NEWS - Agribusiness

The Savannah Tree Foundation  in partnership with Chatham County, the Georgia Forestry Commission  and more than 125 volunteers successfully planted 260 trees in the Westlake area on Saturday, Jan. 15   and Sunday, Jan. 16 , 2011.

Under the leadership of the Savannah Tree Foundation student volunteer groups from Savannah State University, Georgia Tech Savannah Campus, SCAD, Johnson and Windsor High Schools and many other volunteers planted the trees in three hours on Saturday.

The Savannah Tree Foundation is a 28-year-old not-for-profit  urban and community forestry organization dedicated to preserving, protecting and planting canopy trees in Savannah and Chatham County.

The Savannah Tree Foundation’s  mission is, “to  promote, through direct action and education, an awareness of trees as vital environmental resources and an important part of our cultural heritage.”

The foundation’s key program areas include:  community volunteer tree plantings; tree care & maintenance workshops; educational presentations & programming about the value & benefits of trees; public policy work and grassroots advocacy for trees at neighborhood, community, local, state, regional & national levels; Forest Steward volunteer training program; Forestkeeper volunteer program, which helps care for previously planted trees; and stewards of the Candler Oak.  Other current projects include developing natural walking trails at Bacon Park Forest for the City of Savannah and installing landscaping projects for Chatham County, in support of the county’s efforts to be the “Greenest County in Georgia.”

The Savannah Tree Foundation’s next volunteer work day will be Saturday, Feb. 19 at 9 a.m. at the East Broad Street Elementary School. Friday, Feb. 18 is Georgia Arbor Day and the Savannah Tree Foundation members and volunteers will be mulching trees on the school grounds, in observance of Arbor Day.
More information on Arbor Day can be obtained at www.arborday.org. Details about the foundation are available online at www.savannahtree.com.