Environment
Climate change at center of new tree plan in Brunswick, Ga.November 14, 2025
By David Pendered
Nov. 17 – Climate change is at the center of the Tree Resiliency Plan enacted Oct. 1 by the coastal city of Brunswick, Ga.
“Climate change is the main driver for many of the threats to Brunswick’s urban forest,” is the first sentence in the plan’s section titled, “Assessing Threats to Brunswick’s Tree Canopy.” Four threats identified in the plan are sea level rise, storm surge, inland flooding and heat stress.
Funding for the project was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Forestry Commission. The Brunswick Tree Board led the process with the Green Infrastructure Center, Inc., a Virginia-based entity that helps governments devise and implement plans for interconnected natural areas. Partners included city staff, state agencies, academic institutions and area residents.
The plan expands on the city’s 2020 tree ordinance, which codified standards to protect the urban forest. The new policy supports economic development goals cited in Brunswick’s Comprehensive Plan, updated in 2023, and cites assets including the state port and medical center, and challenges including a shortage of working-age people, defined in the report as 25 years to 54 years old.
Brunswick’s tree canopy adds to the city’s quality of life, according to the plan. Three specific benefits of the tree canopy include improved air quality, a counter to urban heating and increased stormwater uptake.
Jill Wright, chair of the City’s tree board, said in a statement the newly enacted plan is the latest step in Brunswick’s efforts to implement the tree-friendly policies of Tree City USA, an organization Brunswick joined 24 years ago. “We will 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,” Wright said.
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