Drought threatening Atlanta's older trees

ATLANTA, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- The grand old trees of Atlanta may become just a memory if rainfall does not quench the ongoing drought soon, experts said.

Experts such as University of Georgia professor Kim Coder, who specializes in tree healthcare, have suggested the drought could decimate the city's older tree population if predicted rainfall does not occur, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said Saturday.

"There is a public perception a lot of times that those are just untouchable, so nothing can hurt them," Coder said. "Physiologically, it's actually the opposite. The big old trees are much easier to stress out and damage than the young trees."

Experts are also concerned that the older trees could be significantly damaged by a frigid winter and even by heavy spring rains next year.

In response to the growing threat, experts told the newspaper that planting new trees is vital, along with contacting tree experts regarding any early distress signs in the city's older trees.