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Every day, the Trees Atlanta team traverses our city to plant trees, conserve greenspaces, and educate community members across metro Atlanta. Here at Trees Atlanta, we know that the journey is just as important as the destination. That’s why we want to ensure that our fleet adheres to the highest standards of safety and sustainability, for both our team members and the communities we serve.

Last fall, we asked for your support to purchase electric vehicles and equipment for our team. You answered the call! With the help of a few generous matching gift sponsors, we raised nearly $80,000 to fund this electrifying initiative.

Those funds are already making a difference for our team and our operations. Here’s an update on how we’re using your donations to move towards a greener fleet and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels across our operations.

E-bikes, Trailers, and an Electric Gator on the Atlanta Beltline

What’s the best way to get around on the Beltline? Bikes, of course! With your donations, we purchased two e-bikes with utility trailers, as well as an electric gator, to support our work managing the Atlanta Beltline Arboretum. These vehicles allow our team to maneuver busy Beltline trails safely and efficiently as they transport tools, mulch, trees, and people to project sites across the Arboretum where they are planting, weeding, watering, and more. We’ve also purchased high-voltage, high-capacity lithium-ion batteries to power our e-bikes. These batteries provide the extended range and higher power required for carrying heavy loads, climbing steep hills, and riding long distances.

“The e-bikes and gator rock! They’re much less disruptive than our trucks to all of the trail users,” said Beltline Arboretum Senior Manager Grace Manning. “They’ve been a huge help getting around on and off the Beltline and on the Trees Atlanta campus.”

Pre-owned Nissan Leaf

We’ve acquired a low-mileage, pre-owned Nissan Leaf to power sustainable transportation beyond the Beltline. Whether we’re scouting future sites for tree planting or restoration projects or attending community events, the Leaf provides a zero-emission way to get where we’re going.

“The new Nissan Leaf allows my team to go across the metro area to scout safely, efficiently, and in style,” said Senior Manager of Community Forestry Jake McDonald. “We now have reliable cars that are great for locating new right-of-ways, park spaces, and general exploration!”

In 2024 alone, Trees Atlanta spent approximately $55,000 on gasoline. By switching to electric vehicles—which we can charge right here on our campus—we can reinvest that money back into protecting Atlanta’s urban tree canopy.

Electric Hand Tools

With the funds you helped raise, we’ve also purchased a Makita electric battery-powered chainsaw for our Forest Restoration team, as well as two electric string trimmers (AKA, weed whackers), that are now powering invasive plant removal and greenspace maintenance across the metro area.

Switching from gas to electric-powered hand tools might seem like a small change, but it can make a big impact. They eliminate exhaust fumes, reducing air pollution and keeping the air clean for our staff and the communities where they work. Additionally, electric tools are significantly quieter than their gas-powered alternatives, making our work less disruptive to nearby neighbors and helping our team communicate more effectively in the field.

On-Campus Charging Infrastructure & Long-Term Cost Savings

Last but certainly not least, your support has enabled Trees Atlanta to further invest in electric infrastructure on our campus. In 2025, Trees Atlanta began capturing solar power from a 140-panel, 87kW solar array installed across the rooftops of the Kendeda TreeHouse to reduce our carbon footprint and offset our electricity costs. Now we can harness this solar infrastructure to charge our electric vehicles and batteries. This means that every piece of electric equipment we acquire is part of the self-sufficient, sustainable circular economy we’re creating right here at the Trees Atlanta headquarters.

Your support offered meaningful opportunities to align with bold environmental action and community impact. Together, we can set a new standard for sustainable urban forest— one that benefits our city, our climate, and our shared future.

Thank you for helping us harness renewable energy to light the spark for a healthier, more resilient Atlanta! 

Published on August 4, 2026