Roy Matthews, Coweta County Arborist, recently completed an intensive Municipal Forester Management Training Institute developed by the Society of Municipal Arborists. This program included training in leadership, ecosystem, technical aspects, conflict resolution and community group collaboration. Training began with weekly online assignments and concluded with 55 hours of workshops in San Antonio, Texas.

Matthews joined 80 municipal arborists and foresters from across North America in completing this training and receiving the municipal arborist certification.

“This training focused on the “people” aspect of managing our natural resources and the urban forest. Building awareness and creating advocates for our communities and our trees will help us meet the challenges of maintaining a healthy urban forest for years and generations to come,” said Matthews.

Matthews was hired as Coweta County’s first arborist as a result of the development of the recent Coweta County land use plan and tree ordinance. His position is in the Planning and Zoning Department, is funded by development permits and he works to insure that all new developments have sufficient and appropriate trees.

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