In celebration of Georgia Arbor Day 2023, the YMCA of Coastal Georgia is partnering with Savannah Tree Foundation and Gulfstream Aerospace to plant 175 trees at five YMCA branches and other locations throughout Chatham and neighboring counties. The project will plant trees at the Islands Family YMCA Feb. 17, 2023—Georgia Arbor Day—from 9 a.m.-12 p.m., when the public is invited to participate in the tree-planting events and can take home a free sapling. Additional tree-planting events will take place at the Tybee Island YMCA & Recreation on Saturday, Feb. 18, then the Effingham YMCA Saturday, Feb. 25. More tree-planting events will take place at the West Chatham YMCA and Habersham YMCA this fall.

According to the Savannah Tree Foundation, recent studies show that trees can be linked to overall public health and Chatham County has been losing its tree canopy at a rate of at least three football fields a day.

Trees are proven to have several positive effects on our environment and communities, including lowering temperatures by nearly 20 degrees during summertime, helping with storm water mitigation, cleaning the air we breathe, and providing habitats for native wildlife.

“The YMCA of Coastal Georgia is committed to improving our community’s health and well-being and partnering with Savannah Tree Foundation and Gulfstream to help combat canopy loss is an effective way to meet that mission,” says Joel Smoker, CEO of the YMCA of Coastal Georgia. “This project will help better our communities while promoting healthy green spaces and beautifying the sites for our community members to enjoy.”

For media inquiries, contact Summer Bozeman, director of communications and marketing, at [email protected] or 912-438-0161.