Atlanta's Tree Inventory & Preservation from ATL26 on Vimeo.

The City of Atlanta is conducting the first comprehensive inventory of the city’s publicly-owned downtown trees.  The inventory includes an assessment of the trees along streets, boulevards, parks, and public spaces in the downtown area.

The tree inventory will provide information about the species, size, quality, and condition of public trees in downtown Atlanta.  Information from the inventory will help establish management priorities by:

• identifying trees that need to be pruned or removed,
• revealing any systemic problems with pests or disease,
• identifying the distribution of tree species with size, height, and other characteristics, and
• providing an up-to-date report on the overall condition of the trees.

The inventory also will identify locations with sufficient space for planting trees, aiding in future planting efforts.

The downtown area being inventoried is defined as  the approximately four square miles bound by North Avenue to the north, Boulevard to the east, Interstate 20 to the south, and Northside Drive to the west.  It includes the central areas of Five Points, the Hotel District, and Fairlie-Poplar, as well as outlying inner-city neighborhoods such as SoNo and Castelberry Hill.  The study area also includes the area south of downtown to Love Street, between Boulevard on the east, and Central Avenue on the west, including Turner Field, and parts of Summerhill and Grant Park. 

The City contracted with Davey Resource Group to conduct the inventory at a cost of approximately $55,000.  Funding is from the City of Atlanta’s Tree Trust Fund and a $20,000 grant from the Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program of the U.S. Forest Service, awarded to projects that stimulate and enhance urban and community forestry resources.  The project was initiated by the City of Atlanta Tree Conservation Commission, the Department of Planning and Community Development, and the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs.  These entities work together to shape the long-term plan for preservation and maintenance of Atlanta’s urban forest resources.

AJC story on Downtown Tree Inventory, August 13, 2011

http://www.ajc.com/news/urban-arborists-check-health

WXIA story on Downtown Tree Inventory, August 15, 2011

http://www.11alive.com/news/article/201628/40/Atlanta-tree-survey-might-help-save-lives-one-day