A Premature Fall in Aiken and Beyond

Right after Hurricane Helene came charging through the Southeast, and right over Aiken, SC, I started to look around and document the toll the storm took on the trees of the area. This project is a small look at the loss of thousands of trees throughout Aiken and the surrounding communities in South Carolina. Just as in all large-scale natural disasters, much of the impact is random. Trees that were healthy, strong and tall were delimbed or uprooted completely. Even as their neighboring trees were unaffected. Some neighborhoods lost whole swaths; while others lost only a few.

For almost 40 years the city of Aiken has been recognized as a “Tree City USA”. The designation is granted to communities that meet core standards of urban forestry management. So, the loss of so many healthy trees had an effect on the community.

By looking closely at these trees and areas effected by the storm, I want to show how these once-healthy trees were forced into a premature fall.