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Preserving, planting and learning about trees in Huntsville

Published on January 30, 2025

Green Team is making plans to grow Huntsville’s tree canopy and even took steps recently to relocate trees for preservation.

The City recently removed four trees in Big Spring Park East adjacent to the former City Hall building. The former City Hall building is in the process of being dismantled and the site will be added into Big Spring Park East.

bare tree in park with blue sky and houses in background
The City relocated this crapemyrtle, along with two others, to Rose Park from Big Spring Park East.

Under the guidance of the Landscape Management department, the City moved a basswood tree from near the former City Hall across Church Street and replanted it in Big Spring Park West near the Huntsville Museum of Art.

Three crapemyrtle trees were transplanted to Rose Park off 9th Avenue in the Westlawn community.

“We are grateful that we were able to preserve these trees and place them in locations where they will flourish,” City Arborist Marc Byers said. “The trees were located in such a way that we could bring our equipment in to safely remove them from the ground.”

Planting more trees

Green Team is also in the process of planning more tree planting to further grow the City’s tree canopy. Council Members Bill Kling, David Little and Jennie Robinson made donations from their Council Improvement Funds money to help pay for the tree plantings that will take place in their districts.

A lot goes into the planning process. Once the decision is made to have a tree planting, the type of trees to be planted must be determined. Then there is the matter of ordering and delivery of the trees. And finally, finding spots to plant the trees.

“We’re planning another surge on planting for the next month or two,” Byers said. “Identifying places that need trees is the hard part.”

Green Team is placing an emphasis on planting native trees because they are better long-term trees and more viable.

Learn about trees

What pests threaten your trees? What’s the best way to prune a tree? These questions and more will be discussed at a weekly education discussion series about tree care for homeowners. The meeting, led by the Huntsville Tree Commission, take place each Sunday from 2-3 p.m. at the downtown branch of the Huntsville-Madison County Library, 915 Monroe St.

“This is a great educational series that will include about 40-45 minutes of presentation each week, followed by 15-20 minutes of Q&A,” Byers said. “It’s an opportunity for homeowners to learn more about some of the best resources on their property.”

Highlights from the series will also be included on Green Team social media pages. A public display is available at the library.