Annual Trees Atlanta VaHi Tree Planting Set for November 12

By Stephanie Coffin and Lola Carlisle

Editor’s Note: Stephanie Coffin is a long-time Virginia-Highland resident whose passion for trees has helped make our neighborhood one of the most tree-friendly in the city. Lola Carlisle is a past VHCA board member who stays active in the neighborhood.

Mychorrhizae, planting depth, root bound, tree species and planting hole size are just a few examples of the vocabulary of tree planting.  These terms and more will be discussed and then applied to planting trees at the annual Trees Atlanta VaHi tree planting event which is scheduled for Saturday, November 12, 9:00 am. Volunteers will meet at North Highland Park (corner of N. Highland and St. Charles).

We will use gloves, shovels, buckets, water, mulch and teamwork to plant the trees.  As always we have beautiful trees to put in the ground: Kousa dogwoods, American fringe trees, Trident maples, Carolina silverbells and other species are provided by Trees Atlanta, paid for from the tree recompense fund of the City of Atlanta.

Traffic calming is a major focus of the tree planting project this year, in addition to adding beauty, creating shade, and reducing air pollution and noise.  The planting in Virginia-Highland will start at Lanier Blvd. and Virginia Ave. and go east on N. Virginia to fill in street tree gaps on Stillwood and Los Angeles Avenues.  These streets have been newly inundated by cut-through traffic.  We hope that the tree will say, loud and clear: SLOW DOWN. BE CAREFUL OF OUR CHILDREN.  RESPECT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

The Morningside planting is also designed in part as a response to increased cut-through traffic on Courtenay Dr. between N. Highland Ave. and Monroe Dr.  In addition, we will add a few more Crape myrtles on N. Highland to continue the 100+ Crape allee from Ponce de Leon to Amsterdam. The planting of Crape myrtles on both sides of N. Highand will be extended into Morningside.  Crapes provide summer color and beautiful winter bark. They are drought-tolerant and forgiving of traffic. They are the perfect tree to line our major corridor.

So, think positively to conjure continued mild weather with a shower or two before the November 12 planting and come join us.  People working together to green our neighborhoods by planting trees is a great response to the emerging reality of climate change — recently and more accurately recharacterized as “anthropogenic climate disruption”.

Please check the list below for the tree species to be planted at specific locations.  We’ve also posted photos of the tree species to be planted.

Enjoy the planting, everyone!