TREE RESOURCES

LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL RESOURCES

 

Forest City Of The South™ was created to shine a light on the City of Savannah, Savannah’s Urban Forest, Southern Live Oak Trees and The South. Consequently, we also strive to bring awareness to the importance of protecting our world’s forests and trees. The list below includes additional resources, unaffiliated with this website, if you are interested in learning more or getting involved. If you know of an organization deserving of recognition that is not listed here, please contact us and let us know.

 

Live Oak Trees:

 

 

Georgia Trees:

 

  • Forest City of The South was inspired by southern live oak trees, and so we focus a great deal on this particular species, but there are over 20 native species of oak trees in Georgia, which you can read about here. Additionally, there are approximately 250 species of native trees in Georgia, including but not limited to oak trees, and 92 of these trees are described here.

 

Savannah Resources:

 

  • In 1896, The Park and Tree Commission was established to ensure the growth and beautification of Savannah’s urban forest, creating and administering sound urban forestry practices.
  • The Savannah Tree Foundation, a 34-year-old non-profit, urban and community forestry organization, works to preserve, protect and plant canopy trees in Savannah and Chatham County, GA. Please listen to a lovely interview by its three founders — Lynda Beam, Page Hungerpiller, and Suzie Williams — here. Among many things, they are responsible for preserving the Candler Oak. They also have numerous programs available if you are interested in getting involved.
  • The Savannah Tree Foundation’s tree planting program encompasses not only planting canopy trees within the community, but also their aftercare through mulching and ongoing tree maintenance activities. They aim to plant 200 trees per year and hold two to four tree plantings per year, including a special tree planting each Arbor Day. They typically plant on city or county property, in public parks and at other venues including those owned by nonprofit organizations, government entities and the like.
  • The Savannah Park Maintenance Program provides full landscape maintenance services.
  • Savannah has been recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation as a “Tree City USA” since 1985 and has also received Tree City USA Growth Awards for its urban forest programs enough times to be labeled a “Sterling Level Tree City.”
  • Savannah’s City Council designated Forsyth Park’s north end as an Arboretum, or botanical garden, devoted to an impressive 50 different species of trees. A few of these include the southern magnolia, live oak, gingko, green ash, sycamore, beech, laurel oak, pecan, red maple, and willow oak. Each has a marker identifying its botanical and common name.

 

Georgia Resources:

 

 

National Resources:

 

  • The Arbor Day Foundation, founded in 1972, has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with over one million members, supporters, and valued partners. They have a neat interactive map on the work they are doing.
  • American Forests has been restoring forests for more than 140 years. Since 1990, they have planted nearly 60 million trees in forest restoration projects in all 50 states. They have also worked in dozens of cities across America, expanding tree canopy and improving the quality of life for residents.
  • American Forests developed a program called Releaf to help cities grow and maintain their tree canopy. In partnership with city leaders and community groups, they develop science-based action plans, advocate for and fund urban forestry in innovative ways, implement high-impact planting projects, and build public awareness. The Community ReLeaf program is helping foster a national movement by creating tools that everyone can use, like Vibrant Cities Lab, a free resource that curates the latest research, best practices and technical expertise in urban forestry. In partnership with the Sustainable Urban Forests Coalition, they assure continued federal investment in urban forests through programs like the U.S. Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program.
  • The Sustainable Urban Forests Coalition is a network of nonprofits, businesses, associations, foundations and others working together to advance sound, effective urban forest policy and practices. It includes urban planners, educators, arborists, landscape architects, public works and utility associations, air and water quality experts, foresters, scientists, health professionals, tree care companies, landscape and nursery associations, conservationists and community advocates.
  • The U.S. Forest Service sustains the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.
  • The Urban & Community Forestry (UCF) program, run by the U.S. Forest Service, supports forest health for all of our Nation’s forests, creates jobs, contributes to vibrant regional wood economies, enhances community resilience and preserves the unique sense of place in cities and towns of all sizes. By working with state partners to deliver information, tools and financial resources, the program supports fact-based and data-driven best practices in communities, maintaining, restoring, and improving the more than 140 million acres of community forest land across the United States.
  • Alcoa Foundation and American Forests have joined together for the Partnership for Trees Program, a multi-year initiative to plant hundreds of thousands of native tree species on damaged and degraded sites around the world by engaging local communities in the restoration of forest ecosystems. This initiative, which commenced in 2011, builds toward Alcoa’s goal of planting 10 million trees by 2020 and supports American Forests’ mission to protect and restore forests.
  • The National Forest Foundation, chartered by Congress, engages Americans in community-based and national programs that promote the health and public enjoyment of the 193-million-acre National Forest System, and administers private gifts of funds and land for the benefit of the National Forests. This foundation is working to plant 50 million trees across our National Forests. $1 plants one native tree on a National Forest in need of reforestation. And, for every $1 they invest in reforestation, the U.S. Forest Service provides $2 of value in project support and implementation.
  • The American Forest Foundation seeks a future where family-owned forests and the interconnected social, economic, and ecological benefits received from them are recognized and supported by landowners, policymakers, conservationists, philanthropists, and business leaders.
  • The American Tree Farm System (ATFS), in addition to other resources, provides third-party certification of small family-owned forestland. ATFS’s forest management certification process is internationally-recognized and endorsed by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).
  • The Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) is a trade association of 2,300 tree care firms and affiliated companies and was established in 1938 as the National Arborist Association.
  • Tree People is an environmental nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire, engage and support people to take personal responsibility for the urban environment, making it safe, healthy, fun and sustainable and to share the process as a model for the world.

 

Global Resources:

 

  • The Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees campaign is a major forest restoration effort with a goal of planting a billion trees across the planet.
  • The Trillion Tree Campaign works to plant trees globally. In 2007, the late Wangari Maathai launched the Billion Tree Campaign. So far, 15 billion trees have been planted in 193 countries under the guidance of the UNEP and Plant-for-the-Planet. This campaign serves to honor her achievements by taking the campaign to the next level.
  • Plant-For-The-Planet was inspired by Wangari Maathai, who planted 30 million trees in Africa in 30 years. The vision was that children could plant one million trees in every country on earth and thereby offset CO2 emissions all on their own, while adults are still talking about doing it. It all started with a school presentation and today Plant-for-the-Planet is a global movement with an ambitious goal: to fight the climate crisis by planting trees around the world.
  • One Tree Planted is a non-profit organization that focuses on global reforestation.
  • FSC is the leading catalyst and defining force for improved forest management and market transformation, shifting the global forest trend toward sustainable use, conservation, restoration, and respect for all.
  • The Forest Garden Program’s goal is to break the cycle of poverty and eradicate hunger for our first 1 million people by planting 500 million trees in 125,000 Forest Gardens by 2025. This will entail working with approximately 125,000 families to revitalize a quarter of a million acres.
  • The World Land Trust (WLT), based in the UK, is an international conservation charity that protects the world’s most biologically significant and threatened habitats acre by acre. Through a network of partner organizations around the world, WLT funds the creation of reserves and provides permanent protection for habitats and wildlife. By planting trees with World Land Trust, you are helping to restore forests that have been lost to deforestation. Every £5 donation to our Plant a Tree programme funds the nurturing, planting, and protecting of one tree that will help restore a forest for wildlife.

 

Planting A Tree In Memory Of Others:

 

  • The Trees Remember was created to be a bridge between people looking to have trees planted as gifts or tributes and various national reforestation initiatives which have been established to save our endangered forests and provide pristine woodlands for future generations.
  • Memory Forest™ provides a beautiful way to honor a loved one, give back to nature, and grow a living memory. Memory Forests™ are committed to replacing tombstones with trees, cemeteries with forests…
  • The Gifted Tree, based in Ireland, plants trees in memory of others at 22 Sites, 18 Countries and 5 Continents, helping to restore National Forests destroyed by fire or disease, or reforesting tree-depleted communities ravaged by the effects of climate change.
  • A Living Tribute allows people to make contributions to national and community reforestation efforts, and send or receive a personalized commemorative card – in memory or honor of a friend or loved one, in celebration of a life event, or simply to give the green gift of trees.
  • Arbor Day Foundation has a program called Trees In Memory dedicated to honoring loved ones.
  • American Forests will honor the memory of a loved one by planting trees in their name. Your gift will serve as a lasting, living memorial, while preserving the health of forests in areas of critical need. For every dollar you give, American Forests will plant a tree in a critically threatened wildland forest, providing food and homes to generations of wildlife.

 

Other Resources: