News

A forest is more than a collection of trees. It’s a living community where canopy trees, shrubs, vines, wildflowers, wildlife, soil, and water all work together. In Atlanta, these forests are among our most valuable and vulnerable natural resources, and every one of us benefits from them.

Forests filter the air the breathe, cool our neighborhoods by several degrees, capture stormwater, and shelter birds and other wildlife. They also give us a place to slow down.

That last benefit may matter more than we realize. A Harvard Health article describes a study in Frontiers in Psychology finding that just 20 minutes in a natural spaces significantly lowers stress hormone levels. Time in green space can also improve attention, ease anxiety, and lift your mood.

But many of Atlanta’s forest are under pressure. Invasive plants like kudzu, English ivy, and Chinese privet spread aggressively, crowd out native species, and change the conditions native plants need to survive. Some even produce seeds that stay viable in the soil for decades. Others have no natural predators or diseases to keep them in check.

Right now, Trees Atlanta is doing forest restoration in 43 green spaces across metro Atlanta. This Giving Tuesday, we’re raising $90,000 to protect them, and we want to show you what that work looks like in one neighborhood.

What Restoration Looks Like: Chosewood Park

Chosewood Park is a southeast Atlanta neighborhood, established in 1910 and located beside the Atlanta Beltline Arboretum. Its heart is the six-acre park that shares its name, which grew by another six acres of dense woods and nature trails in 2010. Today it’s a Certified Wildlife Habitat, recognized by the National Wildlife Federation, and the pilot site for Edible Neighborhood.

“Chosewood Park is the physical and social center of our neighborhood,” says Taryn Arbeiter, President of the Friends of Chosewood Park. “Restoring the forest by removing invasive overgrowth is like giving our community a deep breath of fresh air.”

Trees Atlanta began restoration here in 2015, removing invasive trees and shrubs and replanting with native species. Staff have led the work, and the Friends of Chosewood Park and neighborhood volunteers have made it happen. In 2022, the community was named Trees Atlanta’s Neighborhood Tree Champion.

Chosewood’s restoration began with funding from a Trees Atlanta capital campaign. As that funding wound down, the work shifted to volunteers, who have kept it going. The City of Atlanta and its watershed department have partnered on replanting after pipe repairs, with support from funders like DHL and WABE. The Friends of Chosewood Park has also raised money from neighbors to fund some invasive removal.

That commitment is remarkable. Even so, the park needs a more comprehensive, steadily supported approach to fully restore its ecology.

How Restoration Works

At Chosewood and at all 43 sites our team manages, restoration follows the same phased approach:

1. Assess and Prioritize. We map what’s growing and what poses the biggest threat, then work in manageable sections so we don’t destabilize the whole forest floor at once.
2. Control and Suppress. We cut and treat woody plants and vines, remove seedlings by hand, and clip flower heads and berries first so we don’t spread seeds.
3. Return for regrowth. Dormant seeds can sprout after clearing, so we return to catch new seedlings before they reseed.
4. Replant, Monitor, and Restore. We add native species to fill ecological gaps and follow up regularly to catch reinvasion early.

Each phase depends on consistent care, and consistent funding is what makes that care possible.

What a Healthy Forest Gives Back

“We go for walks with our kids in Chosewood Park forest every single day,” says neighbor Nathaniel Perez-Steinrueck. “You can see it in their face every time they hit the trail: calm, exploration, excitement.”

Mallory Goodson, who has lived in Chosewood for six years, says it best: “There is nothing better than walking on the Chosewood Park trails and listening to an audiobook on my lunch break.”

Whether it’s a lunch break walk, a family afternoon, or 20 quiet minutes after work, a healthy forest is something all of us can share.

Help Us Grow What Comes Next

Your gift this Giving Tuesday helps us:

• Remove invasive species
• Replant native trees and understory plants
• Follow up each year so the progress lasts
• Train volunteers and educate neighbors

Not able to give right now? Join us at a restoration volunteer event, or share this post with a friend who loves Atlanta’s trees.

Thank you for helping us grow healthier forests, healthier communities, and more calm moments for the people of Atlanta.