Friends of Mobile Trees preserves, promotes and celebrates our world class trees.
NOW is the time to PLANT for the future, so Mobile will continue to FLOURISH
The City and County of Mobile, Alabama are blessed with some of the world’s most beautiful trees. They clean the air we breathe, shade us from harmful sun rays, cool us in hot weather and enhance our lives in many other ways. They also attract tourists to grow our economy.
Friends of Mobile Trees is dedicated to preserving and restoring our urban forest, inviting community participation and partnerships. As a 501c3 Corporation, all contributions and donations to our efforts are tax deductible.
We Need Your Help
to restore and protect
Mobile's Urban Forest
As an IRS-approved 501c3 Corporation, Friends of Mobile Trees depends on the support of businesses and individuals like you, in addition to public and private grants, to fulfill its mission. An initial $10,000 matching fund is in place to encourage your support and help us meet our goals.
Your Donation Allows Us To:
Nurture our existing trees
Collaborate with Mobile's arborists to plant new trees
Replace trees we are losing with species appropriate to their locations.
FOMT NEWS UPDATE
President's Note: With the significant changes underway for Mobile's Urban Forest, this is an excellent time for you, or someone you know, who is interested in our treescape's future to step forward to properly manage this website. Until then, FOMT will use this web site an additional "electronic bulletin board" to keep you informed about what is happening and, sadly, not happening at Government Plaza. Here you will see the latest tree-related news. You can also post your public comments on our Friends of Mobile Trees' Facebook page.
Greetings from Friends of Mobile Trees!
Big changes are coming soon for the Mobile Tree Commission although it would be difficult to see that from the Commissioners’ unposted agenda for yesterday’s monthly meeting. Aside from routine department reports and denial of two routine individual tree permits, nothing much happened. No trees are being planted despite FOMT’s continued offer to pay for all the trees for Phase 2 of the Airport Boulevard median project. They also held off on Councilor Ben Reynolds' request last month for another 10K for emergency watering of trees in Tillman's Corner that were planted too late in the season and were, according to the same Commissioners, too expensive for them to buy.
However, applications are now closed for Urban Forester Peter Toler’s vacant position so we will soon have his replacement named. Tree Commissioner Donavan Ballard is now doubling as the Commission's Urban Forestry rep and is the most likely choice to replace Mr. Toler. If that does happen, Mr. Ballard would likely need to resign his position on the Commission to avoid an obvious conflict of interest.
Also, elections of new board officers is set for next month so we will likely have a new Chair to replace long-time Chair Will Rooks. Treasurer Andrew Blejwas is the ranking member eligible to step up.
As for the Commissioners’ continued monthly failure since July, 2024 to post on their Buildmobile web page meeting announcements, agendas, minutes or even two-or-three-word action summaries, the Commissioners are now saying that is due to “computer” issues. They say they “may” opt to begin posting meeting announcements seven days in advance on the bulletin board across from the City side elevators at Government Plaza to, at least, technically comply with the Alabama Open Meetings Act.
As always, we’ll keep you posted on what happens or not happens for our beautiful trees.
For the FOMT Board
John Robb, President
FRIENDS OF MOBILE TREES™
Featured
TREE of the MONTH
September
2024
The Palmettos on
Royal Street
Celebrating the legacy of Jimmy Buffet this month brings to mind the palm tree and the spirit of the islands.
But many of the palm trees we enjoy today were planted to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914.
Realizing great potential for the port, a campaign was underway to imagine Mobile as the "Gateway to Panama."
View Tree of the Month Archives
HERE
Use our digital Mobile Tree Trail
to discover some of Mobile's most impressive trees
and check back often for newly curated selections
zoom in and click on any tree icon to learn more.
or select by location or variety
Crichton Leprechaun Tree
Boyington Oak, Bayou St.
Duffee Oak, Caroline St.
Red Maples, S. Claiborne St.
Bienville Square
British Park
Washington Square
choose varieties by color
Oak
Magnolia
Cypress
Sweet Gum
Pine
Oak Canopy, Michigan St.
Oak Canopy, Broad St.
Centenarian Oaks, Dauphin St.
Magnolia Cemetery
Sweet gum, Selma St.
Slash Pines, Dauphin St.
Cypress Grove, Spring Hill Ave.
Avenue of the Oaks, Old Shell Rd.
