TNC in Georgia, City of Brunswick and Partners Plan Resilient Future with First-of-Its-Kind Tree Plan
Brunswick, Georgia adopts tree resiliency plan that supports community well-being and coastal resilience.
Media Contacts
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Jeremiah Olney
Marketing and Communications Manager
The Nature Conservancy
Phone: 404-788-2730
Email: jeremiah.olney@tnc.org
After over a year of planning, community engagement, and research, the Brunswick City Council voted unanimously to adopt a first-of-its-kind Tree Resiliency Plan at their meeting on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.
“This plan reflects our urgent need to make Brunswick more resilient against a changing climate,” said Ashby Nix Worley, the Coastal Climate Adaptation Director for The Nature Conservancy in Georgia and vice chair of the Brunswick Tree Board.
“At the same time, protecting and expanding our tree canopy ensures residents and visitors can breathe clean air, enjoy shaded streets, and live within the beauty of the urban forest that drew so many of us to this community. We thank the City of Brunswick for their vision and our many partners who made this achievement possible.”
Benefits of Brunswick's Tree Canopy
Trees improve air quality, public health and economic value by:
- Removing harmful pollutants and particulates from the air
- Buffering storm and flooding runoff
- Increasing property values
- Cooling the city
- Improving walkability
Tree canopy cover is declining across much of the United States due to land conversion for unsustainable development, more frequent extreme heat and flooding events, storm damage, pests and disease, and lack of tree replacement as older trees die. It is expected that by 2070, over 75 acres of the City’s tree canopy will be underwater, and 23 acres will be at high risk of heat stress.
“The approval of the Tree Resiliency Plan by the City Commission marks the culmination of more than a year's work by the tree board,” stated Jill Wright, chair of the City’s tree board.
“We are excited to implement strategies that will help us continue our goals as a Tree City USA and beyond. We look to drill deeper into individual neighborhoods to help bring about equity by addressing climate change, maintaining our tree canopy, and working with community partners to enhance the city's beauty.”
The Brunswick Tree Board led the process with the Green Infrastructure Center Inc. (GIC) developing the full plan with input from city staff, state agencies, academic institutions, and local community partners. Funding for the plan was provided by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the Georgia Forestry Commission.
Map of the existing and potential tree canopy coverage in Brunswick GA. Green represents current tree coverage and yellow represents potential planting areas.
The urban forest is a critical asset for healthy, resilient, and sustainable cities.
The Tree Resiliency Plan is a living document that is intended to be integrated into ongoing staff work plans, annual budgets, grant proposals and partnerships with outside agencies. To meet the city’s goal of maintaining 30% tree canopy coverage city-wide with the potential for incremental increases over time, the plan recommends the following objectives:
Establish a moratorium on planting palm trees in rights-of-way and in parks.
Plant trees at public housing sites in partnership with the Brunswick Housing Authority.
Prioritize lower-income neighborhoods for tree plantings or tree giveaways during Arbor Day or Earth Day celebrations.
Continue to hold Arbor Day celebrations, ensuring engagement and building momentum through these public outreach events.
Create an implementation committee or Tree Board that meets at least quarterly to document the tree plan’s progress and adapt its strategies as needed.
Download the Plan
The Tree Resiliency Plan authored by Green Infrastructure Center Inc. (GIC) and orchestrated by the Brunswick Tree Board.
A thick branch of a live oak is blanketed in bright green resurrection fern. Gray Spanish moss drapes off the above branches.
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 83 countries and territories (39 by direct conservation impact and 44 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit nature.org or follow @nature_press on X.