The drip line [Fall 2007]

Tree-Mendous Tip:
Budgeting for Tree Care
One of the most common dilemmas facing Tree Boards is finding sufficient funding for proper tree management. Although many communities fund tree maintenance through their general tax fund, it is often not enough, particularly when it comes to planting new trees.
With some investigation, funding can often be found through:
Community groups and
service organizations such as Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, Jaycees, garden clubs, local clean & beautiful organizations, etc.
Corporate sponsors Marketing wood waste Private foundations Endowment funds Memorial tree programs Recycling programs for
aluminum, newspapers, cans, Christmas trees, etc.
In general, most tree boards usually spend their funding on:
45% Tree Maintenance 20% Tree Removal 25% Tree Planting 10% Administration
Obviously, there will be some variance among these numbers. For new programs, tree maintenance and removals are high with tree plantings very low.
The pursuit of funding for tree planting can take time, but ultimately, it can yield the money needed for a healthy tree canopy.

Trees and Drought

When the heat of summer is upon us, we can readily feel the effects: sweating, fatigue, and thirst. Fortunately for us, water is never further away than the turn of a handle or the twist of a cap; if only trees had it that easy!
During droughts, many people find themselves looking down worrying about their grass and flowers when they should really be looking up at their trees. A tree stressed by drought invites insects and decline. The earliest sign of drought is leaf curling, browning, or shedding.
Trees require about 10 gallons of water per inch of diameter per week. To most effectively deliver water to a tree: Deeply saturate all the area within the drip line to a depth of 12 inches in the

evening. Watering at ground level is more efficient than spraying water in the air. Watering regularly during the winter when conditions are suitable will improve trees' ability to withstand drought. Alternative sources of water can come from: Catching rain water from gutters. Saving the water while waiting for shower to warm up. Mulching to a depth of 4-6 inches is a method to retain soil moisture.
Now is a good time to remind your city officials that because of the benefits of trees, they should be at the top of the care list when water is scarce. Make time to educate the community on the value of maintaining the health of trees during

droughts. Young trees should be focused on the most since they have a limited root system and are not well established yet. Other trees to focus on are ones growing with a limited rooting zone such as trees along sidewalks, driveways or medians and trees that have had their roots disrupted due to construction. Grass always grows back and there is always next year for your garden, but trees are long term investment that if lost could take years to get back.

Tree City Highlight: Savannah, Georgia

A Tree City USA community for 22 years, the City of Savannah has a very active and acclaimed tree board that helps to manage the urban forest for a population of 140,598.
This summer is not the first drought Savannah or the State of Georgia has faced. Past droughts have forced the tree board to Get creative with their water resources. The Savannah Tree Board was innovative in working with their local fire department. Since fire engines are

required to dump the water from their tank, the tree board saw this as an opportunity to maximize the city's water.
They were successful in contracting with the fire fighters to water newly planted trees for 2 years, showing them the proper way to water, when it came time to dump. The City of Savannah is a great example of resourcefulness in a time of restriction.

Calendar of Events
Georgia Urban Forest Council's 2007 Annual Conference & Awards Program: Oct. 31 - Nov. 2 : The Rome Forum
This year's theme, "Connect...And Collaborate! Working Together for a Healthy Urban Forest", will focus on information and training for tree boards, non-profits, and other tree advocacy groups, in addition to technical sessions for arborists, foresters and other Urban Forestry professionals. **SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE (SEE WWW.GUFC.ORG FOR INFORMATION)**
Please join us at the Tree Board Roundtable being held as a pre-conference session on Wednesday, October 31 at 4pm. This will be a great opportunity to discuss Tree Board issues with other Tree Board members and Urban Forestry professionals from around the state. If you have a pressing question or issue you would like to discuss, bring it with you or e-mail it to Joan Scales at jscales@gfc.state.ga.us.
Partners in Community Forest National Conference: Nov. 14 - Nov. 15 : Baltimore, MD
National Arbor Day and Home Depot Foundation This conference will focus on a variety of issues related to community forestry including community tree management, trees and development, and the contribution the presence of trees makes to the social and physical health of the community.

The Drip Line Georgia Forestry Commission
1055 East Whitehall Rd. Athens, GA 30605 1-800-GA-TREES www.gatrees.org
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all 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 TARGFT Center at 202-720-260 (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 an employer.
It has been a few years since the last Drip Line issue. We hope to publish this on a quarterly or semi-annual basis. If you have any items or articles you would like to contribute, please e-mail them to Joan Scales at jscales@GFC.STATE.GA.US.

New at the Georgia Forestry Commission

To enhance the environment and
protect natural resources, the Sustainable Community Forestry Program (SCFP) of the Georgia Forestry Commission has produced the publication, How to Conserve Natural Resources on Construction Sites. This book provides information on energy conservation, tree protection and restoration, erosion concerns and more, with an overall goal of preventing significant site damage. This publication was designed to provide developers with the answers to important natural resource issues as they pertain to a home construction site.
A study conducted through the Uni-
versity of Georgia and the Natural Resources Spatial Analysis Laboratory (NARSAL) found that Georgia is gaining an average of 108 acres of impervious surface a day from urban sprawl including new construction such as parking lots, buildings, shopping centers and resi-

pany, is designed to create healthier, shaded playground areas on elementary school campuses throughout Georgia. By taking temperature readings of playground equipment, it has become apparent that schoolyards have become unhealthy places for children due to elevated surface temperatures that can cause severe and painful burns, overexposure to sun's ultraviolet radiation and ground level ozone which is at its peak time when children are out playing at midday. On some surfaces, temperatures can easily reach 120-140F, which can burn a child's skin in only 3 seconds. With children inhaling more pollution per pound of body weight and skin cancer being one of the most prevalent types of cancer today, creating shade has become a priority for schoolyards. The GFC is providing financial assistance to elementary schools that wish to participate in the Making the Shade program.

dential development. Metro Atlanta makes up more than one-half of the state's impervious surface gain. The

To obtain copies of the How to Conserve Resources on Construction Sites booklet

study also revealed that for every

or for more information on the NARSAL

acre of lost tree canopy, an acre of study or the Making the Shade Program,

impervious surface was gained.

please go to www.gatrees.org or contact

Making the Shade, a GFC program your local SCFP forester.

in cooperation with the United States

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Forest Service and Milliken & Com-