MOULTRIE, Ga. — The courthouse magnolias have long been significant in Moultrie. Recently, some maintenance was done to the historic trees by Bartlett Tree Experts. They ranked fourth on the 2017 Lawn & Landscape Top 100 list, which was published in May last year, according to their website.

Bartlett Tree Experts maintains the 500-year-old oak tree, also known as The Big Oak, in Thomasville.

  It is one of the oldest oak trees in the country, according to their website. Now, the trusted company has taken care of the cherished trees of the courthouse.

County Administrator, Charles Cannon, said that the magnolias have never received upkeep.

The trees received two days of work last week, including fertilizer treatments, lightning protection, and limb cutting. Limb cutting was a liability issue with the considerable number of events that are held on the square every year.  The southeast corner tree had the most damage and required the most work, while the tree on the northwest corner remains the healthiest.

The cost of the  project was $10,000 for everything involved.

“We’re trying to be proactive in nature,” Cannon said. “We want to extend the life of the trees.”

Cannon says he hopes to see improvements in the health of the magnolia trees and feels that the money used to extend the life of the trees for years to come is a good investment.