White County Community Forest Education Project*
*A joint project of the White County Chamber of Commerce and Sautee-Nacoochee Center

OUR GOALS ARE TO:

Make the public aware of the value of trees

• Find out how trees enhance business, property values, and the environment
• Learn about White County businesses and non-profit organizations that have worked to preserve trees

Provide training and education on tree-friendly development and conservation techniques

• Check out seminars on tree-friendly construction techniques
• Articles on tree conservation from the University of Georgia and other organizations
• Links to tree conservation information and environmental organizations

What YOU can do to help preserve
our community’s tree heritage:

• Nominate a business to receive an award for tree preservation and good landscaping
• Participate in National Arbor Day tree plantings locally
   

Funds for this project were provided by the Urban and Community Forestry Financial Assistance Program administered through the Georgia Forestry Commission.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-A, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Benefits of Trees - According to the Georgia Forestry Commission:

• One acre of healthy trees produces enough oxygen for 18 people per day.
• Trees filter air pollution.
• In one year, an acre of trees absorbs the amount of carbon dioxide you produce when you drive your car 26,000 miles.
• Trees conserve our precious water resources by reducing water runoff, and help to prevent soil erosion.
• Trees decrease your energy costs. Trees placed strategically around a home or building can reduce heating and cooling costs from 10-50%.
• Trees increase property values. Building lots with trees routinely sell for 10% more than sites without trees.
• Tree reduce noise pollution by absorbing and blocking urban noise.
• Trees can be a haven of wildlife and plant diversity in the midst of the city.
• Trees provide a cool, green, shady place in which to live, work, and play.

• Colonial Oaks Plaza
• Nacoochee Presbyterian Church

Seminars on tree-friendly construction techniques

• Georgia Urban Forest Council's tree-care workshops and other programs
• National Arbor Day workshops and courses

• Best Management Practices for Community Trees: A Technical Guide to Tree Conservation in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia (1.5 MB)*
• Grow for the Gold: Trees in Business Districts
• Tree Root Growth Requirements
• Soil Compaction & Trees: Causes, Symptoms & Effects
• Compaction Tolerant Trees
• Tree Selection for Drought Resistance
• Tree Planting Area Size: Futuring Resource Availability and Identifying Constraints
• Selecting Wooded Home Sites (2.5 MB)*
• Assessing Construction Damage: Tree Damage Exposure Values and Recovery Times
• Plant Trees Right!
• Drought Damage to Trees
• Construction Damage Assessments: Trees and Sites
• Relative Tolerance of Tree Species to Construction Damage (8.1 MB)*
• Storm Damaged Trees: Prevention & Treatments (html)

*in the case of some larger files, dial-up visitors may prefer to right-click on the links (Mac-users: control-click) and save them to your hard drive, rather than trying to view them in your browser.

Links to tree conservation information and environmental organizations:

• Georgia Forestry Commission Sustainable Community Forestry Program
• Georgia Urban Forest Council
• University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry
• National Arbor Day Foundation
• Georgia Greenspace Program
• International Society of Arboriculture
• TreeLink
• Keep Georgia Beautiful
• USDA Forest Service, Urban Forestry South
• Georgia Conservancy

How to nominate a business or non-profit to receive an award for tree preservation and good landscaping

• Contact Ted Doll at 706-878-2526 or tdoll@alltel.net
• Contact Lark or Tom Hutto at 706-865-7017

Participate in local celebrations of National Arbor Day (Third Friday in February)

• Contact Michael Harris, White County Extension Agent at 706-865-2832
• Contact Jerry Elkin, City Manager of Helen at 706-878-2733
• Contact the Cleveland City Manager at 706-865-2017