Readers write

Preserving Atlanta’s tree canopy is a necessity

Six years ago, I moved to Atlanta. I was groggy, having sat in our family car for over 10 hours; my eyes were heavy and barely open, but as I took in the city for the first time, one unmistakable color stood out: green — specifically, the green of nature and trees.

Throughout my time in Atlanta, I’ve walked trails, learned about the plants and flowers around me, and observed the natural life. For me, the woods and the trees in Atlanta are something special, a testament to years of dedicated environmental conservation.

For that reason, when reading the AJC’s article about the shrinking tree canopy, “Atlanta’s tree canopy has been shrinking. What the city does next is unclear.” Aug. 12, I couldn’t help but feel worried - a concern over what Atlanta’s nature scene will look like in a few years.

It’s not just me either. As a marketing officer for the LinkMind Foundation, a student-run nonprofit dedicated to environmental sustainability and public health, I’ve gotten the chance to talk to dozens of fellow students, even those not in Atlanta, who revere and appreciate the natural world.

Atlanta’s tree canopy is a symbol of integrated nature at its finest; the chance to preserve and safeguard our canopy should be treated not as a choice, but as an urgent obligation for city leaders and residents alike.

HONGRUI HUANG, ATLANTA

Dolezal’s dismissal of Mitt Romney unwarranted

Georgia senator and Republican lieutenant governor nominee Greg Dolezal recently remarked, as detailed in an AJC article, “Georgia GOP push politics of the past including communism and Shariah,” Aug. 14, that Republicans have “campaigned like Donald Trump and then governed like Mitt Romney.”

With all due respect to Sen. Dolezal, Romney successfully turned around the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, served with honor as governor of Massachusetts and as a U.S. senator representing Utah, and ran for president of the United States twice. While disagreements are expected, normalizing the dismissal of someone’s service is unwarranted.

BLAINE SALTER, ATHENS

Ossoff too liberal for Republican votes

There is no way a true Republican could ever support a U.S. senator like Jon Ossoff. Sen. Ossoff is a liberal and his voting record proves it. By voting against the One Big Beautiful Bill in 2025, Ossoff effectively voted to raise taxes on the middle class and to tax tips.