Trees Atlanta > Our Programs > Youth Education
Youth Education

Teaching our youth to be good stewards

One of the primary objectives of Trees Atlanta is the education of the community on the value and importance of trees. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to introduce programs to our youth so that they may adopt an early appreciation for their natural surroundings. Trees Atlanta offers several programs tailored to various age groups, and all designed to foster a better understanding of, and respect for, our urban forest.

ARTSCAPES: Creative Environmental Learning (Grades K-12)

Artscapes is an environmentally focused project that combines art with a hands-on activity to give students a new perspective on our natural world.

Artscapes builds a connection between art and science by fostering creative, hands-on, student focused learning for each participant. Students will have the chance to work with elements of drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, clay, and recycled materials to express and illustrate environmental topics. These projects give the students an art experience that will further their environmental education as well as help students gain a new perspective on our natural world. This unique perspective encourages direct interaction, respect, and individual reflection that can enrich each student’s experience with nature.

BIRDS, BUTTERFLIES, & BEES: A Pollinator Garden Project (Grade 6-12)

The creation of a Pollinator Garden will be a growing asset for your school, thriving and maturing along with the students for years to come.


During the first year students learn how to prepare and install a native plant garden including:

  • Measuring the garden area
  • Soil testing
  • Researching and selecting the proper plants
  • Garden layout
  • Clearing the area and amending the soil
  • Preparing for and preventing erosion
  • Planting and maintenance

Students are guided through the garden project planning steps by participating in workdays and Artscapes, writing grants, and having plant sales. This is a student-designed garden, and the students will be making native plant selections as well as making decisions for their garden that they will then implement. Throughout the project, instructors will facilitate discussions on native plants, seasonal changes, pollinator and wildlife implications, environmental impact, and stewardship.

Following years will have projects focused on caring for and further developing the garden through:

  • Pruning
  • Seed Collection
  • Pollinator Tracking
  • Garden Signage
  • Birding

Your Pollinator Garden will be an environmental showcase for your school and community.

URBAN TREE TRACKERS: Connecting schools to the Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum (Grade 3-12)

This program will bring the Atlanta BeltLine to schools, with education about Atlanta’s urban forests,  pollinators, community connections, environmental stewardship, and the Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum. We also provide hands-on outdoor experiences including plantings and student designed pollinator garden projects.

Here’s what teachers and students had to say about their experience with Urban Tree Trackers:
  • It was really fun. Thanks for getting them to come.  –Jack G.
  • I found it very fun. . . I liked doing the paintings. – Katy R.
  • I liked when we played ‘kids arboretum’. – Max L.
  • It was really cool and I like the part where we played pollinator freeze tag. – Zane M.
  • Trees Atlanta’s Artscapes have been a perfect fit with in our curriculum. The environmental educators are excellent at interacting and connecting with my students. The students have enjoyed the outdoor learning activities and love creating art. They are already excited for Trees Atlanta’s next visit. Thanks Trees Atlanta! –Beth Rosenbleeth, Teacher Mary Lin Elementary

Trees Atlanta’s Environmental Educators will come to your school 6-8 times over the school year to do 60-90 minute Artscapes (an environmentally focused project that combines art with a hands-on activity to give students a new perspective on our natural world) or 2-hour workdays. The curriculum is built around the specific grade level’s Georgia Performance Standards.

3rd Grade: Introduction to the Atlanta BeltLine, Trees Atlanta, and our Urban Forest

Grade 3; Habitat Artscape; Partner presentation (for example, Chattahoochee Nature Center, Zoo Atlanta, Clean Air Campaign); Pollution-Conservation Artscape; Collaborative Event with other local Urban Tree Tracker schools, Outdoor Planting with Trees Atlanta

4th grade: Introduction to the Atlanta BeltLine, Trees Atlanta and our Urban Forest

Grade 4; Food Web Artscape; Partner presentation (for example Audubon, GA organics, US Forest Service, SE Hort. Society, Alliance for Climate EDU); Weather Artscape; Collaborative Event with other local Urban Tree Tracker schools; Plant-Tree Sale; Outdoor Planting with Trees Atlanta.

7th Grade: Introduction to the Atlanta BeltLine, Trees Atlanta and our Urban Forest

Grade 7; Flyways Artscape; Partner presentation (for example Tree Climbers, Arborist, Birds of Prey, NWF, Green and Healthy Schools); Tree Measuring Artscape; Collaborative Event with other local Urban Tree Tracker schools; Plant-Tree Sale; Outdoor Planting with Trees Atlanta OR Pollinator Garden Project (see below)

High School: Introduction to the Atlanta BeltLine, Trees Atlanta and our Urban Forest

High School; Artscape*; Partner presentation (for example, Keep Atlanta Beautiful, Atlanta Beltline Inc/Partnership, Southface); Artscape*; Collaborative Event with other local Urban Tree Tracker schools; Plant-Tree Sale; Outdoor Planting with Trees Atlanta OR Pollinator Garden Project 

*High school student will select an environmental education project to focus on and the Artscapes will be geared towards helping reach project goals.

Note: Urban Tree Tracker works with the grade levels whose curriculum fits best with our environmental programming. 5th, 6th, and 8th grades are less focused on the Earth and Life Sciences, which are our main programming pieces.