Savannah Tree Foundation plants 28 trees at new Red Cross facility

The foundation has planted over 6,000 trees across the city as part of its mission to expand Savannah's urban tree canopy.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The Savannah Tree Foundation, a local non-profit organization focused on urban forestry, planted 28 trees at the new Red Cross Operations Center in Savannah as part of a partnership with the facility. The foundation has planted over 6,000 trees across the city since launching in the late 1980s, with the goal of protecting, preserving, and growing Savannah's urban tree canopy.

Why it matters

The Savannah Tree Foundation's tree planting efforts serve multiple environmental purposes, including cleaning the air, reducing temperatures, and helping with storm mitigation and flood control - important considerations for a coastal community like Savannah. The foundation's partnerships with private landowners help expand the city's green spaces and tree coverage.

The details

The foundation maintains a community nursery with over 4,000 trees, mostly native species at various stages of early growth. For the Red Cross facility planting, foundation staff were joined by community volunteers to add trees to the 'pretty blank slate' around the new building. The foundation hosts tree planting events throughout the year that are open to volunteers.

  • The Savannah Tree Foundation launched in the late 1980s.
  • The foundation will give away 500 trees at the Botanical Gardens on March 21, 2026.

The players

Savannah Tree Foundation

A local non-profit organization focused on urban forestry and expanding Savannah's urban tree canopy.

Jackson Alexander

The executive director of the Savannah Tree Foundation.

Benjamin Sasse

A community volunteer who participated in the tree planting at the Red Cross facility.

Michael McGee

A local community member and volunteer who participated in the tree planting, driven by his passion for conservation and giving back to Savannah.

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What they’re saying

“Our mission really is to protect, and preserve, and grow Savannah's urban tree canopy.”

— Jackson Alexander, Executive Director, Savannah Tree Foundation (wtoc.com)

“I love planting trees. It's such a beautiful thing to be able to do, I think it is a very meaningful process. I think it's something we should all do more of, planting trees.”

— Benjamin Sasse, Community Volunteer (wtoc.com)

“Conservation is very important to me, I absolutely love this community, I'm a local, anything I can do to give back and make Savannah a better place I absolutely want to do it.”

— Michael McGee, Community Volunteer (wtoc.com)

What’s next

The Savannah Tree Foundation will give away 500 trees at the Botanical Gardens on March 21, 2026.

The takeaway

The Savannah Tree Foundation's ongoing efforts to plant trees across the city, in partnership with private landowners and community volunteers, demonstrate the organization's commitment to expanding Savannah's urban tree canopy and addressing important environmental challenges facing the coastal community.