When Coweta County added an “Arborist” position, many citizens and developers didn’t know exactly what that meant or how it might affect the county. In short, the job is the first line of defense in making sure that, no matter how fast we develop or how quickly landowners move to improve or subdivide their property, Coweta stays as “green” as possible. The official role of the Arborist is to enforce the new Tree Preservation Ordinance which was developed to benefit the environment and aesthetic quality of Coweta County.

“We knew that, as Coweta continued to develop, trees and rural character would be one of the first things to take a hit. That’s why the arborist was an important part of the whole effort behind the new land use plan and the future development map for the county,” said Tim Higgins, Chairman, Coweta County Commission.

Roy Matthews is the person selected to fill the role. Matthews is a native of Sandusky, Ohio, where he began his career in arboriculture in 1983. He attended Bowling Green State University and Hocking Technical College. He was the City Forester for the City of Sandusky, Ohio; a tree maintenance supervisor for the City of Savannah, Georgia; a Superintendent of Parks and Grounds for the City of Beaufort, South Carolina; Grounds Supervisor for the City of College Park, Georgia; and Superintendent of Grounds to Fort McPherson/Fort Gillem. He is also an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist.

Matthews brings extensive experience to the arborist position. “It’s exciting to be able to ‘set the standard’ for this job,” said Matthews. “One of my first goals is to diversity the plant genus in Coweta. This will help prevent or limit the impact of an epidemic on our specimen plants.”

Matthews is also working to build a relationship with local developers by providing tree and plant recommendations and has developed a list of preferred trees to help with plant diversity. He is planning workshops that will further educate on plant preservation and installation.

The purpose of the position and the Tree Preservation Ordinance is to preserve the County’s natural resources and grow in way that will provide a healthy environment for Coweta’s future. Trees are a vital part of that environment. The Tree Preservation Ordinance provides standards for the preservation of trees as part of the land development process, it prevents massive grading of land (developed and underdeveloped) without a provision for replacement of trees; and it protects trees during the construction process whenever possible. It does not, however, include addressing individual tree concerns at private residences.

Some of the effects and benefits of this ordinance: provide visual buffering and enhance beautification of the county; protect the unique identity of Coweta by promoting native plants; reduce some air pollutants and interception of airborne particulate matter; and protect stands of “specimen trees.”

Matthews will monitor tree preservation before and after new development on commercial and residential construction sites. He will also review all landscape and tree preservation site plans to ensure proper plant selection and installation. Developers in Coweta are required to identify and locate all specimen trees on any of their sites in order for the arborist to determine sufficient replacement units.

“We are very pleased to have Roy join the Planning and Zoning team. His role is vital in addressing arboricultural concerns in county developments. Having him will allow our Development Review division to be more efficient at the pre-submittal and final plan review stages,” said Robert Tolleson, Planning and Zoning Director. “Roy brings a strong background and knowledge of how an arborist can benefit a community. We are looking forward to his input on county developments and projects.

login to post comments