Trees Atlanta VaHi Planting Set for February 22

Editor’s Note: A headline for this article in our Voice e-newsletter listed a February 15 date for this event. That date is incorrect. The correct date is February 22. We apologize for the confusion.

Trees Atlanta will conduct a major planting event in Virginia-Highland later this month, and you’re invited to help.

Anyone who wants to assist with the planting should RSVP by clicking here. Volunteers will meet at New Highland Park  (corner of N. Highland Ave. and St. Charles Pl.) at 9 AM Saturday February 22. Please wear work clothes and bring work gloves. All other supplies will be provided.

This planting event will focus primarily on the following VaHi streets: St. Louis Pl., St. Charles Pl., St. Augustine Pl., Briarcliff Pl. and Greenwood Ave. Most of the trees to be planted will be silver maples (acer saccharinum), trident maples (acer buergerianum) or crape myrtles (lagerstroemia indica).

VaHi resident Stefanie Coffin worked with Trees Atlanta to organize the planting, as she has done several times previously.

“These annual plantings focus on areas of the neighborhood with high density and traffic to help mitigate the impact of pollution from autos,” Coffin says.

“Focus is on street trees that survive,” Coffin says. “The average life of a street tree is around 17 years, so tree selection is a big part of the planning process.”

Coffin points out that funding for the annual planting comes from the yearly grant given to Trees Atlanta by the VHCA and a generous contribution from UMC Cub Scout Pack #17, as well as recompense funds paid to the city by anyone found to have taken down or destroyed a tree illegally (these latter funds flow through the Tree Conservation Commission).

The planting event is part of Trees Atlanta’s NeighborWoods program, in which the non-profit partners with neighborhoods across metro Atlanta to plant native species, raise awareness about the benefit of trees, and create a core group of tree advocates. NeighborWoods is a collaborative effort to replenish and sustain the tree canopy, while also educating the community on tree care and management.

Click here to view a complete list of what kind of trees will be planted where.