Tree projects - huge success (January 2013)

You may have heard that the SRWA and our Soque Partners tried to start the year off right by planting almost 3,000 trees over the last several days. Here's a quick snapshot of two projects:

1. FAIRVIEW ELEMENTARY-  1,600 trees PLANTED - THURSDAY - January 10th - We had upwards of 15 volunteers help us plant 1,500 pine and 100 persimmon and oaks to help stabilize soils at Fairview Elementary and to improve rainwater infiltration. We used dibble bars that allowed each volunteer to plant almost a tree per minute.  We had a lot of help to make this project happen and we want to acknowledge their effort:

• Denise Gunn (maintenance director) and Darlene Hudson (principal Fairview Elementary) have been the key supporters from the beginning. Special thanks to Darlene for feeding us pizza!
• The Board of Education and maintenance staff for supporting the idea and providing labor, equipment, and enthusiam
• Tony Strickland and Georgia Forestry Commission for helping us develop a plan, loaning dibble bars, and providing trees.
• David Barnes for providing tractor work to help subsoil making it easy for us to plant.
• Lowe's for donating buckets, cow manure, flags and ground staples, and providing volunteers.
• City of Cornelia (specifically Gary Worley) for providing leaf mulch and wood chips.
• Melissa Maughon who got the girl scouts involved (and they planted 30 trees themselves- very cool)
• All the hardworking volunteers who made it happen so fast! We have the best volunteers!

2. PROJECT 2 - ELLER FARM - 350 trees PLANTED  - FRIDAY - January 11th  - We had about 12 volunteers this day and planted 75 white oaks, 25 persimmons, 100 red maples, and 100 river birch, in addition to 50 assorted container trees including yellow poplar, green ash, and sycamore. After planting each tree got geotextile weed mats to give them a headstart on the grass and weeds.The purpose this project was to replant a streamside forest which as it matures will help to hold the streambank in place reducing erosion, increasing stream stability, and serving as a buffer and nutrient sponge. Big thanks to the following folks who made this project possible:

• Thanks to Chris Eller and Joe Barron who farm the property
• Steven Patrick, who helped get this project started.
• Vernon Mintz and North Georgia Converting who donated Geotextile Fabric for the weed mats
• Lowe's who donated ground staples to hold the weed mats down.
• North Georgia Technical College ROTERACT club who provided volunteers    
• These volunteers stuck with it until 1pm in nonstop rain and mud. They is tough!