Jessie McClellan is passionate about caring for and protecting trees. McClellan is an International Society of Arboriculture-certified arborist who serves as the executive director of the Georgia Arborist Association. The nonprofit organization supports arborists and homeowners throughout the state by providing resources such as training, community outreach, and more.
“ We provide continuing education opportunities, networking opportunities, the ability to create a community of arborists so that we can learn from each other,” explained McClellan. “And then we’re also a resource for homeowners. So, if a homeowner is looking for an arborist in their area, whether they’re in South Georgia or North Georgia or Atlanta, wherever they may be, they can reach out to us and find an arborist in their area, a professional who understands trees and is dedicated to the care of trees.”
As a guest on “Closer Look,” McClellan visited WABE on Tuesday to examine the health of two trees located on the radio station’s property.
“ We’re standing here in a parking lot, and this tree likely died because of several different reasons,” she explained to program host Rose Scott. “One is, it likely was not planted properly in the first place. What I’m observing about this tree is that it has what’s called girdling roots. So, there’s roots that are very exposed that you can see are circling around the tree, which is constricting the tree and not allowing it to get the available resources in the environment.”
McClellan said there’s a lot you can see by simply looking at a tree — but there’s also a lot you cannot see. She talked with Scott about how to identify and prevent risks from dead, decaying, or diseased trees and GAA’s Tree Removal Assistance Program, an initiative created to help Georgia homeowners remove trees that pose a threat to their home or property.
