Arbor Day - EMBARC Tree Planting Recap
On February 24, 2024, the DeKalb County Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Affairs Department celebrated Georgia Arbor Day at Rock Chapel Park II, Home of the E.M.B.A.R.C. Community Youth Farm. The trees for this year's planting were provided by a partnership between DeKalb County Planning and Sustainability and Trees Atlanta's ReLeaf DeKalb. Ahead of the tree planting event, Park Naturalist Jennifer McLaurin met with Trees Atlanta's Angela McTigue, Plant Healthcare Coordinator - ISA Certified Arborist, to ensure the correct trees were selected to help reduce noise, beautification, and increase wildlife habitat.
Planting trees correctly takes experience and education. Angela McTigue and Dave Long, Urban and Community Specialist - ISA Arborist from the Georgia Forestry Commission, conducted a tree planting demonstration on the correct planting depth, watering, and mulching requirements for the 20 trees planted that day.
The Youth Farm staff will maintain trees for the first two years and receive a yearly site visit from Trees Atlanta—a special thanks to the following groups who supported the event. The volunteer groups consisted of over 45 people from GALEO, a non-profit organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, 2819 Church, E.M.B.A.R.C. Youth Farm Garden volunteers, and the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office Lisa M. Moultrie, Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney's STRIDE Program, DeKalb County Department of Planning & Sustainability Kathy Reed, Sustainability Coordinator, Commissioner Lorraine Cochran Johnson – Super District 7 - Chief of Staff Dr. Leah Davis and DeKalb Health & Wellness Coordinator, Michelle Walldorff.
Georgia Arbor Day is commemorated on the third Friday of February, and the reason for that planting date is that the best time to plant trees in Georgia is between November and mid-March. This allows them to become established in their new environment before the summer heat sets in.
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