How to plant a containerized tree from a Georgia ReLeaf Tree Giveaway.

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) was first detected in Georgia in 2013 in DeKalb and Fulton Counties and has now been found in 44 counties in Georgia. As of September 2021, there are infestations in 35 states, the District of Columbia and five Canadian provinces. Since 2013, both the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Forestry Commission have followed federal guidelines and restricted the movement of ash materials out of quarantine areas.

Southern pine beetle (SPB) activity was very low across the state in 2021. Above average rainfall throughout the summer maintained healthy tree vigor resulting in very few pine beetle spots. Flights were flown across the state in August and September for a total of 5,509
miles.

Georgia Forestry Commission Forest Health experts say moving firewood has been linked to the spread of destructive, non-native insects and diseases to forest ecosystems. While these pests can’t move far on their own, they can travel hundreds of miles when people move firewood, logs, chips, and mulch. Forest pests can kill our native trees and be very expensive, if not impossible, to control.

Shorter days and cooler nights start a precise clockwork of physical and chemical interactions within leaf cells bringing forests ablaze with color as they prepare for winter dormancy. In response to certain environmental stimuli, leaf pigments begin to reveal themselves in the leaves of Georgia’s deciduous trees. The amount of pigments in trees depends on the tree species, soil composition, and other environmental components.

These are generally considered the fall colors during peak season. Habitat, weather, genetics, and other components can give variations to the general. Nature determines fall color, not exact science.

Georgia’s forests are home to approximately 250 species of trees. Native Trees of Georgia describes 92 of them.