Conservancy tree planting event adds 18 trees to Brookhaven Park

Volunteers for the Brookhaven Park tree planting on March 20 included (from left to right): Patrick Feagin, Duke Scott (Troop 379 Scoutmaster), Warren Neel, Nicholas Cox (Troop 21), Mateo Tagtachian, Ryan Lisowski, Greg Lisowski, Hayden Humphrey, Jack Schmitt, Judson Divenere.

Brookhaven, GA, March 25, 2021 -- Spring is busting out all over Brookhaven as area lawns, parks, sidewalks and common areas erupt in colorful palettes of brilliant new growth reminiscent of a Monet or Van Gogh watercolor. March 20 was the first day of the spring season and in one of the City’s crown jewels, Brookhaven Park, Mother Nature got a helping hand from a group of volunteers who spent the morning adding 18 trees to the park’s landscape.

The community tree planting project was spearheaded by the Brookhaven Park Conservancy and primarily funded by two grants from Park Pride of Atlanta ($2,500) and the City of Brookhaven ($3,000) to help plant evergreen screening trees next to an adjoining neighborhood.  The value of all project costs, including volunteer labor, trees, planting supplies and equipment, exceeded $20,000, a significant investment to improve Brookhaven Park.

Gathering along a winding walkway on the west side of Brookhaven Park’s dog run, the group, under the direction of Justin Viens, Conservancy board member and president of Southern Gardener Landscape and Design, received instruction on how to properly plant the trees. The Conservancy had contracted to pre-dig the holes to save time and a generous donation from Lowe’s Chamblee provided water buckets, top soil, mulch, and fertilizer for the project. Southern Gardner, using some of the grant funding, had sourced the trees from a south Georgia nursery and the company absorbed the cost of transporting and delivering the trees to the park for planting. 

“The trees we selected were Little Gem magnolias and Green Giant arborvitae,” said Viens. “These are both hardy screening trees. The magnolias grow well in shady locations and the arborvitae in sunnier locations. They are expected to grow about four-to-five feet a year and should reach a height of about 40’. We like to refer to plantings like this as ‘green naturalization’ that will provide a screening wall between the park and the homes behind it, intermingled with other trees to add to the density of the wall.”

When planting trees like this, Viens added, one should keep in mind the phrase “Sleep, Creep, and Leap.” The first year, the tree will sleep—it may not grow much above ground while its roots develop and establish. The second to third year, the tree will creep—it will begin to grow a little as it settles into its space. The third to fourth year, the tree will leap in size, as it has established itself and begins to thrive. The newly planted trees at Brookhaven Park, have a good jump on the “sleep” aspect in that they are already about eight-to-10 feet tall.

Regarding the tree planting project, Brookhaven City Councilmember Madeleine Simmons commented, “I am so thankful to the Brookhaven Park Conservancy, Park Pride, the Boy Scouts, Lowe’s and the City for coming together on this important tree planting initiative in Brookhaven Park’s wooded area, a cherished natural oasis in the center of our City.  This was the second major tree planting initiative from the community volunteers with Brookhaven Park Conservancy and the addition of these new trees will benefit Brookhaven’s tree canopy and Brookhaven Park’s visitors for decades to come.  Thank you to all who volunteered in making this great project possible.”

“We are extremely grateful for all of the effort the Brookhaven Park Conservancy, Park Pride and other members of the Parks and Recreation Coalition Brookhaven (PARC) - to communicate, promote and encourage use and improvement of our City parks,” said Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst. “PARC Brookhaven is an organization of representatives from all parks in the City of Brookhaven and their goal is to work with citizens, elected officials and City staff to create world class parks and recreation in Brookhaven for the benefit of its citizens and park users.” Twelve City of Brookhaven park organizations, including the Brookhaven Park Conservancy, are active in PARC Brookhaven.

Also instrumental to the success of the tree planting project were Boy Scout Troop 379 members from St. Martin’s Episcopal School.   Assistant Scoutmaster Jay Schmitt noted, “Troop 379 is thrilled to be included in this effort to plant new trees.  We hope our efforts will improve the park for all to enjoy, a truly unique peaceful place in a busy city. Several of our Eagle Scout candidates are working on individual projects to help improve the park.” Several of those pending projects include installation of public information kiosks in the park and the construction of birdhouses suitable to put in the park for bluebirds, owls and swifts. 

Kroger Brookhaven’s manager Nigel Vereen donated water and other refreshments for the tree planting volunteers. “We are always grateful to companies like Lowe’s and Kroger for their donations,” said Conservancy board member Mike Elliot. “These folks are always supportive of our efforts and don’t ever hesitate to provide items for us.”

Elliot added that the March 20 tree planting was the second major planting project the Conservancy had spearheaded for the park in the past five years. “When the Gables Brookhaven project was developed near Town Brookhaven at Hermance Drive, we coordinated the spading and removal of 22 mature, mostly oak, trees from that property. The 15-20-foot trees were like installing an instant forest that helped create a tree-lined pathway in the park.”

Over the past decade or more, even pre-dating the incorporation of Brookhaven as a city, the Brookhaven Park Conservancy has provided much-needed upgrades to the park. Since the city was created in 2012, the group has worked in tandem with the Brookhaven Parks and Recreation team on projects ranging from mulching, flower planting, painting picnic tables, helping restore a park pavilion, and invasive tree removal and brush cleanup, to name just a few.

“We are happy to be making progress improving Brookhaven Park’s ecology with substantial and much-needed trees.  Many thanks to Park Pride and the City of Brookhaven for the funds to get us started,” said Thad Ellett, President of Brookhaven Park Conservancy. 

For anyone that would like to volunteer time or resources, follow the plans of the conservancy, or make a donation for more Brookhaven Park improvement projects, go to www.brookhavenparkconservancy.org.