"Large" Number of Oak Trees Dying Statewide

Officials at the Georgia Forestry Commission say three years of drought is killing many oak trees throughout the state.

There are no estimates on just how many trees are dying. But workers with the Georgia Forestry Commission are reporting many more oaks are dying than at any time in the past twenty years.

These workers say most of the tree deaths are due to the reduced rainfall. Chip Bates works for the Georgia Forestry Commission, and he says his agency is trying to sort out what this news means for the environment. In the meantime, he says it's important for the public to be aware of the problem because it impacts the health of forest and urban canopies.


"Some people would say who cares if the trees are dying...we don't want people to become passive or apathetic to the fact our trees are dying."

Dying trees also pose risks to structures and can lower property values.