“This tree’s been here as long as the country has been here,” said Jim Ball regarding the centuries-old live oak in his front yard. “We’re celebrating 250 years, and that tree was here to see the start.”

When Georgia Power decided to pave the way for a new high-voltage transmission line, the fate of the tree came into question. In a negotiation with Georgia Power, the company told Ball that only a branch would need to be cut from the tree. A few weeks later, a subcontractor showed up at Jim’s house and told him that the entire tree would have to come down for good; a clear contradiction to his original conversation with Georgia Power.

The news sparked outrage among individuals from across greater Savannah. Some even volunteered to camp out in the tree overnight, rather than watch it be cut down. Further efforts made by the Chatham County arborist granted the tree special protection, labeling it as an “exceptional tree.” And indeed, much like several other Savannah live oaks, the tree has stood for an exceptionally long time.

“Legend around here is that when Sherman’s troops marched to Savannah, they were camping right here, under this tree,” said Ball.

 The resilience of the archaic live oak was apparent through its ever-changing bark textures, spontaneously winding branches, ornate evergreen resurrection fern and draped spanish moss. It served as a home for various birds and wildlife and absorbed copious amounts of stormwater through its vast root system. 

Georgia Power Dismisses ‘Exceptional’ Protection

Ignoring public backlash and Chatham County arborist’s “exceptional status” designation, at 9 a.m. on Feb. 25, Georgia Power began sawing away at the 300-year-old live oak. Neither the property owners nor the public were warned about the tree’s removal beforehand.

Despite contradictory accounts, the company claims it had negotiated in good faith with the property owners, and compensated them over a year ago for the additional easement on their property. Georgia Power maintains its authority to remove the tree under state law and that the current route of the transmission line—including removing the exceptional tree in question — complies with federal regulations and is the least impactful route to the community overall.

Outcry on social media over the beloved oak was met with overwhelming support to save the tree, followed with anger and mourning at its demise. Once the tree was given protected status, Ball claims that people from the community gathered at his house to celebrate. Less than two weeks later, the tree would fall to make way for Georgia Power’s expansion.

A Solemn Goodbye

The night after he received the news that his tree could be cut down, Ball said he saw a great horned owl fly from the tree and onto the roof of his garage. 

“It just turned around and looked at me,” said Ball, “kind of like a ‘thank you, man. At least you tried’”.