The Athens Shade Tree Commission reviewed evidence of drought stress on several street trees, discussed interim watering and mulching strategies and considered using the commission’s tree bank to replace long-dead specimens.

Gene, speaking as a commission arborist member, described dieback and wilting on oak trees by the library and elsewhere, attributing much of the damage to multi-year drought conditions. He recommended installing mulch beds and targeted watering. He said contractor crews or library grounds staff could assist with mulching but noted there are contractors in town who could be hired for the task.

Commissioners discussed watering options that reduce staff hours, including gator bags and a porous ‘tree diaper’ product that retains moisture and slowly releases it to the soil; Gene said tree diapers have lasted about three to five years in his experience. They also discussed the city’s watering truck, which currently supports flower baskets but is not sized for regular tree watering. Commissioners recommended deploying moisture-retention products on high-risk young trees during drought to avoid repeated labor-intensive water deliveries.

The commission also proposed using previously banked trees (referred to as Menards banked trees) to replace a dead Linden on Court Street and other high-visibility spots. Members discussed species selection for replacements and the possibility of coordinating volunteer planting events in the fall to reduce costs.

Commissioners asked staff to raise watering and mulching resource needs with city administration and to explore coordination with public works and parks maintenance for routine watering, training, and potential volunteer support.