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Tree Ordinance Construction Zone

Our goals for this new website are to provide you with current

information and useful tools to help you build—or evaluate and

rebuild—your tree ordinance. We hope the information you find here

will help you create a healthier, more functional community forest and

help your community reach its tree cover and quality of life goals.

The Tree Ordinance Construction Zone website was designed to

help people responsible for writing tree policy in Georgia to create

a more effective tree ordinance and to help everyone responsible for

approving, administering, implementing, complying with, and enforcing

tree ordinances.

We want you to

better understand

the functions and

benefits of trees,

the science behind

tree care, the

pathways available

for conserving

trees, the mechanisms used in regulating tree cover, and the rationale

behind the various provisions commonly included in tree ordinances in

Georgia. We invite arborists, foresters, landscape architects,

planners, engineers, builders, developers, city and county

managers, elected officials, government employees, planning

commission members, tree board members, citizens and

anyone interested in their community forest to add this site to

their list of important resources. Then, visit this site regularly to

further your knowledge and understanding of tree ordinances and their

implementation.

Click here to visit The Tree Ordinance Construction Zone.

Newsletter of the

TREE TALKS Georgia Urban Forest Council

GUFC 2nd Quarter

Program

APRIL 25, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Join us at the Rome E.C.O.

Center, as Dr. Martin Cipollini

of Berry College discusses

the "Natural History of

Georgia Forests and

its Relationship to

Community trees, and well

as his research on the

American chestnut and the

Mountain longleaf pine.

Arborist and horticulturist Rick

Barnes will lead us on "A Trail

of Trees to Georgia’s

History," a retrospective of

the trees that defined Georgia’s

past. Dr. Allison Bailey, Associate Professor at the

University of North Georgia

will speak on "Web-based &

Mobile GIS Applications

used for Crowd-sourcing

and Citizen Science in

Urban Forestry.” 2.75 ISA

CEUs will be available, as well

as 2.5 Category 1 SAF Forestry

hours. A certificate of

attendance will be available for

landscape architects and

others. See agenda here.

REGISTER HERE.

GUFC P.O. Box 2199 Stone Mountain, GA 30086 470.210.5900 www.gufc.org

SPRING 2018

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Think about your favorite neighborhood.

Now, consider that when you tell yourself “I really like this neighborhood,” it’s very

likely that what you really mean to say is “I really like the trees in this

neighborhood.” This idea that trees are a defining characteristic of desirable

neighborhoods was pointed out to me years ago by a professor at UGA and has

stuck with me throughout my career. We’re all familiar with the benefits of trees,

and their ability to add value to property, quality of life and urban ecosystems. The

challenge we face is that most of these benefits are difficult to quantify.

Over the last few decades, research has shown that the presence of trees on a site provides quantitative

benefits for human health, stormwater solutions, retail sales, and property values. For example, healthy mature

trees can increase residential property value by three to twelve percent. Trees in a commercial landscape

improve retail sales by 7% over comparable spaces without trees. The growing economy in Georgia means

that, necessarily, trees must be removed for development, and in most cases it’s much easier to remove trees,

build new buildings and then replace trees than it is to preserve existing trees. A robust tree preservation

effort on new construction may add as much as 5-6% to site development costs.

From a developer’s perspective, tree preservation and tree ordinances can often (and understandably) be a

challenge to be overcome, rather than an opportunity to add value to the property. We (tree people) haven’t

done a good job of communicating the value of trees to audiences outside of our own network. With regard

to development I fear that we’re viewed as obstructionists more often than not. Development will happen

with or without our input. We must do a better job communicating the value of trees, offering reasonable

tree preservation plans, and working with builders to achieve mutual goals.

Art Morris

Representatives from various agencies and organizations met recently to write the Five-Year Plan for

Georgia’s Urban and Community Forests 2018-2022. This plan is written every five years to provide strategic

direction for urban forestry efforts across the state. Four new goals were drawn up: 1) improved urban and

community forest management, maintenance, and stewardship for health, resiliency and usability; 2)

partnerships built across diverse sectors to leverage community resources; 3) an involved public empowered

through education about the value of community forests and the necessity for individual awareness and

personal responsibility; and 4) healthy forest ecosystems throughout communities through an emphasis on the

green infrastructure approach toward planning, development and policy. Read more about the Five Year Plan

here. Also, Georgia Urban Forest Council has a new three year strategic plan involving fundraising, increasing

membership, reaching a younger demographic, and speaking engagement outreach. Thanks, everyone!

Mary Lynne Beckley

From the Executive Director

President’s Letter

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URBAN FORESTRY NEWS

North Georgia

Tree Plantings

The City of Fort

Oglethorpe, a Tree City

USA, recently established

Honor Park and planted trees

in honor of military veterans.

They’ve planted five trees

representing the Army, Navy,

Air Force, Marines and Coast

Guard and have plans to plant

many more. Pictured in the

top photo are all the

participants on their tree

planting day, including Fort

Oglethorpe City

Councilwoman Paula Stinnett.

https://fortogov.com/

The Town of Trion, also a

Tree City USA, planted three

Red Sunset maples at their

Veterans Memorial Park

recently in honor of POWs,

MIAs, and veterans of the Middle East conflict (bottom photo). http://www.townoftrion.net/

City of Jefferson and City of Atlanta Arborist Division

become GUFC Lifetime Members

Many thanks to the City of Jefferson and the City of Atlanta Arborist Division for becoming Lifetime

Members with the Georgia Urban Forest Council. Membership is vital to our continuing mission of

sustaining Georgia’s green legacy by partnering with individuals, organizations, and communities in raising

awareness toward improving and maintaining Georgia's community forests, and a Lifetime Membership

demonstrates a strong commitment to urban forestry in one’s own community and the entire state. Lifetime

members of the GUFC now include City of Jefferson, City of Atlanta Arborist Division, City of Rome, Athens-

Clarke County Government, City of Thomaston, Thoms Trees & Plants, Premier Tree Care, Caldwell Tree

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Care, and numerous individuals. Learn more about a Lifetime membership and other levels of GUFC

membership at http://www.gufc.org/membership/joinrenew/.

Seeking arborist certification? Need a refresher course? The Georgia Urban Forest Council will present a two-day Arborist Certification Review Course taught by

Certified Arborists Gretchen Musser and Rob Swanson on May 8 and 9, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (both days), at

Gwinnett Technical College, 5150 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville, GA 30043. Gretchen and Rob will help

attendees prepare for the exam with lectures and hands-on demonstrations covering Tree Biology, Tree

Identification, Soil Science, Water Management, Tree Nutrition and Fertilization, Tree Selection, Installation

and Establishment, Pruning, Tree Support and Lightning Protection, Diagnosis and Plant Disorders, Plant

Health Care, Tree Assessment and Risk Management, Trees and Construction, Urban Forestry, Tree Worker

Safety, and Climbing & Working in Trees. REGISTRATION FEE: $100 GUFC members; $115 non-members

(Lunch and refreshments provided on both days.) STUDY GUIDE: Attendees should read through the ISA

Arborist Certification Study Guide (not included) to prepare for the review and the exam. The Arborist

Certification Study Guide is available at www.isa-arbor.com and www.amazon.com. An ISA Certified Arborist

exam will be scheduled approximately one month after the review course for those wanting to take it.

Attendees will be responsible for completing their own application for the exam. SCHOLARSHIPS:The

Georgia Forestry Commission is offering scholarships to cover the cost of registration for tree board

members and tree care workers employed by a city, county, school or university who are not ISA Certified

Arborists. Download scholarship form here. Scholarship application must be approved by the Georgia

Forestry Commission before registering for the class. CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS: ISA CEU hours

will be available for certified arborists taking the class as a refresher course. 2 Commercial Credit Pesticide

hours, categories 21 and 23 are available. Questions? Call Mary Lynne Beckley at 470-210-5900 or e-mail her

at marylynne@gufc.org.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

Just what is an Urban Forest Council? State urban forest councils are nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations or advisory boards for state forestry agencies

nationwide. Some councils are membership organizations that offer educational programs and resources, while

others are advisory organizations only.

Per the program guidance for the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Program,

established by Section 9, Urban and Community Forestry Assistance, of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance

Act (CFAA) of 1978 (PL 95-313), as amended by PL 101-6241, each State shall have an appropriately broad-

based UCF Council that consists of governmental agencies, industry, academic institutions, nonprofit and

community-based organizations, and grassroots volunteers concerned with urban and community forestry, and

reflects diverse public participation. States are encouraged to utilize the State Council to expand delivery of

the state program, leverage external resources, grow public-private partnerships, and build a vibrant statewide

constituency empowered to promote urban forestry statewide. The State Council is, at minimum, required to

advise and/or assist the State Forester in the development of program emphasis, priorities and

implementation, and periodic review and revision of the 5 Year State Strategic Plan/State Forest Action Plan.

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Join the GUFC

Ramble at Mill Creek

Nature Center in

Buford May 24 On Thursday, May 24, we tour Mill Creek

Nature Center (MCNC), a

wetlands/wildlife preserve in Gwinnett

County, owned and managed by the

Georgia Wildlife Federation. Project

Manager Hank Ohme will discuss the

history of the nature center and various

projects completed, and volunteer John

Deitsch will talk about the varieties of birds in the area, as well as various insects, such as dragonflies. The

entrance to MCNC is at the intersection of Mall of Georgia Boulevard and Nature Center Parkway in Buford,

Georgia (some maps just say “Nature Parkway”). The address is 2355 Mall of Georgia Blvd, Buford, Georgia

30519. There is limited parking at the site, but parking is available in the shopping area where the Bird

Watchers Supply Store is located. The ramble is free, but pre-registration is required: click here to register.

Trees as Green Stormwater Infrastructure – The Fourth

in our Series AUGUST 8 – GUFC’s third quarterly program, held this year at Suwanee City Hall, 330 Town Center

Avenue, is our fourth annual “Trees as Green Stormwater Infrastructure”educational event. David

Dechant, LEED AP, SITES AP and Board Certified Master Arborist at Arborguard Tree Specialists and Joe

Burgess, Community Forester and Regional Specialist with the Georgia Forestry Commission will lead our

continued conversation on the importance of incorporating trees into the growth of our communities, as

trees provide vital stormwater management, as well as the host of other benefits for communities. After

lunch, a panel discussion will feature representatives from local communities from a variety of professions,

including engineering, arboriculture, and city planning. CEUs will be available. Lunch provided. This program

is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

College Canopy Conference Features Latest Research on

Changing Landscapes and Health Concerns

At this year's College Canopy Conference at Clayton State University in Morrow on September 11, we'll hear

talks on the latest research regarding changing urban landscapes and concerns such as the West Nile and Zyka

viruses; campus sustainability, best practices for treecare and campus communication; tree risk assessment and

keeping people safe; establishing a butterfly garden, pollinator garden, or arboretum; and specific challenges for

treecare on college campuses. We'll enjoy an interesting trail walk and talk through this lovely campus,

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including their QR-coded tree plantings, Spivey Hall, the Butterfly Garden, the Pollinator Garden, and

Lakeview Discovery and Science Center, which is Georgia Peach Belt Green Building Certfied. Lunch included.

CEUs will be available. For those of you who registered for the 2017 College Canopy Conference that

was cancelled due to weather and did not request a refund, you are automatically registered for this

conference. See agenda here.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

The Coming Hurricanes, Sea Level Rise, Light

Pollution to lead topics at GUFC Annual Conference

Building Resilient Community Forests

Georgia Urban Forest Council’s

28th Annual Conference & Awards

Program

Jekyll Island Club Resort

Jekyll Island, Georgia

November 14-15, 2018

In this historic setting on

Georgia’s coast, we’ll hear talks

from noted speakers on the

coming hurricanes, sea level rise, and the effects on trees; the impact of light pollution on urban

ecology and human health; healthy root systems; combatting invasive species; the ecology of live

oaks; and more. Speakers include Dr. Kim Coder, Professor at Warnell School of Forest and

Natural Resources at University of Georgia and other noted experts. Included in the conference

experience will be a tour of Jekyll’s forest of pines and live oak killed by wave action, Jekyll's live

oaks affected by salt spray, and a viewing of the "Captain Wylie Scenic Corridor” tree plantings

funded in part by Georgia ReLeaf. We'll enjoy our annual Excellence in Urban Forestry Awards

Luncheon in the elegant Grand Dining Room and our evening reception in the Crane Cottage

Courtyard. Don’t miss this educational and enjoyable event! Agenda posted soon. CEUs will be

available. Please remember that sleeping room reservations are a separate fee. Click here for lodging

information for conference attendees. Register for the conference using the button below.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

How to Plant a Tree GUFC President Art Morris penned an article “How to Plant a Tree – Why are we still doing it

wrong?” for the Georgia Urban Ag Council magazine recently. Art writes, “Clearly there is a disconnect

somewhere between the “how-to” articles and the production landscape installer. Why are we still doing it

wrong? I suspect that there are a few reasons: training, budgets, and one-year plant warranties.” Read the

whole article here.

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OFFICERS

Art Morris, Master Arborist, New Urban Forestry, Athens, PRESIDENT

Bill Haws, Georgia Power Company, Savannah, PRESIDENT-ELECT

Mary Hardin Thornton, Keep Rome Floyd Beautiful, TREASURER

Susan Russell, Consulting Arborist, City of Jefferson, SECRETARY

Dale Higdon, Forester, Certified Arborist, Retired Ga. Forestry Comm., TREASURER

Derrick Catlett, Arborist, Savannah, PAST-PRESIDENT

GUFC BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Tyler Baxter, Certified Arborist, Boutte Tree, Atlanta

Roger Cauthen, Arborist, Retired Athens-Clarke Co. Govt., Athens

Emily Davenport, Asst. Director, Engineering Dept., City of Valdosta

Andrea Greco, Landscape Architect/Arborist, Pond and Co., Norcross

Randell Hunt, Forester/Horticulturist/Arborist, Macon

Mark McClellan, Forester, Specialist, Georgia Forestry Commission, Darien

Liz Moss, Tree Health Technician, UGA Center for Invasives & Ecosystem Health, Tifton

Terry Paige, Municipal Arborist, Rome

Angela Rambeau, Principal Planner, City of Milton

Robert Seamans, Streets & Parks Division Superintendent, Statesboro

Davis Shostak, City Arborist, Alpharetta

EX OFFICIO

Susan Granbery, GFC Urban & Community Forestry Coordinator, Stone Mountain

Joan Scales, SCFP Manager, Georgia Forestry Commission, Athens

Mary Lynne Beckley, GUFC Executive Director, Stone Mountain

Georgia Urban Forest Council

P.O. Box 2199

Stone Mountain, GA 30086

470-210-5900

www.gufc.org

Follow GUFC on

member

GEORGIA URBAN FOREST COUNCIL 2018

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Thank you to our partners who help us bring vital urban forestry education and resources to Georgia.

Learn about our new, updated sponsorship program here.

2018 Sponsors