If you’ve been out to the Eastside Trail in the summer, you’ve no doubt noticed the lush grasses and trees that line the trail. This beautiful foliage is part of the Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum program from our partners at Trees Atlanta.
The Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum will be a large-scale reforestation of the corridor, with a focus on education. To date, Trees Atlanta has planted ten acres of native plants, providing food, protection, and homes for birds, butterflies, and bees. A natural wildlife habitat requires minimal maintenance and helps to discourage invasive species from growing. The Westside Trail, when completed, will feature another 30 acres of native trees and grasses as part of the 22-mile linear arboretum planned for the Atlanta BeltLine.
New ways to learn
In 2015, Trees Atlanta debuted the TreeHouse, a new research and education center on the Eastside Trail.
The TreeHouse hosts Trees Atlanta’s education programming, including the TreeKeepers and the Youth Tree Team. The TreeKeepers program trains volunteers with workshops, presentations, indoor and outdoor activities, and hands-on demonstrations. First-through-sixth-graders can participate in Junior TreeKeepers, exploring the outdoors with hands-on activities in environmental science, biking the Atlanta BeltLine, field trips to local attractions and more.
High school and college students can also apply to be part of the Youth Tree Team, working to maintain the trees and plants along the Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum.
Canopy Conversations
Trees Atlanta is also diving in the neighborhood level for their education efforts. Canopy Conversations are about informing concerned residents on the state of the canopy in the City of Atlanta and their own neighborhood. In a series of localized presentations in various neighborhoods, Trees Atlanta will be discussing canopy coverage, notable trees collections or specimens in their area (many enjoy being home to one or more Champion Trees), and offering resources and strategies for protecting and conserving the trees in their own neighborhoods.Trees Atlanta can schedule a community meeting with you to conduct a Canopy Conversation – get more info at the Trees Atlanta website under “Canopy Conversations.”
See for yourself
Trees Atlanta’s programming is blossoming, but there’s nothing like getting out to the Eastside Trail to see for yourself. Walking tours are still offered on Fridays and Saturdays, guided by a Trees Atlanta docent that is well-versed in Atlanta BeltLine topics, as well as an expert on the arboretum. Sign up for a walking tour today! Have more questions? Trees Atlanta will be joining us for our Quarterly Briefing at Atlanta Technical College on March 1, so stop by and say hi.
