 volunteers to be part of an Earth Day event to plant more wildflowers on the Beltline. Volunteers are welcome; for information, contact Trees Atlanta at treesatlanta.org; 404-522-4097.
Each Saturday, we shine a spotlight on a local neighborhood, city or community. To suggest a place for us to visit, e-mail H.M. Cauley at hm_cauley@yahoo.com or call 404-514-6162.
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