The Leaflet — February 2011 by Casey Trees

Casey Trees News

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Summer Crew recruitment period opens for Washington, D.C.-area students

February 2011

In this issue...

2 Using trees to manage stormwater

Support Casey Trees!

3 American elm pruning workshops 4 Gregg Serenbetz, original volunteer

New system will enhance constituent relations.

5 Spring programs and classes

Come learn with Casey Trees.

6 Kids Corner

Download more activities on the Arbor Kids page.

Save the Date Casey Trees’ Open House and Arbor Day celebration. Date: Saturday, April 30, 2011 Location: Brookland headquarters More information to follow.

asey Trees is now accepting applications for its eighth annual High School Summer Crew jobs program, which will run from June 20 to August 12, 2011. Selected students will travel by truck or bike in teams to sites across all eight Wards to water, weed and mulch trees that Casey Trees has planted in the last two years. When not caring for the District’s trees, crew members participate in a

series of career development activities, such as tree climbing at the U.S. National Arboretum and digital mapping at the National Zoo, profiling their experiences on Casey Trees’ blog, Tree Speak. Applicants must be 16 years or older, be enrolled in or just graduating high school in the D.C. area, demonstrate an interest in the environment and be willing and able to work outdoors in all weather conditions with a variety of landscaping tools. Applications must be completed online in one sitting by May 1. Crew member finalists participate field tryouts in May, when they experience the type of work they would be doing in the program, which has graduated 94 high school students since 2002.

In addition to caring for the District’s trees, Summer Crew members participate in other activities, such as tree climbing at the U.S. National Arboretum.

More information regarding the program, including the online application, can be found on the Casey Trees’ Education webpage.

Best Place to Volunteer You made Casey Trees the Best Place to Volunteer in the City Paper’s 2010 Best of DC Readers’ Poll. Voting for the 2011 title opens online on February 16 and ends March 13. Vote often!

Arbor Day Celebrations Three states celebrate Arbor Day in February. Let's join them in commemorating trees! Mississippi Friday, February 11 State Tree: Southern magnolia Georgia Friday, February 18 State Tree: Live oak Alabama The week of February 21 State Tree: Longleaf pine

New legislation will impact stormwater management in D.C.

Every year, one billion gallons of untreated stormwater combine with oil, dirt and trash from D.C. streets, and then mix with raw sewage to flow into our rivers. Currently, the city’s waters are unfishable, un-swimmable and hostile to diverse ecosystems that once thrived. In recent years, new environmental regulations and design standards have helped improve the quality of our waterways. The District’s sewer system, designed 300 years ago, sends both combined waste water and sewer water for treatment before entering the river. When too much rain falls, the water bypasses treatment and empties directly into the river. Increased development leads to more stormwater runoff, and simultaneously decreases the amount of trees and other vegetation, which help absorb runoff. To better manage the overrwhelmed 2

n less than a decade, Casey Trees has planted more than 10,000 trees, educated thousands of adults and children on the value of urban forests, developed cutting edge online mapping tools, and partnered with elected officials, developers and community groups to implement best construction practices that protect existing trees and add new ones. Although we have accomplished a lot, much more work remains. We need your help.

Access points in the curbside along 12th Street NE allow stormwater to infiltrate bioretention planters and pass into Casey Trees’ rain garden.

asey Trees and its Planning & Design department are working to add trees to stormwater designs to help increase the District’s tree canopy and simultaneously clean its rivers. Stormwater management has become a big issue in recent months, with the implementation of a new fee system and a dispute that ended in Congressional legislation.

Sponsor Casey Trees programs and events

system, the District started charging landowners a fee for the amount of stormwater runoff produced on their property. The federal government, which occupies about 20 percent of the District’s impervious surface area and is also tax exempt, refused to pay the fees claiming they were taxes. However stormwater fees are incurred for using the sewer system, just as an electricity bill is a fee for using electricity. In response, Congress passed a bipartisan bill in December (S.3481), requiring the federal government to pay the sewer fees. Newly embraced design principles incorporating plants to absorb stormwater before it runs into the sewers are finding their way into local development projects with greater frequency. Directing stormwater runoff to irrigate landscapes helps conserve energy and save potable water. Casey Trees’ two rain gardens at our new headquarters are examples of this type of design. For more information, check out our new headquarters webpage.

By financially supporting Casey Trees’ tree planting and education initiatives, you are solidifying your commitment to making the District a greener place to live, work, and play. To make a tax-deductible donation of any amount, visit us online or mail your gift to our office. You or your company or organization can also sponsor one of the 47 Community Tree Planting events scheduled this spring, underwrite a High School Summer Crew job participant or support Water ByCycle, our carbon-neutral tree care program. If you have questions, email development@caseytrees.org or call 202.349.1894.

New Staff Member

Scott Brown Planning Associate

sbrown@caseytrees.org 202.349.1892

Scott joins Casey Trees in the Planning & Design department from Robert & Company, an engineering, architecture and planning firm in Atlanta. He is looking forward to applying his analytical skills and public participation experience to advocacy at Casey Trees. February 2011 | theleaflet

PRUNING ELMS I

n January, nearly 30 Citizen Foresters and Casey Trees staff attended two tree care workshops at Dangerfield Islan, where they learned how to properly prune American elms. The classes were held in conjunction with the American Elm Restoration program and taught by U.S. National Park Service horticulturist Barry Stahl. Stahl grows the classic American elm species (Ulmus americana), the Jefferson and Washington elms and the disease-resistant cultivars Valley Forge, Princeton and New Harmony, propagated from elm cuttings. Winter is the ideal season for pruning because the trees are dormant, as well as the insects and diseases that take advantage of open wounds. Pruners tended to young trees — generally 10 to 12 feet tall — nipping out dead and broken branches, removing branches that were too low and establishing strong central leaders, or stems. theleaflet | February 2011

Stahl teaches six steps of pruning: •

Remove broken, diseased and dying branches.

•

Select or create a central leader and cut back or remove competing branches.

•

Select and establish the lowest permanent branch (depends on the tree’s location). • Select scaffold branches and remove competing branches and plan for proper spacing • Select temporary branches below the lowest permanent branch. • Before you make a cut, connect with the tree, feeling the ground around it and touching its bark, reassuring the tree that pruning is good for it. View more photos of the pruning workshops on Facebook and read more about our American Elm Restoration Program at Casey Trees’ blog, Tree Speak. 3

Citizen Forester spotlight: Gregg Serenbetz

ou can say Gregg Serenbetz has planted his volunteer roots with Casey Trees.

Gregg was one of the first Casey Trees volunteers, participating in the street-tree survey in 2002. He enjoyed his experience and became a Citizen Forester when Casey Trees began planting trees the following year. As he planted more frequently and became familiar with other CFs and the Casey Trees staff, he decided to try his hand as a Lead Citizen Forester. Plantings have provided him an opportunity to see different neighborhoods across the District, and when he passes a tree he has planted, he gets a feeling of satisfaction.

“Volunteering with Casey Trees has been one of the best things I have ever been involved with,” Serenbetz said. “I know I’m doing something beneficial in the long run — helping to re-tree D.C. Every tree I plant will provide exponential benefits in the years to come.” He has enjoyed building relationships with his fellow CFs and Casey Trees staff, whom he refers to as his “tree cult” when he discusses his volunteering with friends and family. These friendships, and the bonds he makes with the communities he plants in, deepen his devotion and interest in planting trees. “The incredible warmth and appreciation community groups often display towards Casey Trees and the volunteers during events still surprises and encourages me,” he said. Serenbetz said he was at the top of one category among his fellow Citizen Foresters: he’s the muddiest.

Aiming to better serve you, the District

f you have recently registered for a Casey Trees class or made a donation online you may have noticed a few enhancements to our website.

For the past four months, Casey Trees has been consolidating our constituent information into Convio, a customer relationship management (CRM) system, and launching an online marketing component to provide you with better and more personal service. Registrants will no longer be directed to a secondary website to register for classes or volunteer events and will be able to update their registration status and manage event reminders with just a few clicks. Another feature is customized messaging and more accurate distributions. As contact records are 4

Spring CTP Season Casey Trees received a record number of project applications and ultimately accommodating 47 planting sites representing all eight Wards. Sixteen projects are repeats and another ten are part of Casey Trees' partnership with the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Registration for the spring 2011 CTP schedule will open the week of February 14. Planting dates will run from March 5 to May 7.

“One constant throughout all of the plantings I’ve done is that somehow I usually always end up with dirt on my face,” he said. “I’m not sure if that’s funny or interesting, but I do take pride in it!”

Send Us An Update

updated, we will be able to share with you news and events that match your interests, take place in your neighborhood or directly impact you or the trees in your Ward and ANC. And now that we can update contact information and mark personal preferences, you will receive news and invitations from Casey Trees when and where you want.

Ensure we have your correct information, outlined below:

Consolidating all of our constituents’ history into a shared organizational database will create a central location for Casey Trees staff to quickly check for answers to questions you may have regarding a class you have signed up for or tree rebate you may have submitted.

•

Rest assured, we do not share any personal contact information with third parties.

• • • • •

Correct spelling of your name. Mailing address including Ward and ANC, if applicable. Preferred email accounts. Phone numbers (home, cell, etc.) Volunteer availability and any credentials, talents or abilities, such as language skills, you would like to lend to the organization. Any additional personal or employment contact information you would like to share with us.

We hope you enjoy the website improvements and ask for your patience as we continue to update contact records and familiarize ourselves with the outreach tools intended to enhance your experience with Casey Trees. February 2011 | theleaflet

Programs, classes and events

Casey Trees' spring class schedule features diverse offerings on tree care and identification, landscaping, and planning & design. Tree Walks

Visiting Educators Sustainable Sites Initiative Steve Windhager, PhD, CEO, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Wed., Feb. 9, 6:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m.

L L U

F S I

Steve Windhager will discuss the Sustainable Sites Initiative, a joint endeavor between the Wildflower Center, ASLA, and United States Botanic Garden.

Innovations in Plant Health Care Bruce R. Fraedrich, PhD, Bartlett Tree Research Lab, Charlotte, N.C. Wed., Feb. 16, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Lincoln Cottage and Rock Creek Cemetery Melanie Choukas-Bradley Sat., April 16, 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

This presentation will provide an update on managing landscape plant heath with emphasis on invasive exotic pests and soil health management.

Choukas-Bradley will lead a walk at President Lincoln's Civil War-era summer home and then explore historic trees at Rock Creek Cemetery. Click here for directions.

Designing Trees in the Environment Andrew Wilson, Director of Garden Design Studies at the London College of Garden Design -and- Andrew Fisher Tomlin, Landscape Designer in the United Kingdom. Wed., March 2, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. From a distinctly European perspective, our two lecturers will look at the pressures of incorporating trees in our urban environments, including gardens and public spaces, today and in the future; what we should be planting, and how we can meet the needs of trees in the future.

Citizen Forester Qualifying Courses Want to be an ambassador of Casey Trees and teach others about trees? To be recognized as a Citizen Forester, complete one or all three of the following classes: Trees 101 Casey Trees Staff Sat., Feb. 12, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Stand Up for Trees Casey Trees Staff Sat., Feb. 26, 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

This course provides a foundation in tree anatomy, identification and benefits, culminating with a street tree identification walk.

Learn what advocacy tools are available through the District’s municipal services, hear success stories and receive advice from community leaders.

Tree Planting Casey Trees Staff Sat., March 5, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Location: Raymond A. DuFour Center, The Catholic University of America (At the intersection of Taylor Street, NE and John McCormack Road, NE)

Learn how to select and prepare a tree planting site, choose appropriate species and properly plant the tree to ensure its survival. A field component follows the class. theleaflet | February 2011

Ornamental Trees Casey Trees Staff Sat., April 23, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. U.S. National Arboretum Take a walk through the Arboretum’s dogwood, magnolia and Asian tree collections to see what flowering options are offered. Shade Trees of D.C. Casey Trees Staff Sat., May 14, 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. U.S. National Arboretum Get to know some of the key representatives of D.C.’s urban forest. We will focus on larger trees found in our parks, streets and home landscapes.

FREE!

limited.

All classes will be taught at the Casey Trees headquarters at 3030 12th Street NE in Brookland unless otherwise noted.

Kids Corner

Be an Arbor Kid!

Tree Vocabulary

Match the image and word on the left with the correct description on the right. 1. Palmate a) Having three or more veins, leaflets, or lobes radiating from one point, similar to that of a hand with the fingers extended.

Each downloadable activity integrates geography, science and math to cultivate knowledge of the District’s urban forest. Activities can be done alone or in groups.

2. Pinnate

3. Mulch

Downloadable activities include: • Name that Tree! Learn how to identify some of the most common trees found in the District.

4. Tree Canopy

5. Deciduous

Casey Trees has made it easier to introduce your kids or students to trees in their backyards, schoolyards and communities! 6

e) Losing all leaves at the end of the growing season. f) A tree that grows cones.

• My Trees: A Home Inventory. Name, count and map the trees at and in front of your home. Arbor Kids is a rich resource for educators, caregivers and parents alike. Each activity incorporates Casey Trees’ ROOTS (Restoring Our Own Trees Through Service) curriculum, developed for kindergarten to 8th grade students and available for download online as well.

c) The planting of trees on land that has lost trees due to development, fire, logging, drought, pests or disease to bring back beauty to the landscape, provide food and habitat for wildlife and to provide for recreational activities. d) The layer of leaves, branches, and stems of trees that cover the ground when viewed from above.

• Tree Benefits Scavenger Hunt. Challenge yourself and friends to find all the listed tree benefits in the shortest amount of time. • How Tall Is That Tree? In four easy steps, you can determine the height of any tree.

b) A protective layer of organic matter such as leaves, straw, or shredded bark placed around plants to prevent the evaporation of moisture, the freezing of roots, and the growth of weeds.

6. Conifer

g) Having parts or branches arranged on each side of a single stem, resembling a feather.

7. Reforestation

Answer Key:

1) a; 2) g; 3) b; 4) d; 5) e; 6) f; 7) c

asey Trees’ new educational webpage, Arbor Kids, features fun and interactive activities to get kids outdoors and learn about trees and their many environmental, social and economic benefits.

February 2011 | theleaflet