LOWNDES COUNTY, GA — Crews at Valdosta State University have begun grading and irrigation work to restore the Whitehead Camellia Trail, which lost more than half of its historic camellias after Hurricane Helene.
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The Whitehead Camellia Trail at Valdosta State University was once a place full of life, shaded pathways and blooming flowers tucked beneath towering trees and home to more than 400 camellias.
After Hurricane Helene tore through South Georgia in 2024, that landscape changed dramatically.
Falling trees and broken limbs destroyed more than half of the historic plants, leaving only a fraction of the garden that once lined the trail.
Now, the university is working to bring the beloved space back to life.
VSU biology professor Emily Cantonwine says the trail has long served as more than just scenery for the campus community.
"One of the things about camellias is they're known as the roses of winter. Usually they start flowering in early December and go through March, and that's when you really see students out here taking their time strolling through campus and enjoying the blooms," Cantonwine said.
Grounds teams have already begun the behind-the-scenes work, grading damaged areas and installing irrigation systems to support new plantings.
Groundskeeper Monica Hayes says restoring the trail is a major project that has taken months of planning.
"We started after the initial cleanup. We began grading the areas and installing new irrigation, and now we're getting ready to focus on restoring parts of the Camellia Trail itself," Hayes said.
Many of the camellias were crushed when large trees fell during the hurricane, meaning the trail can't be rebuilt overnight. Instead, the restoration will happen gradually as new plants are introduced and the landscape recovers.
"It's going to go in several phases over the next few years, especially when it comes to the trees and different parts of the trail," Hayes said.
University leaders say restoration work on the Whitehead Camellia Trail is expected to begin in late spring.
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