ATHENS, Ga. – Two years after Hurricane Helene devastated the Augusta area and stripped thousands of trees from yards, streets and parks, residents now have a new resource to help restore the region’s tree canopy.
The Grow Back Project, a collaboration between the University of Georgia, the Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area and regional partners, has launched an interactive website that provides residents with tree recommendations and planting guidance specific to their zip code, according to a news release from the University of Georgia.
Hurricane Helene struck the region as a Category 4 storm on Sept. 27, 2024, devastating the area’s urban and residential tree canopy. According to the Georgia Forestry Commission, more than 30 acres—or close to the size of 20 football fields—of tree canopy were destroyed on public property alone in commercial districts, parks, and cemeteries.
Some area estimated a tree canopy lost of 80%.
For many homeowners, the loss went beyond property damage; shaded yards, windbreaks and neighborhood character disappeared overnight. The tasks of navigating tree ordinances, insurance and basic replanting guidance could be overwhelming. The Community Foundation for the CSRA recognized that long-term recovery would require not only emergency relief but also a sustained, trustworthy resource to help residents rebuild what was lost.
In the summer of 2025, the Community Foundation for the CSRA turned to UGA for help to build that resource. With support from Georgia Power, the Grow Back Project brought together experts and students from across the university to create a practical, community-driven tool for reforesting the Greater Augusta region, the release said.
At the center of the Grow Back Project is a custom, interactive website where residents can identify the best trees to replant on their property and learn how to strengthen their landscape against future storms. Visitors can enter their zip code to receive tree recommendations suited to their area and access step-by-step planting and care guidance developed by horticultural and forestry experts from UGA and Clemson University.
The site also features an augmented reality tool, developed by UGA undergraduates, that lets homeowners use their phone camera to see virtual trees placed directly in their own yard before they ever put a shovel in the ground.
The site is available at thegrowbackproject.org.
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