{"616860":{"#nid":"616860","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Tree Certification Reflects Tech\u0027s Canopy Commitment ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn January, as thirteen new trees were being planted in Tech\u0026#39;s Triangle green space in the center of campus, the Institute was also earning its eleventh year of Tree Campus USA Certification. The plantings and the certification are both a testament to Georgia Tech\u0026#39;s commitment to expanding its tree canopy to provide vital environmental services to the city at large.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;By committing to maintain and grow our tree canopy, Georgia Tech is contributing to a cooler and more resilient city,\u0026quot; explained Dr. Brian Stone,\u0026nbsp;professor in the School of City and Regional Planning and director of the Urban Climate Lab.\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s 2010 Landscape Master Plan included a goal to increase the tree canopy to more than 50 percent. At last count, the campus was at 38\u0026nbsp;percent coverage.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;Tree Campuses set examples for not only their student bodies but the surrounding communities, showcasing how trees create a healthier environment,\u0026rdquo; said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. \u0026ldquo;Because of Georgia Tech\u0026#39;s participation air will be purer, water cleaner and your students and faculty will be surrounded by the shade and beauty the trees provide.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Tree Campus USA program honors colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals. Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;achieved the title by meeting Tree Campus USA\u0026rsquo;s five standards, which include maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and a student service-learning project.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAccording to John Randolph, author of \u0026quot;Environmental Land Use Planning and Management\u0026quot;, the first step to responsible urban forest management is to inventory the\u0026nbsp;forest and then to develop a corresponding tree-care plan that provides appropriate care for that\u0026nbsp;forest. Tech conducted its first comprehensive inventory in 2012 and a Tree Management\/Care Plan in 2016. The inventory is maintained within GIS files and includes every tree on campus that is greater than two\u0026nbsp;inches in diameter. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition\u0026nbsp;to adhering to\u0026nbsp;core tenants of responsible urban forest management, Georgia Tech employs a dedicated tree team and tracks any tree loss in a Tree Bank. The tree team\u0026nbsp;consists\u0026nbsp;of a certified arborist, a tree surgeon and a tree specialist. These staff members execute the tree-care\u0026nbsp;plan and support all decisions related to trees throughout campus.\u0026nbsp;The\u0026nbsp;Tree Bank\u0026nbsp;is a tracking document managed\u0026nbsp;by the Budget Office. This document\u0026nbsp;assures that every tree which is cut down on campus is replaced, caliper to\u0026nbsp;caliper.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe benefits of trees in urban environments are many, from reducing heat island effects, sequestering carbon and even providing a place of\u0026nbsp;rest and reflection for anyone passing through our open campus. Everyone from students, to visitors\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;even local song birds receive tree benefits. Georgia Tech\u0026#39;s fidelity to established processes that\u0026nbsp;support their urban forest is a vibrant blend of beauty, ecology and climate solutions in the city.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0026#39;s\u0026nbsp;commitment to effective urban forest management has earned another year of certification from\u0026nbsp;Tree Campus USA\u0026nbsp;by the Arbor Day Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech is honored with Tree Campus USA certification for eleventh year straight. "}],"uid":"27705","created_gmt":"2019-01-25 13:12:46","changed_gmt":"2022-05-26 17:09:36","author":"Jessica Rose","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-01-25T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2019-01-25T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"617195":{"id":"617195","type":"image","title":"Tree Planting in the Triangle","body":null,"created":"1549056448","gmt_created":"2019-02-01 21:27:28","changed":"1549056448","gmt_changed":"2019-02-01 21:27:28","alt":"tree being planted with large, automated spade","file":{"fid":"234903","name":"TriangleTreePltg_012019B.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/TriangleTreePltg_012019B.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/TriangleTreePltg_012019B.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1496032,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/TriangleTreePltg_012019B.jpg?itok=hRV37747"}}},"media_ids":["617195"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.arborday.org\/programs\/treecampususa\/","title":"Tree Campus USA Program"},{"url":"http:\/\/arboretum.gatech.edu\/","title":"Georgia Tech Arboretum "},{"url":"http:\/\/facilities.gatech.edu\/landscaping#GroundsManage","title":"Facilities: Lanscape Services Sustainable Grounds Management Practices"}],"groups":[{"id":"383831","name":"Facilities Management"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"}],"keywords":[{"id":"350","name":"trees"},{"id":"12029","name":"urban forest"},{"id":"35921","name":"Facilities Management"},{"id":"4755","name":"forestry"},{"id":"12808","name":"urban heat island"},{"id":"11151","name":"arbor day foundation"},{"id":"129761","name":"arboretum"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJessica Rose - Associate Director - Communications \u0026amp; Analytics - Facilities Management\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jrose@gatech.edu "],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}