New trees for Jefferson

JEFFERSON-New trees will be seen on the right-of-ways and city streets in Jefferson. $50,000 will be given to Jefferson thanks to a grant by the Georgia Forestry Commission and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Along with Mayor Jim Joiner, Sarah Visser, Georgia’s Growing Green Project Manager, signed the grant at City Hall.

Visser said, “It’s going to allow the city to plant 110 trees that will provide shade, help with storm water run off, it will help with the heat island effect and will really provide a green legacy for the city in the future.”

Jefferson has been a Tree City since 2005 and underwent a tree inventory in 2008-2009 to check on potential planting sites. The study revealed 1490 sites in need of more trees.

City Arborist, Connie Head said, “What that [the grant] is going to do is produce jobs, not only in the selection of the planting sites but also in the purchasing of the trees and the nursery.”

According to Visser and Head, the planting is going to start as soon as possible.