Here on the Southside of Savannah, residents value their trees!
Mature tree canopies offer shade from the searing Savannah sun and a haven for our birds and other wildlife. And beauty. Of course, the beauty.

As the city expanded through the 1960s and 1970s, the frenzy to expand commercial opportunities traveled the natural progression South from downtown, and sometimes without a very forward-looking plan. Rural farms and beautiful neighborhood forests disappeared on the Southside of Savannah rapidly as they did in other cities across the country.

Recently people in Savannah and Chatham County have awakened to the progressive idea that development can occur in a very GREEN way.

It is rumored that a growing band of citizens is preparing to lobby WalMart to live up to its published Sustainability Goals right here on the Southside. To announce plans for a generous replacement of trees over and above the City of Savannah's existing Tree Ordinance. Maybe even to announce plans to go Solar there, too!!

Sadly, the site for the new Walmart at Wilshire Blvd and Abercorn Ext. has already been cleared of its majestic tulip poplars, white oaks, and other mature trees. It is the hope of Savannah residents that WalMart will step up to the plate to replant trees which will eventually recover this great loss. Surely, WalMart has an opportunity here to display its responsible global citizenship, and you know what? If WalMart does this, more of us might shop there.

Stay hopeful, Southside Savannah! We love your trees! We can GROW GREEN!