Neighbors celebrate 300-year-old tree preservation
By Grace Rodriguez
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CHATHAM COUNTY, Georgia (WJCL) — Groups of people turned out Saturday for a picnic to honor a 300-year-old oak tree off Little Neck Road after county officials moved to protect the tree from a planned Georgia Power pole expansion.
An arborist with Chatham County designated the tree as “exceptional,” which protects it from damage or removal. The picnic served as a preview to a larger celebration planned for Monday, Feb. 16.
Allen Grizzard, whose family has owned the property where the tree sits for 98 years, shared his gratitude during the picnic.
“We are so happy for the thousands of people that supported us, shared love, and wanted to save our tree,” Grizzard said. “People have shown up even after the tree was saved, to have a picnic out here and enjoy the tree on Valentine’s Day.”
Supporters painted a sign reading “Respect your elders,” with the “T” in “respect” stylized as a tree, as people and pets filtered by to admire the tree.
“My great aunt was part of the original Savannah Historic Society. And at the time, they campaigned to save all of the live oaks that now make Savannah so famous,” Savannah resident William Verrilo said. “I thought it was really amazing what Chatham County and Savannah was able to get together in such a short time to come together and protect this tree and get it designated as a landmark.”
Word initially spread about the tree’s removal via social media. Pat Wilver, another Savannah resident, said his separate post on social media helped galvanize public outrage and support.
“I just took some video of the tree, put a song to it, and then we put it out, and I went crazy viral. People were really, really mad about what Georgia Power was doing, so they just kept sharing it and commenting and everything else,” Wilver said.
He said strangers reached out offering to help in small, meaningful ways.
“I probably had 50 different people, like, DM or comment, saying that they were ready to sit in this tree. Right. And they don’t know me. They don’t know the owners, right? They just want to do something good. So, like, we don’t have to know each other and, to want to do some good,” Wilver said.
Grizzard recalled childhood memories beneath the oak in the moments that they found out the tree was set for removal.
“I remember being 3 and 4 years old, and my cousin called me the other day, and she was just about crying because we played under that tree when we were 3 and 4 years old, and we still have those memories with our great-grandfather,” Grizzard said.
Grizzard said the tree cannot live forever, but he hopes it will now stand for another 300 years.
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