Georgia Tree Council

06/22/2026

Green and Growing with Ashley Frasca Ashley, thanks again for inviting the Georgia Tree Council to be a part of this show!

06/18/2026

Happy International Picnic Day!!! 🍉🌳

What do all of the great picnicking spots below have in common? SHADE! Community trees create spaces for people to gather, including your favorite place for a picnic with family and friends. As you celebrate, we hope you have it made in the shade!

06/17/2026

Excellence in Urban Forestry applications are now open! Each year at the Georgia Tree Council Annual Conference, awards are presented to communities, organizations, and individuals who have made significant contributions in growing and sustaining Georgia's community forests.

Nominations are open from now until September 15. Apply on our awards page: https://gatreecouncil.org/what-we-do/programs/excellence-in-urban-forestry.html

Streetscape Revitalization
Tree canopy improvements to a city/town center
Greenspace Plan
Park or greenspace project for public use
Land Development
Land improvement projects in areas with new development
New Initiative
New community forestry projects
Business
Business that has a positive impact on community forests
Marketing
Marketing materials and resources that provide education on community forestry
Media
Urban and community forestry-centered news, print or social media content
Civic Organization
Volunteer organization that has a positive impact on their local community forests
Community
Community forestry projects or events that bring a community together
Elected/Appointed Official
Municipal personnel that leads the way with their city/town's community forestry
Educator
An educator whose work directly involves and promotes community forestry
Student
A student whose work directly involves and promotes community forestry
Urban Arboriculture
Arboriculture projects, improvements and plans for an urban center
Individual Achievement
An individual who has had a significant impact on urban and community forestry in Georgia

06/17/2026

Tune in to 95.5 this Saturday morning at 6!

A show I've dreamt about since the beginning of Green and Growing, 6 years ago!

4 special guests join me this Saturday for 'Ashley's Big Old Tree Show'!! Trees are more important than you may realize, and they deserve a 3 hour discussion. And we'll be taking your calls regarding questions about trees too!

Thanks to Georgia Forestry Commission, Trees Atlanta, Georgia Tree Council, and Georgia Arborist Association, Inc. for helping me out this Saturday!

06/15/2026

🌳🌳🌳Savannah’s urban forest is iconic! Join the Georgia Tree Council and Bartlett Tree Experts in Savannah on July 8 and learn to implement the strategies urban forestry professionals utilize to maintain Savannah’s exceptional urban forest! 🌳🌳🌳

Check out our lineup of topics and speakers!

City of Savannah Urban Forest Updates/Preventive Maintenance: The more you look, the more you find
- Gordon Denney, Senior Director, Park and Tree Department
- Scott DeArmey, Urban Forestry Division Director

Managing Urban Forests in Unincorporated Areas
-Jake Henry, Development Services Manager, Chatham County Department of
Engineering

Growing Our Trees, Our Future: Savannah Tree Foundation's Effort to Ensure a Green Future for All
- Jackson Alexander, Executive Director
- Matt White, Operations Manager
- Talana Holloway, Field Operations Technician
- Gwen Osenkowsky, Field Operations Technician

Plant Growth Regulators in the Urban Forest
- Shem Kendrick, Local Manager - Savannah Office, Bartlett Tree Experts

From Assessment to Action: Developing Long-Term Tree and Shrub Management Plans
- Kris Johnston, Arborist Representative - Savannah Office, Bartlett Tree Experts

July 8
10-2
Coastal Georgia Auditorium
305 Fahm St,
Savannah, GA 31401
$45/member ticket (lunch included)
$60/member ticket (lunch included)
https://gatreecouncil.org/what-we-do/programs/workshops-quarterly-programs.html


Bartlett Tree Experts- Savannah, GA City of Savannah GovernmentChatham County, Georgia Government Tree Foundation

06/12/2026

Invasive spotted lanternflies are a new threat in Georgia. They feed on many plants, especially Tree of Heaven, an invasive tree that likes to grow in disturbed areas. Lanternfly nymphs are getting larger now (approx. ½ inch long) and are beginning to develop red patches on their backs, making them more visible. Eary detection is critical to stopping the spread.

What to do if you see one:

1. Take a photo
2. Kill the insect
3. Report here: https://warnell.cc/ReportSLF

Public awareness and timely reporting make a difference in managing this invasive pest.

Photo citations:

SLF older nymph photo citation: Elizabeth McCarty, University of Georgia
Tree of Heaven: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org

06/08/2026

Calling all supporters of urban and community forests; if you haven't already, please take a moment to vote for the Georgia Tree Council before June 30th!

If you shop Target, or have friends, family, or co-workers who do, we want your votes! The Georgia Tree Council was chosen as a featured nonprofit partner in Target Circle™'s Community Giving Program. If you are a member of the Target Circle™ loyalty program, every time you shop, you earn votes to help direct where Target gives locally!

See the screenshots and description below for my voting experience, which took less than a minute. I voted on the app, but you can also vote online.

1. After opening the Target app, I scrolled down to "My store". The Georgia Tree Council is listed as a featured partner in stores in the southern half of the state, so I changed my store to Valdosta.

2. Next, I selected "My Target" at the right on the bottom menu.

3. Then I selected "Circle Benefits" at the top right of the screen...

4...and scrolled down to "Community Support Votes"

5. On the "Community Support Votes" page, I was able to see the featured nonprofits, including the Georgia Tree Council! Up top I could see how many votes I had available (the screenshot shows 0 - I realize now I should have taken it before I voted). I entered all of my available votes and selected the big red button to cast my votes!

Thanks for voting, we appreciate your support! If you want to support us even more, go tell the others!

06/04/2026

🌳🌳🌳There are still six weeks to apply for the Georgia ReLeaf grant!!! 🌳🌳🌳

As you plan your tree giveaway project proposals, consider incorporating strategies to increase equity.

The concept for tree giveaway programs is simple: municipal tree canopy will increase on private land as residents plant free trees, and those trees will provide public health, economic, and environmental benefits as they mature. In practice, coordinating tree giveaways that lead to increased canopy is more complex.

Using giveaway programs to address tree equity is even more complex. Multiple studies found that the giveaway programs they evaluated reinforced rather than balanced disparities, because participation was higher among residents with higher income and education than among the target neighborhoods.

BUT - organizations can implement more effective tree giveaway programs by understanding the gap between anticipated and actual outcomes and using both innovative ideas and proven strategies to bridge that gap.

Below are five strategies to consider incorporating into your project to increase tree equity in tree giveaway programs. Learn more from our new resource, "More than a Giveaway: Strategies for Increasing Equity and Tree Longevity in Tree Giveaway Programs".

https://gatreecouncil.org/what-we-do/programs/georgia-releaf/georgia-releaf-planning-and-project-resources.html

06/01/2026

Back by popular demand! Join us to learn from Georgia Power's urban forestry professionals and explore the critical connection between community forests, utilities, and public safety. This program brings together Georgia Power experts to share how their work both impacts—and is impacted by—trees across our communities. This webinar offers insights into utility arboriculture, storm response, and conservation practices on utility lands.

June 9
9-11
free for members
$20/ticket for nonmembers

https://gatreecouncil.org/what-we-do/programs/

05/28/2026

🌳🌳🌳Savannah’s urban forest is iconic. Trees have been part of the urban plan since the city was founded in 1733, and the city has been planting and managing street trees for over 130 years. Join the Georgia Tree Council and Bartlett Tree Experts in Savannah on July 8 and learn to implement the strategies Savannah urban forestry professionals utilize to maintain Savannah’s exceptional urban forest! 🌳🌳🌳

Topics include:
🌳developing and implementing tree care plans
🌳preventive care for public trees
🌳growth regulators as a management strategy
🌳tree management in unincorporated areas
🌳invasive plant management and removal in urban forests
🌳nonprofit initiatives for expanding canopy coverage

July 8
10-2
Coastal Georgia Auditorium
305 Fahm St,
Savannah, GA 31401
$45/member ticket (lunch included)
$60/member ticket (lunch included)



Bartlett Tree Experts- Savannah, GA City of Savannah Government Chatham County, Georgia Government Savannah Tree Foundation