theleaflet | May 2014 1

theleafletMAY 2014

Tree Report CardSpecial Edition

2 May 2014 | theleaflet

CASEY TREES NEWS IN BRIEF

CASEY TREES NEWS

END OF PLANTING SEASON TO BE CELEBRATED WITH POTLUCK PICNIC | On

Saturday, May 17, volunteers and friends alike are

invited to celebrate the end of another successful

planting season with a Volunteer Season Wrap Party at the Takoma Recreation Center. The gathering will

feature games, food trucks and live entertainment from

talented Casey Trees staff. Guests are encouraged to

bring a drink or dish to share, but grills will be fired up

by staff and the Pho Wheels and Woodlands Vegan

Bistro food trucks will be parked nearby for more

delicious options. To learn more and RSVP, just visit the

events page.

CASEY TREEES WEEKLY WATERING ALERTS RETURN | Every Monday, from May 5 to

September, Casey Trees will once again begin issuing

weekly watering alerts as part of its annual 25 to Stay Alive Campaign, which aims to educate residents on

the importance of watering trees, demonstrate proper

watering techniques and provide supplies to make

watering easier and generate less wasteful runoff.

Since trees that have been in the ground less than

three years require 25 gallons of water — equivalent

to roughly 1.5 inches of rainfall — per week to survive,

they will need a lot of help during periods of little rain

and high temperatures. The alerts — Dry, Normal and

Wet — will be posted on our Twitter and Facebook

pages as well as our website homepage.

On April 5, the U.S. National Arboretum hosted the 2014 MAC-ISA Tree Climbing Championship, an annual competition featuring tree climbing events, forestry

challenges and other tree activities. While Casey Trees staff attended the event

to lead children’s activities and answer tree questions, they were in for a pleasant

surprise when they discovered a volunteer taking her love of trees all the way into

the canopy.

Saharah Moon Chapotin, a Lead Citizen Forester and dedicated planter, was one

of only three women competing in the Championship. Chapotin competed in all five

of the forestry challenges, including the vigorous work climb and the belayed speed

climb. Although she didn’t take home any medals, Saharah impressed onlookers with

her skill. Taking the lessons learned to further her training, she looks forward to the

challenge of climbing again next year.

CITIZEN FORESTER CONQUERS TREE CLIMBING CHALLENGES

HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER CREW APPLICATIONS DUE MAY 17 | Applications

are still being accepted for the 2014 High School Summer Crew. Crew members will spend 35 hours

per week Monday to Friday caring for trees across

the District. General responsibilities include watering,

weeding and mulching. All applicants must be at least

16 years of age, enrolled in or just graduated from a

D.C.-area high school and willing to care for and learn

about trees. Online applications must be completed in

one sitting and are due by May 17. Summer Crew will

run from June 27 to August 8. Semi-finalists will be

interviewed in-person. Finalists must participate in a

two-day field tryout on June 23 and 24 to demonstrate

their abilities.

TREEWISE APPLICATION STILL OPEN FOR SUMMER 2014 SESSIONS | The online

application for the summer 2014 TreeWise sessions

is still open. Registration is easily done online for the

three session types available in 2014, which will run

from June 23 to August 8. TreeWise is Casey Trees’

nature- and place-based summer education program

for youth ages 6 to 10. For summer 2014, Casey

Trees is excited to announce three different available

session types. The standard on-site sessions and the

U.S. National Arboretum sessions that debuted last

summer will continue to be offered. New for 2014 are

Arboretum sessions with Washington Youth Garden

staff for an even more diverse set of activities.

theleaflet | May 2014 3

COMMUNICATIONS TEAM GROWS | Spring

has been a time of change for the Casey Trees’

Communications Department and has resulted in

the addition of two new staff members. Amy Kasper,

formerly a Development Intern, has officially taken

the place of Mark DeSantis as the new Development

Associate. She will oversee the Membership program,

sponsorships and a variety of Casey Trees’ giving

initiatives. Additionally, Richard Houston will be

stepping into a brand new role as a CRM Administrator

who will enhance Casey Trees’ organizational data and

develop training materials for staff. Richard comes to

Casey Trees with previous development and database

experience. He holds a BA in Political Science from the

University of California, Berkeley.

ADVOCACY ASSOCIATE AND INTERNSHIP POSITIONS AVAILABLE | A position has opened

within the Planning and Design Department for an

Advocacy Associate who will work with the Director

of Planning and Design and the Planning Associate

to help implement Casey Trees’ advocacy efforts and

the volunteer Tree Advocates program. The ideal

candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in public

policy or a related field and 1-2 years of experience

with advocacy program implementation. To apply

or learn more, contact Maisie Hughes, Director of

Planning and Design, at planningjobs@caseytrees.org. The Communications team will also be hiring

a Development Intern and a Communications Intern. To apply, contact Jared Powell, Director

of Communications and Development, at jobs@caseytrees.org.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CELEBRATES ARBOR DAY WITH FEATURE ON URBAN TREE CANOPY | In conjunction with April’s

celebration of Arbor Day, the National Geographic

Magazine published a feature profiling nine U.S. cities that are distinguished by their work towards

preserving and protecting their tree canopy. Notably,

Washington D.C. — and its 36 percent canopy

coverage — was recognized as one of the nine cities

that love their trees, highlighted by the fact that “the

District spends more money on its trees than any

other city: $10 million per year.” An accomplishment of

both government support and Casey Trees’ work, D.C.

boasts more green space per capita than any other

similarly sized U.S. city.

IN THIS ISSUE...

SPECIAL ISSUE: HOW DID D.C. FARE IN SIXTH ANNUAL TREE REPORT CARD?............................. 4-5

FROM THE DESK: PRIVATE ACTION FOR PUBLIC GOOD ........................................................................ 6

CITIZEN FORESTER KATE CLARKE’S BIG PLANTING GOALS ................................................................. 7

FIRST ANNUAL CANOPY AWARDS SHINE ............................................................................................. 8-9

PUBLIC SPACE KEY TO URBAN FOREST ................................................................................................. 10

NEW GREEN BOOK TO HELP GROW LARGER STREET TREES ............................................................. 11

YOUTH DAY OF SERVICE SEES DIVERSE VOLUNTEERS ........................................................................ 12

MORE THAN 100 TREES PLANTED AT D.C.-AREA SCHOOLS ............................................................... 13

INCREASING TREE COVERAGE ON A MILITARY BASE .................................................................... 14-15

MAY AND JUNE EVENTS AND CLASSES.............................................................................................16-17

ARBOR KIDS: TREE FLOWER DISCOVERY................................................................................................18

URBAN FORESTRY NEWS

4 May 2014 | theleaflet

B-For generations, we have intrinsically understood that trees improve our quality of life and should therefore be considered an essential, not optional, part of urban living. This is why Casey Trees publishes the Tree Report Card — to monitor trends and ensure that D.C. remains the “City of Trees” for the foreseeable future. Casey Trees’ Tree Report Card measures the quantity and condition of D.C.’s trees and the collective efforts of all groups and individuals working to achieve the District’s 40 percent tree canopy goal. It is based on data from various sources, including federal, state and private groups.

TREE COVERAGE

PERFORMANCE METRIC GRADES

2013

Every five years, satellite images are used to

estimate the change in D.C.’s tree canopy, with the

goal of determining the overall trends of planting,

growth, development, removal and mortality.

By examining trees from above and at specific

time intervals, not only can we

determine how the canopy is changing, but also

what causes those changes.

In 2011, the University of Vermont Spatial

Analysis Lab estimated the District’s canopy at 36

percent, which translates into an A- grade for Tree

Coverage.

TREE HEALTH

Tree Health is the measure of overall health of

the District’s trees. Using tree canopy analysis

software, individual tree data collected from 201

permanent field plots located across D.C. was

assessed. While tree cover is measured from the

top down, tree health is measured from the bottom

up using individual trees.

This data is collected and analyzed using i-Tree

software to give us a better understanding of

the variety, size, condition and total number of

trees. Data from our assessment shows that 82.4

percentof D.C.’s 2.5 million trees are in “Good” to

“Excellent” condition, which gives D.C. a B- grade

in Tree Health.

theleaflet | May 2014 5

-TREE PLANTING

Tree Planting measures the number of trees

planted annually against what must be planted

— 8,600 trees per year until 2035 — to achieve

the city’s tree canopy goal. Since 2008, one

exceptionally positive development is that tree

planting has been on the rise, mostly due to

increased street tree planting by the District’s

Urban Forestry Administration (UFA). The UFA

has logged a record number of trees planted this

year — 7,001 —surpassing records going back

decades.

For the fourth straight year, groups have planted

above the target of 8,600 trees — 10,232 total —

resulting in a grade of A+ grade for Tree Planting.

TREE PROTECTION

This metric gauges the success of theUFPA. The UFPA protects Special Trees (ordiscourages their removal) by charging a fee**should someone want to remove one.

Tree Protection uses 3 sub-metrics.• Is the UFPA’s removal fee high enough to

discourage the removal of healthy Special

Trees?• Is the Tree Fund being administered properly?

• Are replacement trees surviving to reach

maturity?

Averaging the scores for each sub-metric results

in a D- grade for Tree Protection.

WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED?We continue to recommend that the Urban Forestry Protection Act (UFPA) be strengthed by:• Mandating survival checks for all trees planted with Tree

Fund dollars.• Adjusting the fee structure, 11 years out of date, to adjust for

inflation.• Lowering the size limit of Special Trees from 55 inches in

circumference to 40 inches to protect more trees.• Redirecting most of the fees/fines in the Tree Fund to

planting trees on private lots.• Changing the Special Tree replacement options to a fee-

based system only.

And that:• The District direct more resources toward planting trees on

private lots where trees have access to more soil so they will develop to their fullest and where a property owner can care for and water them during their critical years of life.

• D.C. adopt impervious surface maximums and tree canopy minimums for all zoning districts to ensure every neighborhood in D.C. can support trees for the benefits they provide residents and businesses alike.

• The Mayor’s Office designate a lead agency to coordinate all urban forestry efforts on D.C. lands.

6 May 2014 | theleaflet

Private Action for Public Good: Private Lands a Stength in 2013’s Tree Report The theme for this year’s Tree Report Card is

“Private Action for Public Good,” and for good

reason. To close the gap between the District’s

40 percent canopy goal and the current canopy

level of 36 percent, private lands offer the

largest land base to plant the trees needed to

achieve this goal.

The upsides of private land don’t end there.

Private lands also provide plenty of space for a

tree’s roots to develop and grow — an extremely

beneficial trait that leads to healthier, longer

living trees.

Perhaps even more importantly, planting trees

on private lots creates a direct connection

to the people who plant, care and benefit from them.

This link helps educate current and future generations

about the value of planting trees, which in turn creates

a community of supporters who advocate for trees and

their continued presence in neighborhoods across the

District.

Now in its 6th year, we can truly see that the Tree

Report Card is accomplishing what it was intended

for — tracking a few key indicators that measure the

quantity and quality of D.C.’s beloved trees and raising

awareness among residents, organizations, elected

officials and the general public about the benefits of

tree resources in the Nation’s Capital.

For 2013, the overall message is similar to last year’s —

the celebration of robust tree planting numbers being

brought down by an ongoing and unmet need to track

the survival of replacement trees to gauge if protection

efforts are achieving their objectives.

For these and other advances and shortfalls

experienced over the 2013 reporting year, the final

grade for the sixth annual Tree Report Card is the same

as last year’s, a B-. To get the entire report, just visit our

publications page.

Thanks for your ongoing support!

Regards,

Mark Buscaino

Executive Director

MARK BUSCAINOEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

From the Desk

theleaflet | May 2014 7

Spotlight

Citizen Forester Kate Clarke Sets Amazing Planting GoalsBy Casey Manning, Communications and Marketing Associate, Casey Trees | “I’ve always

been really passionate about the environment,” said

Kate Clarke, a 24 year old recent D.C. transplant from

Hendersonville, Tenn. and a Casey Trees Citizen Forester. And this passion, spurred most recently by an

internship with Inconvenient Youth, has flourished into

an ambitious goal.

“What I want to do with my whole life is start a nonprofit

to build, maintain, and protect forests globally. And the

best way for me to really get going was to start planting

trees. In ten years I want to have planted 2,000 trees.”

Ten years. 2,000 trees.

In this first year of this project, Kate’s goal is to plant 50

trees.

“50 may be hard this year but next year I’ll have all the

resources in place to plant 50 trees easily. Totally out of

arm’s reach, but that’s why it’s my goal.”

Her first memory of trees, growing up in the suburbs of

Nashville, is a heartwarming one.

“We had a wood that backed up to our house, and a

bunch of trees always hit my window. Instead of being

terrified of the shadows they created, I absolutely loved

them; I felt safe and protected. It’s this whole feeling I

had growing up that was created by trees. “

Her favorite tree planting thus far wasn’t quite the

experience you’d expect. “My very first planting this

season was at Garfield Park and it was in the rain. The

ground was definitely muddy. But everybody in the group

that I was working with felt so dedicated to being there

and happy to actually be digging a hole in this very wet

mud and it didn’t seem like hard work, despite the rain.

Everybody was just so happy to be

there.”

And don’t think Kate will just stop

when she hits 2000 trees. Her

goal in life? “It’s literally to save the

planet, however cheesy that may

sound. I 100 percent believe that

trees are going to save the world.”

Attending the Casey Trees 2014

Canopy Awards and hearing

former D.C. mayor Anthony A.

Williams speak of the District as

the” City of Trees” inspired Kate

even further. “It goes along with

my vision – really taking the “City

of Trees,” Washington’s name to

total heart.”

“It’s my priority in life to plant

trees,” Kate said with conviction.

Spend ten minutes talking to her, and it’ll

soon be your priority too.

The world’s forests are safe in Kate Clarke’s hands.

Learn about the many ways you can get involved with Casey Trees as a Citizen Forester.

8 May 2014 | theleaflet

By Elise Roberts, Events and Communications Intern, Casey Trees | After a week of rain, D.C. was

gifted with a beautifully sunny day on Arbor Day Eve –

Thursday, April 24 – just in time for the first inaugural

Canopy Awards. Celebrated at the new DOCK5 at

Union Market space, the Canopy Awards honored

individuals making a difference today while raising funds

for the tree canopy of tomorrow.

The honorees were four hard-working individuals who

have contributed immensely to our work in the past

twelve years.

Former Mayor Anthony A.

Williams was honored with the

Canopy Award for Leadership for

his role in expanding protections

for the D.C. tree canopy. Christy

Kwan received the Canopy

Award for Volunteer Service for

her involvement not only as a

Lead Citizen Forester, but also

as a Team Leader and Tree

Advocate.

The Canopy Award for Education

was awarded to Melanie

Choukas-Bradley, author of

the City of Trees and frequent

instructor at Casey Trees events.

Last but certainly not least, Betsy

Emes was given the

Canopy Award for Partnership in recognition of her work

in our ongoing relationship with Trees for Georgetown.

As guests arrived, they were treated to a signature

cocktail of gin, champagne and lemon-lavender soda

with a sprig of sage. Alternatively, local wines from

Ingelside Winery in Virginia as well as beer from PBR

and Great Lakes were provided. Buffalo & Bergen, a

Union Market staple, was on site offering fruit and nut

flavored sodas and egg creams.

As a special treat, Shake Shack debuted their new

“Super Fry Frickle Dog,” a hot dog topped with ale-

marinated shallots, American cheese sauce and crispy-

fried Thai Basil Jalapeño pickles from Gordy’s Pickles.

An assortment of sandwiches were available, as well

as delectable passed appetizers, including chicken and

waffle bites and mini crab cakes.

Both before and after the ceremony, a myriad of

activities were available to entertain. While some guests

practiced their swing on the putt putt course, others

perused the tempting packages in the silent auction.

Everyone enjoyed shuffleboard and lamented when they

heard Giant Jenga crashing to the ground.

The Bumper Jacksons got the party started with their

upbeat tunes and Andrew Lipke and the Azrael Quartet

ended the night on a high note. At the photo booth,

guests could strike a pose in Casey Trees gear.

As one guest commented, “it wouldn’t be a Casey Trees

event without a yellow vest!”

First inaugural Canopy Awards celebrated friends of the urban forest

Giving

To receive your complimentary tickets to next year’s Canopy Awards and our annual Fall Donor Event, become a Ally Member or above today!

theleaflet | May 2014 9

5

SponsorsAMERICAN ELM - $5,000

®

SUGAR MAPLE - $2,500

BALFOUR BEATTY CONSTRUCTION

BREMO TREES WHOLESALE NURSERY

CLIFF ELMORE ARCHITECTS, PLLC

ELMENDORF | RYAN LLC

PGP DEVELOPMENT LLCPNC BANK

ENGINEERED WATERING SOLUTIONS

RUPPERT NURSERIES, INC.SHAKE SHACK

STOIBER + ASSOCIATES

SYCAMORE - $1,000

REDBUD - $500

COMMUNITY PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

ELLER GROUPGREAT LAKES BREWING CO.

HARTLAND & CO.

LIMNOTECHMATT MCHUGH

THOMAS ANDREWS ARCHITECTSTILTON BERNSTEIN MANAGEMENT

U.S. BANK N.A.

Guests enjoyed a wide variety of games, drinks and music.

2014’s honorees proudly display their Canopy Awards.

Dock Five at Union Market served as a wonderful event space.

10 May 2014 | theleaflet

Partnership between private and public space key to urban forestNCE FUNCTION

By Dr. Jessica Sanders, Director of Technical Services and Research, Casey Trees | An annual grading of the District’s urban forest

requires commitment and understanding of why urban

trees matter.

Although it is widely accepted that trees are good

for a multitude of reasons, where we plant these

trees matters. Unfortunately, this action is becoming

increasingly difficult as development continues and

access to soil decreases. Although trees have an

amazing adaptability to a variety of sites and planting

conditions, one thing remains true: a tree needs soil in

order to survive.

The simple act of planting a tree in your yard has the

amazing ability to influence not only your neighbors to

do the same act, but also creates a plethora of benefits

for all to enjoy.

A majority of the potential for canopy growth lies on

private land; however, shifts in the District’s population

demographics mean more young single adults call

this city home. Predominantly renters, many of these

residents do

not have yards,

which make

public spaces in

greater demand.

These spaces

provide places

to actively engage in the community and cultivate

relationships. Imagine Malcolm X Park devoid of a

Sunday drum circle or Lincoln Park without a picnic. As

renters increase, the need for public spaces has never

been greater.

Tree-lined landscapes, like many of the public parks

found throughout The District, serve as an extension

of home; a way to create, relax, play and entertain in a

natural setting by creating enticing landscapes.

As a member of this growing demographic that the city

is made of, I find myself drawn to going out of my way

to walk through enjoyable landscapes. These tend to be

not only parks, but streets where the homeowners have

planted trees and beautiful flowers.

As development increases, outdoor gathering spaces

are threatened in a time where the need has never been

greater.

Join me to keep these public spaces vibrant, and create

parks even in our own homes. Thank a person for

planting a tree on your way to work, and help plant some

trees in different areas of the city.

Technology & Research

Meridian Hill ParkPhoto Credit: Flickr user — Elvert Barnes Photography

Follow Casey Trees’ blog, Tree Speak, for additional mapping and GIS-related features by Technical Services & Research staff.

theleaflet | May 2014 11

DDOT’s New Green Book Will Help Grow Larger Street Treese Function

Maisie Hughes, Director Planning and Design, Casey Trees | The D.C. Department of

Transportation released new Green Infrastructure

Standards on Earth Day. While design standards,

comprised of technical design and engineering

language, may not seem exciting to some, these new

standards are a game-changer for sustainability efforts

in D.C.

Going by the nickname of the “Green Book,” DDOT’s

Green Infrastructure Standards dictate how all

construction activities are performed within the public

space of D.C. The Green Book encourages design

practices that will grow larger trees by requiring more

soil volume for street trees and create cleaner rivers by

encouraging stormwater capture.

Tree canopy provides many of the environmental

benefits needed to create sustainable cities. Tree

canopy shades and cools streets, captures rainwater,

cleans the air and releases both water and oxygen into

the air. Large trees with healthy canopies are essential

to realizing the environmental potential of trees.

Arborists have determined that the more soil you give

a tree’s roots, the larger the tree’s trunk and crown will

grow. DDOTs Green Book promotes tree growth by

requiring 1,500 cubic feet of soil for large trees, 1,000

cubic feet of soil for medium trees and 600 cubic feet

of soil for small trees.

In addition, the Green Book contains standards and

specifications for designing tree spaces to capture

stormwater along the

roadway and create

excellent soils for trees.

The Green Book also

includes a list of trees and

plants suited for D.C.’s

streets and for projects

that capture stormwater.

Two of the many trees

of interest in the Green

Book include:

Kentucky Coffee Tree• Gymnocladus dioicus

‘Stately Manor’

• The Stately Manor Kentucky Coffee Tree is seedless

with a narrow habit. It has dark brown bark and

bipinnately compound leaves. • Height: 40-50’ Spread: 20-25 feet. Full sun.

Drought Tolerant. Native. Bioretention friendly.

Black Gum • Nyssa sylvatica ‘Wildfire’

• The Wildfire Blackgum provides excellent fall color

and wildlife habitat. Also known as the black tupelo,

it has a pyramidal shape when young and a rounded

crown as it matures. • Height: 30-50’ Spread: 20-30’. Full sun to part

shade. Highly drought tolerant. Bioretention friendly.

Planning & Design

Follow Casey Trees to read more about all the great programs to get involved that are helping increase the canopy of D.C.

FEAR OF THE KENTUCKY COFFEE TREERecently, the PoPville blog featured a post where a D.C. resident expressed

great fear at the Coffee tree’s poisonous traits. Fortunately, commentators with

tree knowledge dispelled the reason for great concern. The Kentucky Coffee

Tree is no more of a threat than many common plants.

12 May 2014 | theleaflet

By Katie Blackman, Volunteer Coordinator, Casey Trees | Every year, the nation takes a week in

April to celebrate the contributions volunteers make to

improving our communities.

This year, Casey Trees celebrated National Volunteer

Week with three tree care events spread around the

District. Working with 59 volunteers from Conservation

International, CEB, the Advisory Board Company, the

Student American Society of Landscape Architects at

Virginia Tech and individual volunteers we were able to

weed, mulch and water more than 70 young trees. The

week culminated in the Global Youth Day of Service —

a global initiative to celebrate kids and teens who make

a difference in their communities — on April 11th.

Volunteers from the National Geographic and Legacy

for Health partnered with students from Capital City

Public Charter School to care for trees planted over the

last several seasons at Takoma Recreation Center.

To fulfil a mission of restoring, protecting and enhancing

the tree canopy, planting trees is a no brainer, but

getting those trees to maturity so that they can become

a part of our healthy canopy requires some help. These

volunteers took time out of their week to do just that.

Split into weeding and watering teams, youth and adult

volunteers cared for about 30 trees with good cheer and

hard work.

Casey Trees would like to thank all of our volunteers

who plant, care, water, prune, advocate and educate.

Our work would not be as effective, or nearly as much

fun, without all of you.

To celebrate another successful planting season, we are

hosting a Volunteer Season Wrap Party on Saturday,

May 17 at Takoma Recreation Center, among the trees

our amazing volunteers have planted and cared for. This

even is open to all and features live entertainment from

Casey Trees staff, food trucks, games and fun! Please

RSVP for you and your friends and thank our volunteers

for their hard work in person.

Tree care events help commemorate National Volunteer Week

Education

Check Casey Trees’ events page for other classes and activities to enhance you tree knowledge in time for spring.

theleaflet | May 2014 13

By Priscilla Plumb, Youth Programs Manager, Casey Trees | This spring, 13 schools in D.C. and

Maryland participated in our School Tree Planting program. 344 students helped us plant 101 new trees

at both new and revisited schools. We were happy to

end our school planting season with a beautiful Earth

Day planting in D.C., the season started with cold wintery

weather and a few plantings with snow on the ground.

Casey Trees was excited to work with three schools

in Prince George’s County: Drew Freeman Middle School, Gwynn Park High School and Robert Goddard Montessori School - to continue our work

outside Washington, D.C.

At Gwynn Park High School we worked with students

who were part of the school’s new agriculture program.

These students are working on creating agriculture

study plots on the campus, including a small fruit

orchard we helped them establish.

In D.C. we planted with five schools as part of the City’s

Sustainable D.C. initiative, in addition to several other

charter schools all across the city. Several schools

focused on planting native trees to improve habitat for

native pollinators and some schools planted fruit trees to

add to their garden spaces.

In Southeast D.C., we planted new shade trees with the

4th and 5th grade Young Marines of Excel PCS — an

all-girls school — on a cold, blustery day. At E.L Haynes PCS, a kindergarten class enhanced their yearlong

exploration of trees by planting new shade trees in the

parking lot of the school. After more than a year and a

half of planning, a project started with Neval Thomas Elementary School reached completion with the

planting of new shade and fruit trees around the school,

just in time for the completion of the schools new

playground.

It has been a wonderful, busy spring getting students

outside to plant in their school yards!

Casey Trees adds more than 100 trees to 13 D.C.-area schools

Find out more about Casey Trees’ youth educational programs online.

Students of all ages planted 11 trees at Washington Latin

Public Charter School.

14 May 2014 | theleaflet

Tree Planting

By Jim Woodworth, Director of Tree Planting, Casey Trees| In recent years, Casey Trees has had

the privilege and opportunity to plant trees on several

notable military installations in and around the District,

including Fort McNair, the Old Post Chapel at Fort Myer,

and the Soldiers and Sailors Retirement Home.

Our own 2012 land cover analysis determined that

current conditions on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

(JBAB) included 49.64 percent impervious cover, 50.36

percent plantable space, and only 8.54 percent tree

canopy cover. As one of the most significant pieces of

government real estate in the eastern part of the District,

these 905 acres situated prominently along the eastern

waterfront of the confluence of the Anacostia and

Potomac Rivers, are in dire need of more trees. Casey

Trees staff pondered how we might inject resources and

draw attention to improve its tree canopy.

In September of 2012, we began discussions with a

public affairs officer to initiate a rapid assessment and

planning process to determine if increasing tree canopy

was feasible. Our inquiry was met with unequivocal

interest from base command, acknowledging the many

benefits and needs. But the ensuing due-diligence effort

to seek the approval of a donation of trees planted

required a lengthy journey of paperwork up the chain of

command to the Secretary of the Navy. This was finally

achieved in November 2013, and plans are underway

now to plant 100 new trees this April and May in four

groves of native shade trees across the base.

Trees in these environments can provide many benefits,

from the environmental and biophysical to the social

and psychological. Ameliorating heat island affect,

reducing energy costs to heat and cool and mitigation of

stormwater are all obvious benefits to the Department

of Defense facing budget cuts and sequester but with

environmental and energy obligations to be met. Trees

can also provide a sense of dignity, honor, structure

and order to a place, complementing (or in spite of) its

building architecture and design.

The stress relief and sense of calm that trees can

provide, to service members and their families working

or residing on base, may seem more intangible at first.

Some military bases may have very unique land use

challenges that can utilize tree cover. Trees and forest

can conceal site lines, screen activities and buffer

neighboring areas from training exercises.

Military bases can also have very difficult constraints to

take into consideration and work around: restrictions

on excavation due to soil contamination or unexploded

ordinance; blast zones around munitions storage;

Mission Critical: Increasing tree coverage on a military base

Jim Woodworth leads JBAB base staff in the military base’s tree planting celebrating Earth Day.

Photo credit: Joseph P. Cirone, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling Public Affairs.

theleaflet | May 2014 15

designated flight paths and landing zones. JBAB has all

of those constraints and more.

Historical aerial photography shows drastic changes

in land use over time for both Naval Support Facility

Anacostia and Bolling Air Force Base, dating back to

1918. The origins of military use on this site were for

testing and flying fixed-wing aircraft in the early days of

military aviation.

Now united under one command by Base-Realignment

and Closure (“BRAC”) in 2010, JBAB supports

17,000 service members and their families, is home

to numerous military ceremonial units, honor guards

and bands, the Defense Intelligence Agency and the

White House Communications Agency. Present aviation

usage is now restricted to helicopters, including most

prominently, the presidential helicopter detail “Marine

One.” D.C. Water also has an underground tunnel

construction alignment right of way for the long-term

control plan for combined sewer overflows.

Nevertheless, despite high profile restricted areas,

helicopter landing zones, and other land use constraints,

there are plenty of opportunities to improve the tree

canopy across the base. We have identified four areas

that have passed muster with base command, land-

use and environmental planners and public works

personnel. Each will receive an initial planting of 25

trees appropriately chosen for the respective soil and

drainage conditions.

One upland parcel will provide tree cover for wildlife,

viewshed buffering from I-295, located in an out of the

way location for long-lived canopy species to grow and

thrive. Other locations focus on shading parking areas,

pedestrian walkways and recreation facilities, putting

trees where people on base will most directly benefit.

These trees will soak up storm water, buffer winds off

the riverfront and help counter the heat island effect

inevitable in place that is nearly 50 percent impervious

cover.

A positive recent development speaks to the long term

prospects for the JBAB tree canopy: an environmental

engineering firm has been retained to develop an

urban forestry Master Plan for the base. Though the

existing forest is fairly diverse in species and age,

there are some specific management concerns and

recommendations going forward:

• Young trees require regular maintenance, watering,

mulching and protection from lawn care equipment.

• Large trees require periodic inspection for pruning,

removal, and following storm damage.

• Continued replanting over time to maintain a healthy

diversity of native species and over time to create an

uneven-aged diverse and resilient forest.

We are pleased to assist Joint Base Anacostia - Bolling

with this installation of new trees, and we are optimistic

about its future tree canopy.

Follow Casey Trees to read more about the great partnerships that are helping increase the canopy of Washington, D.C.

16 May 2014 | theleaflet

Social: Branch Out Happy Hour 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.Vinoteca 1940 11th Street NW

May will bring us the sunshine we have all been waiting for so we are going to the Vinoteca’s back patio for our next social hour. Join us for delicious food, an amazing wine selection and a game of bocce as we celebrate the beautiful weather and the end of the spring planting season.

Cost: Free**No registration required

Tree Tour: Riparian Forests Paddling Outing5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.601 Annapolis Rd, Bladensburg, MD.

Join Casey Trees and Anacostia Watershed Society for a paddle night on the Anacostia River while learning about the ecology of the surrounding wetlands and forests.

Cost: Free**Early access to this event was offered to current Casey Trees members. Receive benefits like advanced registration, invitations to special events, and discounted tickets by becoming a member today!

Social: Volunteer Season Wrap Party11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 5th Street and Van Buren Street NW

To celebrate all the hard work our volunteers did to restore, protect and enhance the region’s tree canopy, we are throwing a potluck picnic in the park. There will be food, games, prizes and music!

Cost: Free

Class: Tree Basics9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.The Conservatory at Four Mile Run Park4109 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA.

Get to know the basics about trees! This class will provide participants with a foundation of tree anatomy and physiology.

Cost: Free

Advocate: Tree Advocates Bi-monthly Meeting6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.Casey Trees Headquarters

Join our growing group of Tree Advocates. This month’s meeting includes presentations on upcoming actions throughout the District and how to become a more effective writer and speaker.

Cost: Free

Family Program: Buds Story Time at the U.S. National Arboretum10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.U.S. National Arboretum24th St NE & R St NE

Join us for our new family program, Buds, a tree-focused story time aimed toward an audience of toddlers and preschoolers.

Cost: Free

Events

Education opportunities abound in the springSpring is a great time to enjoy a variety of continuing education courses and social events. May and June are full

of classes, tree tours and social events to participate in. Become a Casey Trees Member to receive exclusive

benefits, including advanced registration to events like these below!

SATURDAY, MAY 17TUESDAY, MAY 13 WEDNESDAY, MAY 21

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14 SATURDAY, MAY 17 SATURDAY, MAY 31

theleaflet | May 2014 17

Advocacy: ‘Speak Like a Pro’ Workshop9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.Casey Trees Headquraters

Being able to deliver an effective briefing or presentation is an essential skill for our Tree Advocates. The workshop will allow participants to prepare and deliver a brief presentation and receive feedback from peers.

Cost: Free

Social: Branch Out Happy Hour 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.Satellite Room2047 9th Street NW

Summer is coming and we are celebrating the season at Satellite Room, a 1960s themed bar and diner that serves up burgers, beer and some deliciously boozy milkshakes. And since it will be too nice to be indoors, we will be hanging outside on their seriously cool patio.

Cost: Free

Volunteer

SATURDAY, MAY 31

TUESDAY, JUNE 10

Family Program: Buds Story Time at the U.S. National Arboretum10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.U.S. National Arboretum24th Street Northeast & R Street NE

Join us for our new family program, Buds, a tree-focused story time aimed toward an audience of toddlers and preschoolers.

Cost: Free

Tree Tour: Summer at Casey Tree Farm10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.Casey Tree Farm2498 Briggs Road, Berryville, VA.

Join Casey Trees and Shawn Walker of Trees 101, LLC for a tree tour at Casey Tree Farm in Berryville, VA. We will venture off our nursery grounds, the primary source source of the trees we plant across the DMV, and into the surrounding forest nestled along the Shenandoah River.

Cost: Free

SATURDAY, JUNE 14

SATURDAY, JUNE 14

18 May 2014 | theleaflet

Arbor Kids

Tree Flower DiscoverySpring has sprung!

Trees are starting to leaf out and bloom. Go on a walk around your neighborhood, park or school. Do you see

these flowers on trees? Some tree flowers look really different. Explore your neighborhood to see all of the trees

that show all kinds of flowers before they grow their green leaves. Look out for trees that grow their leaves right

away.

Tulip Poplar

Red Maple

Yellowwood

Southern Magnolia

SweetgumAmerican Elm

Eastern Redbud

White Pine Downy Serviceberry