Drive through Smyrna on a summer afternoon and the canopy closes over the road like a tunnel. Look toward downtown Atlanta from Marietta and you see green before you see glass and steel. That’s not an accident.
Atlanta carries an unofficial title: the city in the forest. The trees here are part of why this part of Georgia is worth living in. They’re also part of why tree care in Smyrna and Cobb County is real, year-round work.
The History Behind the Nickname
Atlanta’s tree canopy grew back from almost nothing. Before the Civil War, the area had already been heavily cleared for farming and rail development. After Sherman’s March in 1864, much of the city was burned or leveled. What came back was forest.
Georgia’s red clay soil, high water table, and humid climate grow trees fast. Within decades, native pines, oaks, and sweetgums reclaimed cleared land across the region. By the time suburban development pushed out from Atlanta in the 20th century, builders were cutting roads through an established forest. Many of the mature oaks and pines you see hanging over Smyrna and Marietta streets today were already standing when the subdivisions went in around them.
The city grew around the trees, not the other way around. That history is why the canopy here is as thick as it is.
How Much Tree Cover Does Metro Atlanta Have?
Atlanta is estimated to have approximately 36% tree canopy coverage, making it one of the most densely treed major cities in the United States by percentage of land area covered. The national average for urban areas sits significantly lower.
Cobb County’s mix of older residential neighborhoods, creek corridors, and greenway preservation keeps canopy density well above the national average. Smyrna, Vinings, and Marietta all benefit from that legacy.
(Flag for confirmation: the 36% canopy figure varies by source and measurement methodology. Verify against the most recent American Forests or Georgia Forestry Commission reporting before publishing.)
The Trees That Define This Area
The species you see most often in Smyrna and Cobb County aren’t random. They’re the trees that thrive in Georgia’s Zone 8a climate: hot, humid summers, mild winters, and enough rainfall to support fast, dense growth.
Species | Where You See It | What to Know |
|---|---|---|
Loblolly Pine | Backyards, lot edges, right-of-ways | Fastest-growing Georgia native; tall and straight, but brittle in ice |
Water Oak | Streets, yards, older neighborhoods | Long-lived and dense; wide root systems and persistent deadwood |
Sweetgum | Forest edges, creek corridors | Dense canopy; drops spiky gum balls in fall |
Tulip Poplar | Older neighborhoods, creek banks | Grows tall fast; prone to dropping large branches in wind |
Red Maple | Residential plantings across Cobb | Popular for fall color; relatively short-lived |
American Dogwood | Understory throughout the area | Common native understory tree throughout Georgia; struggling with anthracnose in some areas |
These are also the trees that show up most in our work. Water oaks are one of the most common removals in Smyrna. Loblolly pines fail in ice storms. Tulip poplars drop major limbs with little warning. Knowing the trees in this area is part of knowing the work.
What Makes Cobb County’s Canopy Different
Cobb County holds more of its original tree coverage than most suburban Atlanta counties. Several factors contribute: older residential plat layouts that preserved existing trees, topographic variation along creek corridors, and active tree ordinances in Marietta and other municipalities that regulate removal of larger specimens.
The result is a county where 60-foot oaks overhang residential streets and mature pines sit within falling distance of rooftops across every neighborhood. That canopy is an asset. It’s also aging.
A 70-year-old water oak is a remarkable thing. It’s also a 70-year-old tree with roots that can heave driveways, branches that extend over rooftops, and structural changes that only show up on an inspection. The same canopy that defines the character of these neighborhoods requires real attention.
Why Urban Tree Canopy Matters
More than aesthetics. Research from the USDA Forest Service consistently links urban tree canopy to lower surface temperatures, reduced stormwater runoff, improved air quality, and measurably higher property values. In a city that regularly sees summer heat index values over 100 degrees, Atlanta’s canopy does real work keeping neighborhoods livable.
For homeowners in Smyrna and Cobb County, that canopy also puts large, load-bearing trees within reach of houses, driveways, power lines, and foundations on nearly every street. The benefit and the responsibility come together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Atlanta called the city in a forest? Atlanta has one of the highest urban tree canopy coverages of any major US city, estimated at around 36% of land area. That density comes from the area’s history: forests reclaimed land cleared in the 19th century, and 20th-century suburban development built around existing trees rather than clearing them completely. The canopy is a product of geography, climate, and how the region grew.
What percentage of Atlanta is trees? Estimates place metro Atlanta’s tree canopy coverage at approximately 36% of land area, well above the US urban average. Specific coverage varies by neighborhood and municipality. Cobb County’s older, established neighborhoods tend to have higher canopy density than newer developments.
What trees are most common in Atlanta and Cobb County? Loblolly pine, water oak, sweetgum, tulip poplar, red maple, and American dogwood are among the most common. These species thrive in Georgia’s Zone 8a climate and make up the bulk of tree care work in Smyrna and the surrounding area.
Does having large trees increase property value? Research from the USDA Forest Service and others consistently shows that mature trees increase residential property values. The exact figure varies by study and property type, but the relationship between tree cover and appraised value is well-documented. The tradeoff is that large, mature trees require inspection and maintenance to stay safe and healthy.
Keeping Smyrna’s Trees Healthy
The trees that make this area worth living in don’t take care of themselves. Trimming keeps them structurally sound. Inspections catch failing roots and deadwood before a storm does. And when a tree is too far gone, taking it down the right way protects everything below it.
Tree Service Smyrna has worked these neighborhoods since 2020. We know the species here because we’ve worked on them. We’re local, family owned, and fully insured.
For more on the native trees that belong in Georgia yards, see our guide: Native Trees of Georgia: A Smyrna and Cobb County Homeowner’s Guide. For help choosing what to plant once you’ve removed a problem tree, see Best Privacy Trees for Georgia Backyards.
Schedule a Tree Estimate in Smyrna ->
Call 470-994-5343. We’ll come out, look at what you’ve got, and tell you straight what it needs.
Sources
- USDA Forest Service, Urban Forest Effects Research: https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/topics/urban (flag: verify this URL is current)
- American Forests, Tree Equity Score and urban canopy reporting: https://www.americanforests.org
- Georgia Forestry Commission, urban forestry resources: https://gatrees.org (flag: verify this is the current Georgia Forestry Commission URL)
