Tuesday, June 28, 2011
It’s time to reengage…look out for tree bags tagged
It’s time to reengage…starting with tree bags tagged.
The Name: Take Root.
The Initiative: to double the urban tree canopy in Chattanooga’s downtown core from 8% canopy cover to 15%.
The Outcome: between 2007 and 2010, Chattanooga’s department of Urban Forestry planted about 1400 trees in Chattanooga’s downtown core. As these 1400 Take Root trees grow and mature, they should provide more than enough canopy cover to ensure that Chattanooga hits its 15% downtown tree canopy cover goal.
Yet funders and concerned citizens want to know: how can we ensure that these young trees not only survive but also thrive in a downtown environment?
The Answer: Tree bags. aka gator bags
Chattanooga’s urban foresters have chosen to use gator bags to ensure that young trees get plenty of water during Tennessee’s hot and dry summer months. Two hundred of the youngest most drought susceptible Take Root trees have gator bags around their trunks guaranteeing they receive a slow and steady stream of water to their roots even when the rains don’t come.
Chattanoogans, all 200 gator bags have been tagged with the Take Root logo. These bags will catch your eye and make you ponder. Are you proud of your city and its scenic beauty? Glad you put down your roots here? Enjoy seeing more trees downtown?
The future: To learn more or get involved, sign up online for a Citizen Forester class or come to the Crash Pad on July 14th at 5:30 PM to celebrate the launch of Citizen Forester and enjoy local music, food, and beverages.
