Urban Forestry Grant Helps Dahlonega with Tree Care

“Georgia’s community forests provide countless benefits to our citizens, from shade, fresh air, and economic vitality, to safer neighborhoods and stronger community bonds,” Mayor Gary McCullough said. “We are thankful for the GFC’s efforts to provide these funds to organizations like ours across the state, and we are pleased to share them with the Dahlonega community through our project. With these funds and our local match we contracted the services of a certified arborist to supervise the routine maintenance of existing trees in the public right of way within the downtown area. We also appreciate the work of local volunteers from the Tree Commission and the Master Gardeners who work with Greg Sheppard and staff members who help us protect our tree canopy.”

A 2008 Urban & Community Forestry Grant from GFC helped Dahlonega work with ISA certified arborists to develop a comprehensive downtown tree inventory and management plan using best practices. The current 2011 project has used that plan as a guide to focus on trees with critical maintenance needs and to perform routine maintenance on many others in the inventory.

A variety of forestry-related literature is available to the public at Georgia Forestry Commission offices statewide. Further information about urban forestry grants and a statewide list of grants is available on the Georgia Forestry Commission Web site at www.gatrees.org.

Information:
Joel Cordle
City of Dahlonega
Downtown Development Authority • Better Hometown Program
O: (706) 864-6133
joelcordle@cityofdahlonega.com

Joan Scales
Georgia Forestry Commission
O: (678) 476-6226
jscales@gfc.state.ga.us