Select Sustainable Tree Trust Makes Million Dollar Donation to Trees Atlanta

April 01, 2009 by The Atlanta Treebune

Trees Atlanta is partnering with Select Sustainable Tree Trust, a nonprofit affiliate
of Select Trees in Athens, GA, to plant and maintain over ONE MILLION DOLLARS in donated SUSTAINABLE SHADE TREES over the next three years. Select Sustainable Tree Trust is offering $340,000 per year (wholesale tree value) in three to five inch caliper SUSTAINABLE SHADE TREES for three years. This tree donation is contingent on matching donations to Trees Atlanta to cover
the cost of proper installation and maintenance.

According to Chris Hughes, Vice President
of Select Sustainable Tree Trust, “Trees Atlanta has had a very positive impact on Select Trees
since our beginning in 1985. Even before we started to supply trees to Trees Atlanta in the late
80’s, Marcia Bansley was educating us about the benefits of urban tough trees. With passion
and determination, Marcia and her staff were the first to cause us to really focus on:

• The loss of tree canopy in Atlanta and related adverse effects on the environment and on people.
• Criteria that define SUSTAINABLE TREES in the urban environment—notably long life
  expectancy and tolerance to stressful urban growing conditions
• Specific challenges related to the proper installation and care of trees in the urban environment.

Obviously, Trees Atlanta has affected the evolution of the Select Trees’ Mission: To create
a significant long-term positive impact on the urban environment with sustainable trees. Trees
Atlanta has been essential to Select Trees’ education, growth, and success. We feel it is both our
duty and our privilege to be able to support the very worthy efforts of Trees Atlanta and especially the incredible determination and vision of Marcia.”

Both Trees Atlanta and Select Trees have much experience with the extreme importance of
proper installation and maintenance. The increase in focus on planting and maintenance technique
has become even more critical during recent drought conditions. Hughes goes on to say, “Our
association with Trees Atlanta over the years has helped us to formulate and attain the elements
of the SUSTAINABLE TREE EQUATION:

Superior Genetics + Proper Nursery Culture + Proper Installation and Maintenance = Sustainable Trees

Select Trees has learned many hard lessons over the past 23 years about the absolute critical
nature of each element in this equation.

According to Regina Clifton, Trees Atlanta is gearing up to secure the donations needed to
optimize this generous offer from Select Sustainable Tree Trust.