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Our mission is to sustain Georgia's green legacy by partnering with individuals, organizations, and communities in raising awareness toward improving and maintaining Georgia's community forests.  Learn more and get involved.

News & Notes

(May 21 is a Georgia primary election day. Please make plans to vote early or before or after you attend this program.) At our second quarter educational program, we'll be taking a look at "Current and Emerging Threats to the Urban Forest." The first half of this program will cover the Wildland-Urban Interface, the threat of wildfire and how to prepare for it. Mark Wiles, Wildfire Prevention Specialist with the Georgia Forestry Commission, will speak on the Firewise program and how to protect your home and community from the threat of wildfire. Seth Hawkins will explain what the wildland-urban interface is and report on the new Wildfire Risk Reduction Qualification module of the International Society of Arboriculture.

Next, Dr. Scott Merkle, Professor of Biology with the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia, will talk to us about the research he and his colleagues are conducting at the Merkle Lab, such as in-vitro propagation approaches for conservation and restoration of threatened North American trees, like the American chestnut, eastern and Carolina hemlocks, and green ash and white ash, all under attack by exotic pests and pathogens.

Welcome to the Georgia Forestry Forum! This is a podcast that explores trees and forests - the rich and renewable resources - and the innumerable benefits we humans get from them!

Today's topic is all things Georgia Arbor Day! Join Seth Hawkins of the Georgia Forestry Commission and Mary Lynne Beckley of the Georgia Tree Council for a discussion on the importance of Arbor Day, more about how you can participate in this year's festivities, and all about the importance of trees in our lives.

We're thrilled to be presenting the Annual Georgia Tree Conference this year at the Jekyll Island Club Resort. Attendees will enjoy informative general sessions and interesting breakouts, all with knowledgeable speakers and urban forestry experts to help you gain the knowledge you need to care for your community's urban forest.

Learn more about the Jekyll Island Club Resort here: https://www.jekyllclub.com/

This event also features our Excellence in Urban Forestry Awards Luncheon, a tour of Jekyll Island's trees, and an evening reception with food, drink, and a silent auction benefitting the Georgia Tree Council's work.

CEUs will be available.

Make sure you are on our email list to receive announcements about this GTC signature educational event as details are posted!

We are excited to announce that Melanie Sparrow is Georgia Tree Council's new Outreach Coordinator. Melanie's role is to establish relationships with disadvantaged communities and assist them in receiving the community forestry resources they need such as those provided by Georgia Tree Council and its partners. The goal of the Outreach Coordinator position is to help create thriving urban forests in neighborhoods lacking the resources to establish and sustain healthy tree canopies.

Mel comes to the Georgia Tree Council with 10 years non-profit experience in water quality, local food movements and environmental education. In her spare time, she teaches yoga and spends time with her husband, dog and chickens. Welcome, Mel!

Please note that Georgia Tree Council's new phone number is 470-905-8541.

We are pleased to announce that the Georgia Tree Council has been awarded reaccreditation by the Standards for Excellence® Institute. Our participation in this national voluntary accreditation and recognition program demonstrates our continued commitment to ethics and accountability in nonprofit management and governance. The Georgia Tree Council has been awarded the Standards for Excellence® Seal since 2008, the first nonprofit organization in Georgia to do so.  To learn more about Standards for Excellence® accreditation for nonprofits, visit https://standardsforexcellence.org.