Governor, First Lady to Light Governor's Mansion Christmas Tree

Governor Sonny Perdue and First Lady Mary Perdue will host the annual tree lighting at the Governor’s Mansion this SUNDAY, December 5 at 6:30 p.m., an event jump starting the Mansion holiday touring season.

“Mary and I would like to invite Georgians to visit the Governor’s Mansion this holiday season,” said Governor Perdue. “It is our privilege to welcome visitors to the Mansion and celebrate the holidays in this beautiful residence.”

The annual holiday tour hosts musical performances from students and groups from across the state.   Tours featuring the holiday-themed decorations at the Governor’s Mansion will be held Dec. 6 through Dec. 17, Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 p.m. to 1 p.m. For information regarding holiday tours please visit www.mansion.georgia.gov.

The Governor’s Mansion is also a drop-off location for Toys for Tots. Visitors are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy for children ranging from toddlers-18 years of age. Toys for Tots Began in 1947, when Major Bill Hendricks, USCR and a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. The tradition has continued for more than 60 years and thousands of toys are donated each year. More information on the Toys for Tots program can be found at www.toysfortots.org.

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Georgia Forestry Commission Sets Traps for Destructive Forest Pests

Residents in 20 Georgia counties may soon notice the Georgia Forestry Commission erecting
special insect traps in their neighborhood. The traps, which are mounted on trees and look like small paperboard tents, are designed to detect the tiny gypsy moth, which has destroyed thousands of acres of trees throughout the Northeastern United States.

“Gypsy moths will feed on any kind of tree species, but especially like oaks,” said Scott Griffin,
Forest Health Specialist with the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC). “Beginning on April 15 and through the end of May, GFC Professionals will be putting up 4,600 traps statewide. We’ll be targeting fast-growing counties and likely introduction sites, such as state parks, where visitors might inadvertently bring in the gypsy moth.”

The gypsy moth is a serious forest pest capable of causing severe damage to trees. There are
currently no known gypsy moth infestations in Georgia; however, White, Fannin, and Rockdale Counties have recorded infestations in the past. The traps being erected by the GFC contain pheromone lures, which mimic what the female gypsy moth releases, and in turn lure male moths and catch them in a sticky trap. Gypsy moth larvae are the insect’s destructive life stage, which hatch and feed on trees’ young leaf sprouts in the spring.

“Gypsy moths can defoliate thousands of acres of trees in short order,” explained Griffin. “If we find evidence of even one moth, we start high intensity trapping where it was caught. We’re working hard to ensure this destructive pest does not invade Georgia’s 25 million acres of forest land.”

The 20 counties in which gypsy moth traps will be placed are: Bartow, Floyd, Whitfield, Barrow,
Gwinnett, Hart, Lincoln, McDuffie, Butts, Carroll, Pike, Baldwin, Bibb, Toombs, Crisp, Sumter, Glynn, Clay, Chatham, and Bryan.

For more information about the gypsy moth or other forest pests, forest health, and the many
services offered by the Georgia Forestry Commission, visit GaTrees.org.

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Half-million Trees Planted in Georgia with Funds Provided by the Arbor Day Foundation

The Georgia Forestry Commission has planted more than half a million trees in wildfire-ravaged south Georgia with funds provided by the Arbor Day Foundation.

As part of a wildfire restoration project in Dixon Memorial State Forest, 509,555 pine trees have been planted on a 4,500-acre tract of upland pine habitat that was destroyed by the historic spring wildfires of 2007. Both longleaf and slash pine trees are being reinstated. The project enhances the restoration of Georgia's native longleaf pines, which have declined by 80 percent since 1955. Less than a half million acres of longleaf pine habitat remain throughout the state.

The Arbor Day Foundation is the largest nonprofit tree-planting organization in the United States, with nearly one million members. The Foundation plants and distributes more than 10 million trees each year.

"Thanks to the generosity of our members and great partners and friends, we are able to work with the Georgia Forestry Commission on this extensive tree-planting project in Dixon Memorial State Forest," said Dan Lambe, vice president of programs for the Arbor Day Foundation. "These trees will help restore a native species to the area, provide vital habitat for wildlife, and clean the air and water for Georgians."

Dixon Memorial State Forest is located in Southern Georgia near Waycross, and is the fourth largest Wildlife Management Area in the state. The forest covers more than 35,000 acres and includes both swampland and pine timberland.

"The Arbor Day Foundation's contribution enables us to restore healthy forests on wildfire-devastated lands that otherwise could not be accomplished with severely limited state funds," said Robert Farris, Director of the Georgia Forestry Commission. "The citizens of Georgia directly benefit from our multi-faceted partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, as together we maintain healthy, sustainable forests that are providing clean air, clean water, and abundant forest products for generations to come."

This year, the Arbor Day Foundation is working with partners to plant trees in more than 10 states and territories in the United States. Since 1989, the Arbor Day Foundation has worked with the U.S. Forest Service to plant trees in America's national forests. Since then, the Foundation has helped to plant more than 12 million trees in national forests that have been devastated by wildfire, insects and disease.

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Georgia Citizens Create Legacies by Planting Trees in The Grove

/PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to educate, engage and encourage Georgians to plant trees and protect Georgia's urban tree canopy, the Georgia Urban Forest Council (GUFC) and the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) have joined forces to create a new Web site and online community called The Grove, GeorgiaGrove.org.

The Grove allows families and friends to share the experience of planting trees and commemorating special life moments. The Grove members can share their memories by uploading pictures and stories of their tree planting experiences for others to see and discuss. The Grove members can also create groups, or "groves," to connect, share and interact with other members within the virtual community.

"This is a great tool that allows families to create a legacy and leave a positive mark on the world for their children and grandchildren to enjoy," said Mary Lynne Beckley, director of the Georgia Urban Forest Council. "By planting trees, we renew our commitment to protecting Georgia's green legacy, ensuring future generations will share in the life events we celebrated, while enjoying the benefits of living in healthy communities."

To be a part of The Grove, Georgia residents can log onto GeorgiaGrove.org. There they can create a free account, plant a tree with family and friends, take pictures of the occasion, then upload their photos and post their stories to share the experience with other Grove members. In addition, The Grove offers an interactive Tree Match Tool that provides guidance on choosing the right tree to commemorate a special event, as well as information on tree planting, tree care tips and the benefits of maintaining a healthy urban forest.

According to GFC, Georgia's urban forests have been diminishing, due to the rapid growth in development. To counteract the negative impact of tree loss, Georgia residents must be informed, educated and activated to help plant trees and preserve urban forest health.

"Strategically planted trees improve energy efficiency in homes, encourage people to linger and shop longer in business districts, provide shade to keep our cities cool and make communities healthier and safer places to live," said Larry Morris, associate chief of sustainable forestry with Georgia Forestry Commission. "It is important to encourage Georgia residents to plant trees and help develop vital green infrastructures, which offset the impact of grey infrastructures such as roads and utilities, and help sustain Georgia's green legacy."

The Grove is part of GUFC and GFC's Create Your Legacy initiative, which aims to educate citizens about the ways tree loss impacts the economy, the environment, our health and our social interactions. For more information or to share a legacy, log onto GeorgiaGrove.org today and share a tree planting experience.

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Recent Rains May Provide Too Much Water for Trees

Recent rains left soils soggy across the state. The muddy puddles are doing more than making a mess. The stress the pools of water are placing on trees can cause serious problems down the road.

The first week of 2009 brought five or more inches of rainfall to some North Georgia cities. Rome received 6.15 inches of rain between Jan. 1 and 7, according to the University of Georgia's Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network. GAEMN recorded 5.47 inches in Blue Ridge, 5.12 inches in Calhoun, 5.10 in Gainesville and 5.12 in Lafayette.

“It seems strange to talk about too much water when we have experienced a drought for several years,” said Jean Woodward, a plant pathologist with UGA Cooperative Extension. “However, the drought-weakened trees, particularly those damaged by construction injury, are more susceptible to wood decay fungal diseases. Excess water now can increase disease development.”
Trees with stressed or damaged root systems are at a greater risk for disease and fallout, risking property damage and injury. Driving cars over root systems or cutting them for construction purposes damages the tree, too.

“The biggest thing homeowners can do is not stress them out,” Woodward said. “Avoid driving over saturated soils. Soils will become compacted and put the tree under greater stress. Once roots are damaged, the tree will slowly decline over time.”

A large amount of rainfall after trees have shed their leaves helps to limit the immediate risk of tree fallout. But, damage to root systems now will increase risks for falling trees when leaves and powerful thunderstorms return in the spring and fall.

“Trees being without leaves now is actually helpful,” Woodward said. “The biggest concern is with full canopy trees. When leaves become saturated with water it can weigh down the tree. The leaves also act like a sail capturing the wind making it more prone to fall in stormy weather.”

One thing to watch out for is fungal growth around the base of the tree.

“People will start seeing mushrooms around the base of the trees or conks coming off the trunks that indicate rot in the center of the tree,” she said. “Once you see these signs of disease, there is no control. The tree will continue to decline and you need to think about taking the tree down.”

But, these disease indicators won’t surface until the spring or fall and most often go unnoticed.

“Mushrooms and conks indicate that there is rot, but they don’t mean that the tree will die overnight,” she said. “Depending on the stress of the tree and the amount of damage to roots or trunks, the tree can die within a few years or live for more than 10 years.”

Woodward said the best thing to do to protect your trees is don’t injure plant roots and to correct conditions that may weaken the tree, such as diverting pooling water.

“During heavy rain, it is a good time to take a look and see if landscapes are draining well,” she said. “Check plants to see if water is pooling around them. If it is, try to redirect the water.”

She suggests adding extenders to downspouts and installing French drains to divert excess rainwater. Don’t add mulch to absorb the moisture. Doing so will only add more stress to the drowning plant as it will take away much-needed oxygen.

“There is not a whole lot people can do now except keep water from pooling,” she said. “It is that type of change that can help save those trees in the future.”

By April Sorrow
University of Georgia

April Sorrow is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

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Tree Seedlings Available to Georgians

The Georgia Forestry Commission is offering residents an inexpensive way to help the
environment, reduce energy costs, beautify landscapes, and attract wildlife. Tree seedlings grown at the GFC Nursery provide these benefits and more. Several species of pine and hardwood are now available at low cost, can be ordered by phone, and delivered to the local county forestry unit for pick up by purchasers.

“This is the perfect time for planting trees,” said Russ Pohl, Chief of Reforestation for the GFC.
“Seedlings are dormant during the cold, wet months and are easily stored and shipped. Planting
now gives the young trees plenty of time to reestablish root contact with the soil, and rainy weather reduces their need for additional water. All in all, this is the very best time for planting trees in Georgia.”

Research shows trees improve air quality by sequestering carbon, the byproduct of burning
fossil fuels, and by intercepting airborne particulates. One acre of trees produces enough oxygen
for 18 people every day and provides valuable storm water runoff services. In addition, statistics
show healthy trees can add up to 15 percent to residential property value. Strategically placed
trees can reduce summer cooling costs by as much as 30 percent, while contributing to landscape aesthetics and the attraction of songbirds and other wildlife.

“It’s easy to order GFC seedlings and we provide information and guidance on getting them
planted on consumers’ property,” said Pohl. “We look forward to helping our customers learn more about this renewable Georgia resource.”

To order GFC seedlings, call 1-800-GA-TREES, or download an order form at GaTrees.org.

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Range Research, Genetic Work Spell Hope For Chestnut Comeback

Location, location, location. It’s the mantra of Realtors everywhere. But it may also be the reason a mighty tree long since gone from most of the Georgia landscape may get another chance to thrive.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources biologist Nathan Klaus made national headlines in 2006 after discovering a stand of American chestnut trees near President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Little White House at Warm Springs, Ga. Once a fairly dominant species, the majestic chestnut was virtually wiped out by a fast-spreading fungal blight that swept through Georgia in the 1920s.

A long-time supporter of efforts to bring back the nearly extinct tree, Klaus recently began working on research that could continue to help restore the chestnut to its native range.

A few months ago, Klaus began looking at land lottery maps and using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to plug in historic locations of American chestnuts. He hoped to develop a map showing the range and density of the trees in Georgia before the blight.

Researchers with The American Chestnut Foundation are working to develop blight-resistant chestnut sprouts, using an established program known as backcross breeding to create American chestnuts that are 1/16th Chinese chestnut, a hardier cousin. The goal is to have a tree that has enough of the Chinese species genes to resist blight but mostly is the tall, hardy American species once known and loved in the U.S.

Klaus’ research is important in helping determine the best place to plant the genetically strengthened trees. Old land lottery maps show where chestnut trees once were. Klaus scanned the paper maps into a computer-modeling program and has been able to determine which areas had a higher density of chestnuts trees and what species occurred with them.

The Georgia chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation has been working for 25 years with the national organization’s backcross-breeding program. The chapter is now using pollen found in the wild to pollinate orchard-grown chestnuts. The hope is that using the information from Klaus’ work, the American chestnut will have a higher degree of success as the seeds or seedlings are brought back to the South for planting.

Pollinating trees in the wild can be a difficult process, according to Martin Cipollini, the chapter’s breeding program coordinator.

“It relatively easy to collect the pollen from wild trees in Georgia and use it to pollinate hybrid trees in orchards. This ‘father tree’ approach is easier than trying to pollinate flowers on wild trees that are often in rather inaccessible locations on steep slopes,” Cipollini said.

“In the past 25 years, The American Chestnut Foundation has made considerable progress toward breeding blight-resistant trees. But, its ultimate goal of reintroducing these trees to the wild in large numbers requires knowledge of proper habitat requirements and planting techniques.”

The American Chestnut Foundation, working with its state chapters, has created hundreds of lines of trees that are well advanced through the backcross-breeding process. In the next few years, thousands of “final” generation nuts will be ready for testing in the wild.

So far, the Georgia chapter has created three lines using surviving Georgia trees as “fathers.” These lines are in orchard test sites. This past summer, the chapter produced four more lines using Georgia trees. These will go into test orchards next spring. The chapter wants to produce at least 20 lines using different Georgia chestnuts and including genetic diversity from throughout the tree’s historical range in the state.

But the question remains, just where is that range?

“Where do they belong and where will they thrive today? What was their true historical range? Did they grow near creeks or up on ridges, and if so, in what type of soils? These are answers we need before we begin to restore this species,” said Klaus, a senior wildlife biologist with the DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division.

Klaus is using property line records from the early 1800s to develop mathematical models that look at factors such as slope, soil composition, landforms, geology and aspect and elevation. An accurate description of the tree’s native range is needed as most institutional knowledge has been gone for several generations and the anecdotal knowledge available is not always accurate or reliable. The hope is that these new models can be applied to modern maps to show the actual historic range for the trees.

For instance, Klaus says chestnuts were not everywhere in the mountains, although anecdotally it has been suggested the trees were dominant in the Blue Ridge. An elevation map will show where best to plant the trees since they have different relationships to elevation depending on the region.

“There was definitely a well-defined niche in the world for these trees,” Klaus said. “The tree’s range extended well down into the Coastal Pain. Many people do not realize that the trees were in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions of Georgia.”

Hybrid trees for blight resistance testing are being planted in orchard sites around the state, including Berry College and the Georgia Mountain Research & Education Center, operated by the University of Georgia.

Georgians can help conserve rare plants such as the American chestnut as well as animals not legally hunted, fished for or trapped and their habitats, through buying wildlife license plates featuring a bald eagle or a ruby-throated hummingbird. They can also donate to the Give Wildlife a Chance state income tax checkoff. Both programs are vital to the Nongame Conservation Section, which receives no state funds.

Visit www.georgiawildlife.com for more information, or call Nongame Conservation offices in Social Circle (770-761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-1438) or Brunswick (912-264-7218).

To find out more about the Georgia chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation, visit www.gatacf.org
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Keep Georgia Beautiful: Bring One for the Chipper

Bring One for the Chipper is Georgia's annual Christmas tree recycling program. Each year, Keep Georgia Beautiful works with private sponsors to organize the recycling event. In the past, these statewide sponsors have included The Home Depot, The Davey Tree Expert Company and WXIA-TV. Numerous local sponsors and volunteers also make contributions and provide in-kind services across the state.

The Chipper program involves hundreds of Georgia communities and thousands of volunteers. Since its inception, the program has recycled over 4.8 million Christmas trees. The mulch from these trees has been used for playgrounds, local government beautification projects, and individual yards. You can support the Chipper program by bringing your cut Christmas tree to a designated drop off site or volunteering with your local coordinator to collect trees.

To find out where you can take your tree or volunteer to collect trees click here .

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Georgia Tech Named Tree Campus USA

Georgia Tech’s commitment to environmental best practices received a boost as the Institute was recognized for its planting and managing of campus trees.

The Arbor Day Foundation designated Tech a Tree Campus USA on Nov. 18. Tech is the 10th institution awarded this distinction for best practices in campus forestry, and is the first in the state of Georgia.

Hyacinth Ide, landscape manager with Facilities, received the award Nov. 18 in Atlanta at the Partners in Community Forestry Conference. Ide’s staff works to not only maintain and replace, but also increase the roughly 6,000 trees across Tech’s campus.

The criteria requires five core standards for institutions seeking award consideration: a campus tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures on the plan, involvement in an Arbor Day observance and institution of a service-learning project to engage students.

To achieve the goals set in the 2006 Campus Landscape Master Plan, Facilities established the Institute’s Campus Tree Care Plan in September. These goals include a 55 percent tree canopy, 22 percent woodlands coverage area, managing the impact of development and construction on campus trees, and ensuring proper removal and adequate replacement of trees.

“The reason our [designation] went so fast is that we were already doing most of this,” Ide said. He applied for the designation in October.

The committee membership overseeing this plan is comprised of students, area neighborhood representatives and members across several Institute departments—Facilities, Housing, Capital Planning and Space Management, Parking and Transportation, the Center for Geographical Information Systems and the School of Biology.

Tech must reapply annually to retain the Tree Campus USA designation.

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American Express Announces Atlanta, The City of Trees, to Receive $300,000 Worth of Green for Participation in Root for Our City Challenge

-(BUSINESS WIRE)--American Express announced today that it is giving the City of Atlanta $300,000 for tree-planting projects as part of the American Express Root for Our City Challenge, an initiative designed to help make eight U.S. cities cleaner, greener and more beautiful. The “City of Trees” will receive funding for tree planting programs led by Trees Atlanta, which will support the planting of 300 trees and their maintenance in residential neighborhoods and retail districts throughout the city.

Through the Root For Our City Challenge, American Express has committed $1 million toward tree planting projects for further expansion of the nation’s urban tree canopies, with Atlanta securing the largest portion of the $1 million. The additional participating cities, which included Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Washington DC, will each receive $100,000 for tree planting projects in those cities that will be spearheaded by local environmentally-focused organizations.

“Trees play an important role in our local communities, from cutting carbon emissions and spurring economic development to making an area look beautiful,” said Kathy King, vice president of marketplace development, American Express Merchant Services. “While we congratulate the Atlanta community for their strong participation in the Root For Our City Challenge, we thank all of the eight participating cities, merchants and the local communities for rising to the challenge and working to green their cities.”

The final Root For Our City ranking is as follows:
1. Atlanta
2. Los Angeles
3. San Francisco
4. Miami
5. Chicago
6. Washington, DC
7. New York
8. Boston
“Trees Atlanta is absolutely bursting with this amazing news!” said Marcia Bansley, Executive Director of Trees Atlanta. “This contribution will enable us to demonstrate to the community that life can truly be more rewarding with trees – cleaner air and water, cooler temperatures, lower energy costs…the list goes on.”

“This is such an honor for Atlanta,” said Mayor Shirley Franklin. “This gift from American Express will have a tremendous impact on our city and will allow us to continue to be known as the City of Trees.”

The Root for Our City Challenge is part of American Express’s commitment to community improvement and the environment. From September 22 through October 31, 2008, American Express Cardmembers were able to vote for their city through every purchase made at a participating merchant. Cardmembers were also able to visit the rootforourcity.com website to locate merchants and learn more about the benefits of trees in an urban environment.

Project plans for the eight participating cities range from replacing storm-damaged and aging trees, to the planting of hundreds of native trees that would significantly increase the tree canopy in urban areas.

For more information about the American Express Root For Our City Challenge, visit http://www.rootforourcity.com.

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Trees Fall Victim to Georgia's Drought

An increasing number of trees are falling victim to Georgia’s ongoing drought, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission. “The lack of rainfall is impacting shade trees and has also caused a decrease in timber production for the past growing season,” said James Johnson, GFC Staff Forester. “Both pine trees and hardwoods are dying, but species within the red oak group in urban areas are prompting the most attention. Homeowners should be taking preventive measures now,” he said, “because by the time obvious symptoms appear, it may be too late.”

Johnson said large trees require several hundred gallons of water each day to stay healthy, but any supplemental water applied will be beneficial. Trees should be watered thoroughly underneath their “drip line,” the area beneath the canopy where rainfall drips to the ground from the tree’s foliage and where “feeder roots” transport moisture to the trunk.

“Certain types of “gray water” can be used to sustain your trees,” explained Johnson. “Water from dish or clothes washing can be used without fear because they are diluted solutions that won’t harm the tree.”

Johnson said drought-stressed trees should not be fertilized because that can spur branch growth and put further strain on the tree’s limited water supply. One thorough watering each week is more effective than several light waterings, according to Johnson. “Trees suffering from the drought are also more susceptible to diseases and insects,” Johnson said, “so check them regularly to prevent damage.” Johnson recommended mulching to help hold moisture in the soil, which is especially beneficial for shallow-rooted species such as dogwood. As cooler weather approaches, trees will require less moisture and supplemental water isn’t necessary, according to Johnson.

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Forest Biotechnology Expert Comes to UGA, Tsai Working to Expand Tree Biofuel Technology

The University of Georgia’s bioenergy initiative has received a boost with the successful recruitment of forestry scientist Chung-Jui Tsai, who joins the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources as the latest Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar.

Tsai now holds the Winfred N. “Hank” Haynes Professorship in forest biotechnology. Her research will emphasize creating high-energy yielding trees for use in biofuel, she said, hopefully leading the industry toward using trees as a power source instead of ethanol from food crops.

“Biofuel will be a wonderful opportunity to revitalize the forest industry,” Tsai said, explaining that grain ethanol has had a detrimental impact on other consumer goods. “Food prices have gone crazy because of the grain ethanol—food prices and animal feed.”

A native of Taiwan, Tsai has a Ph.D. in forest science from Michigan Technological University, where she also taught for 11 years in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences. She was the director of the interdisciplinary Biotechnology Research Center at MTU from 2002 to 2007.

Tsai has published dozens of peer-reviewed articles and holds five patents that involve methods for modifying lignin, the key component that acts as glue in trees but also hinders efforts to extract the much-desired cellulose, which is vital to biofuel production.

Jeff Dean, a Warnell professor of forest biotechnology, noted that Tsai has established a respected program for the study of metabolic pathways leading to lignin and other phenolic compounds in woody plants.

“These molecules greatly impact our ability to efficiently utilize plant materials for the production of biomaterials and bioenergy,” Dean said. “Dr. Tsai’s expertise in this area is highly complementary to existing research programs in several departments and schools across the campus, and her addition to the faculty should serve to catalyze significant innovation as Georgia strives to become a leader in the field of biomass utilization.”

David Lee, vice president for research at UGA, and Michael Cassidy, president of the Georgia Research Alliance, believe that Tsai will strengthen Georgia’s emerging biofuels economy.

“Dr. Tsai’s recruitment strengthens an important dimension of our bioenergy initiative,” Lee said. “UGA is well positioned to discover sustainable and efficient approaches to biofuels production, and C.J. will be an important part of our team. Also, she has a history of making the latest biotechnology advances available to colleagues. We expect she will play a similar role at UGA.”

“Dr. Tsai’s expertise in developing trees as the feedstock for biofuels has enormous potential for making Georgia a leader in this critical area,” Cassidy said. “Her insight as a scientist and her commitment to advancing the state’s vital forestry industry exemplify what we seek in a GRA Eminent Scholar.”

Tsai’s research will not stop at biofuel. She said her interests expand into other tree studies, such as how they defend themselves by using chemical compounds to ward off bugs and grazing animals. Determining how that works, she said, could lead to the creation of “smarter trees, which have great ecological implications because they interact with so many organisms.”

As part of its mission to leverage university research for economic development purposes, GRA provides the universities with funds to help recruit scientists, known as Eminent Scholars, whose research can yield economic benefit to the state. Tsai is UGA’s 16th Eminent Scholar.

Sandi Martin

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Memorial Tree-Planting Honors Fallen 3rd Infantry Division Troops

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Deborah Mullen and Army Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch, commanding general, 3rd Infantry Division, visit Warriors Walk, a memorial grove on Fort Stewart, Ga., June 11, 2008. The garden memorializes 3rd ID soldiers killed in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

Three additional trees were planted here today (June 11, 2008) along Warriors Walk, bringing to 411 the number of Eastern redbud trees in the memorial honoring fallen 3rd Infantry Division soldiers who died in Iraq.

Family members and fellow 3rd Infantry Division soldiers gathered for the somber ceremony as Army Command Sgt. Maj. McArthur Dixon, the rear detachment command sergeant major, called out the fallen soldiers' names. Army Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch, the 3rd Infantry Division commander, remembered the soldiers as heroes who sacrificed for the country.

Army Pvt. Kyle P. Norris, 22, died May 23 after an improvised explosive device hit his vehicle as it patrolled in Balad. Two of the soldiers died in Iraq of noncombat injuries: 25-year-old Army Pvt. Ronald Harrison died April 22 at Forward Operating Base Falcon, and Army Spc. Mary J. Jaenichen, 20, on May 9 in Iskandariyah.

The simple tree-planting ceremony took place along Cottrell Field, a parade ground that was a site of celebration recently when 3rd Infantry Division soldiers returned from their third deployment to Iraq.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrapped up a visit here yesterday strolling through the grove alongside Lynch. They walked slowly through the grounds, pausing frequently to reflect on the small granite markers at each tree bearing a soldier's name. U.S. and unit flags at the base of each tree blew in the wind, and wind chimes dangling from many of the branches sent soft tinkling sounds through the grounds.

Mementos left at each tree told the personal stories of the soldiers honored. Two miniature motorcycles and a golf ball rested under the tree for Army Staff Sgt. William J. Beardsley, who died in February 2007 when an IED detonated near his vehicle in Diwaniyah.

Two wind chimes, a pinwheel and a flower arrangement graced the tree honoring Army Spc. Adam Harting, a 21-year-old who died in Samarra in July 2005.

A plaque engraved with a photo of Army Sgt. Nathan Bouchard carried a message of inspiration: "Greater love hath no man than that a man lay down his life for his friends. RECON." Bouchard was among four 3rd Infantry Division soldiers killed Aug. 18, 2005, when an IED detonated near their Humvee following a mine-assessing mission in Samarra.

Other tokens rested at the bases of other trees: a pack of cigarettes, a bottle of beer, a religious plaque and a crystal angel among them. Each night, a miniature spotlight casts a glow on each tree.

After walking through Warriors Walk yesterday, Mullen stopped to reflect, crossing his arms across his chest as he looked down the long rows that began with 34 trees planted during the 2003 dedication ceremony.

Garrison Commander Army Col. Todd Buchs said it's fitting that the division's heroes are honored in a way that will allow future generations to read their names and know of the sacrifices they made.

When the trees bloom each April, it's a tribute to the achievements the brigade made – and losses it suffered -- in April 2003 when it led the drive into Baghdad during its first deployment to Iraq, he said.

Army 1st Lt. Oscar Blasingame, whose legal services office sits directly across the street from Warriors Walk, said he visits it frequently and attends the tree-planting ceremonies "to remind myself of why I'm here."

Blasingame is an Army reservie soldier from Florida who volunteered to serve with the 3rd Infantry Division because of his strong family ties to the storied unit. Sitting on his desk is a photo of his grandfather and the victory medal he earned serving with the division in Marne, France, during World War I when it earned the motto, "Rock of the Marne."

Warriors Walk, he said, provides a reminder of the sacrifices 3rd Division soldiers continue to make, he said.

Army Pvt. Jonathan Goad, who joined the division last month, visited Warriors Walk with a friend just back from Iraq during his first days at Fort Stewart. "He lost a couple of friends there, so it was a very emotional day," said Goad, who expects to deploy with his new unit late next year.

As he walked among the trees, Goad said, he felt a sense of brotherhood with the fallen soldiers, knowing that he is taking up the cause they fought and died for. "I felt a sense of pride and a sense of unity with them," he said.

Goad said he recognizes that he, too, will go into harm's way serving with the division. But after feeling the terrorist threat personally at a young age, he said, he feels it's his duty.

A last-minute schedule change saved Goad's mother from being at the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Okla., when it was bombed in April 2005. Goad remembers his sixth-grade class music trip into Oklahoma City getting disrupted as rescue workers rushed to the scene to search for survivors.

But the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks were the clincher, convincing Goad to join the military.

"I pretty much felt the call to serve," he said. "I've always felt that we should have a sense of pride and a willingness to make this country a better place and a safer place."

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service