Georgia Arbor Day is Friday, Feb. 17. It’s a special day that we set aside to reflect on the importance of trees in our state. National Arbor Day is in April, but here in the Peach State, we observe our own Arbor Day in February because it is the ideal time to plant trees in Georgia. To celebrate Georgia Arbor Day, Savannah Tree Foundation has partnered with several organizations, including Gulfstream, United Way and YMCA of Coastal Georgia, to host a series of tree planting events throughout the remainder of the month.
Gulfstream is sponsoring the planting of 150 new trees that will be added to Savannah’s tree canopy as a part of its Gulfstream Grows initiative. The next tree planting will take place on Feb. 17 at the Islands Family YMCA in observance of Georgia Arbor Day.
During this event, 20 trees measuring 10-12 feet tall will be planted on the YMCA grounds. In addition to the tree planting, Georgia Power arborists will be present to hand out free tree seedlings to volunteers and share tree planting tips.
“It’s important to have a hole that’s the correct depth to accommodate the root system both in terms of depth and width. . . You want to make sure that it’s not planted too deeply. . . That’s one of the most common reasons for plantings to fail,” said Bill Haws, one of the Georgia Power arborists who will be present at the event.
He encourages the public to come out and attend the tree planting because trees are an integral part of Savannah’s unique charm.
“The city of Savannah, the whole area is basically known for being a tree city. It’s got a fantastic canopy . . . and that’s really our trademark. It’s a tree city. People come not only for the city’s great historical buildings and architecture, but also for the city’s unbelievable canopy,” he expressed.
Haws believes that advocating for, planting and promoting trees is important to ensure that future generations are able to enjoy Savannah’s natural beauty. He hopes that community members will come and support the Arbor Day celebration.
“It’s just a great outdoor event that gets the people out and enjoying nature. It’s for a good cause, and it benefits the outdoor environment,” he added.
There will be three more tree planting events following the Arbor Day event. On Saturday, Feb. 18 at 10 a.m., there will be a planting at the Tybee Island YMCA. There will also be a planting at Hendrix Park in Ellabell on Friday, Feb. 24 at 9 a.m., followed by a planting at the Effingham YMCA on Feb. 25 at 9 a.m.
To learn more and find out about volunteer opportunities, visit savannahtree.org/.
