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FEBRUARY 2015
WINTER WINTER WANDERING WANDERING
theleaflet
| February 2015
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CASEY TREES NEWS IN BRIEF
VOTE CASEY TREES D.C.’S BEST NONPROFIT! VOTING CLOSES MARCH 1.
CASEY TREES NEWS DESIGN AWARD APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO FEBRUARY 27 | The deadline for applications for the Canopy Award for Design has been extended to February 27. Projects should have a significant tree focus and help to increase the District’s canopy.
2015 CANOPY AWARDS TICKETS ANNOUNCED | Tickets for the 2015 Canopy Awards will go on sale February 26. The Canopy Awards will feature live music, great food and drink and lots of laughs, all while we honor those working to boost and protect D.C.’s tree canopy.
IN THIS ISSUE... SPRING 2015 COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING SCHEDULE....................................................................... 5 SPOTLIGHT: NEW ADVOCATE SAMY SEKAR............................................................................................. 6 Q OF THE MONTH.......................................................................................................................................... 7 WINTER IN ROCK CREEK PARK.............................................................................................................. 8-9 UPROOTED TREES FIND NEW HOME IN WARD 6............................................................................ 10-11 UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND EVENTS............................................................................................... 12-13 ARBOR KIDS: TREE BARK ARTWORK....................................................................................................... 14
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February 2015 | theleaflet
SAVE DATE the
SAVE
THE theleaflet
CANOPY AWARDS APRIL 23, 2015
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE. 202.833.9125 OR DEVELOPMENT@CASEYTREES.ORG
| February 2015
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CLICK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EACH PLANTING
CENTER CITY PCS BRIGHTWOOD MILITARY ROAD
PAUL PCS CAPITAL CITY PCS
JANNEY ES
WASHINGTON LATIN PCS ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME CHANCE ACADEMY
HILLWOOD MUSEUM AND GARDENS DUMBARTON OAKS
YU YING PCS MUNDO VERDE PCS
TUDOR PLACE SCHOOL WITHOUT WALLS AT FRANCIS STEVENS
ELIOT-HINE MS
SEED PCS FORT DUPONT
PAYNE ES
CPDC ARBOR VIEW
LANSBURGH PARK ANACOSTIA PARK
Spring 2015 SCHOOL & COMMUNITY
TREE PLANTINGS Volunteer registration is now open but spots fill quickly! March 7: Rock Creek Park, Military Road March 21: Eliot-Hine Middle School March 28: Sousa Middle School April 4: Hillwood Museum and Gardens April 11: Armed Forces Retirement Home April 14: Lansburgh Park
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April 15: Anacostia Park April 18: Dumbarton Oaks Park April 25: Tudor Place May 2: Fort Dupont Park May 9: Mundo Verde Bilingual PCS May 16: CPDC Arbor View
SOUSA MS
This season, Casey Trees will plant more than 650 new trees at 22 sites across D.C. through our School and Community Tree Planting programs. Funding for several planting sites is provided through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund and the Sustainable DC Budget
GIFT A TREE Tree Dedications and Tree Sponsorships are available. For more information, contact development@caseytrees.org
February 2015 | theleaflet
MARCH 25, 2015 PURCHASE TICKETS & MORE INFORMATION
theleaflet
| February 2015
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Spotlight
Newly minted Casey Trees advocate details her drive to protect D.C.’s trees By Casey Manning,
Communications & Marketing Associate | Samy Sekar, a researcher at a nonprofit specializing in independent research into environmental issues via economics, is deeply invested in environmental issues on a global scale. But in D.C., her recently adopted home, she still had a lot to learn about how to make an impact, which is why she signed up for the January 31 Stand Up For Trees class. HOW’D YOU GET INVOLVED WITH CASEY TREES? Samy Sekar: I’ve heard about Casey Trees a few times from friends, social media, and other environmental events. I went to the Canopy Awards last year and was really impressed by how well it was organized and attended The evening was really fun and educational because I hadn’t really been exposed to the organization’s work prior to the event! AND WHAT MADE YOU SIGN UP FOR STAND UP FOR TREES? SS: After the Canopy Awards, I was curious for more details about how Casey Trees so successfully advocated for trees, which while incredibly important and beautiful, don’t generally elicit the same reaction as cute animals do. Several months later I received an email on an environmental listserv about Stand Up For Trees. Another friend on the listserv and I decided to attend together. HOW ARE YOU HOPING TO ADVOCATE FOR TREES IN YOUR LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD?: SS: I’ve lived in Petworth for the last year and a half, and for now, I hope to participate in more Casey Trees events. If the opportunity arises to advocate for or against a specific 6
project in my neighborhood, and I’m informed about it, I would likely participate in the decision-making process, especially if there’s already a Casey Trees contingent involved. The great thing about Stand Up For Trees is that the information was largely relevant even outside of D.C., so as a temporary resident, I certainly plan to keep tree advocacy in mind as I move to other parts of the country. WHAT ARE ISSUES THAT CONCERN YOU REGARDING D.C.’S TREES? SS: There is constantly new development happening in D.C., and I hope tree advocacy from Casey Trees supporters (and others) ensures that the development does not disturb D.C.’s existing canopy. Of course, in order to meet the 40 percent canopy cover goal, that is still not sufficient. I’m also concerned about the urban bird population, which depends on those trees.
WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST TAKE AWAY FROM THE CLASS? SS: I was pleased to hear about the penalties D.C. issues for cutting down trees and the influence Casey Trees has already had on such policies. I learned that trees can still thrive within the urban environment if provided adequate protection. Ultimately, my takeaway was positive - D.C. canopy cover is generally on the rise and the seats at the workshop were full, suggesting great interest in continuing to improve the state of D.C.’s trees.
Interested in attending the next Stand Up For Trees class? Mark your calendars for September 19.
February 2015 | theleaflet
Q “
OUR MOST SHARED FACEBOOK POST
OF THE MONTH
Submitted to: friends@caseytrees.org
HOW CAN I PLANT TREES ON MY PROPERTY THIS SPRING?
A
-Kevin, W D.C.
There are multiple ways Casey Trees can help you plant trees on your property this spring. For DIYers, our Tree Rebate program will give you up to $100 back for every tree you plant. For those who want more hands-on help, RiverSmart Homes includes a home consult, tree species and planting location recommendation, trees and the actual planting, all for a $50 co-pay per tree.
We love this project showcasing the oldest trees in the world.
OUR MOST SHARED TWEET
This Dutch company is giving trees a voice of their own. http://bit.ly/1y5veYA -@CaseyTrees
OUR MOST
‘D INSTAGRAM
For more information about these or any of our tree planting programs, visit our website or contact friends@ caseytrees.org.
theleaflet
| February 2015
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TRANS
FORM ATION 8
February 2015 | theleaflet
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In celebration of the 125th anniversary of Rock Creek Park, Casey Trees is hosting a series of four hikes – one for each season – that, once completed, will explore the entire length of both the Valley Trail and Western Ridge Trail. Communications and Marketing Associate Casey Manning is going along for the hike and will be reflecting on her experience along the way.
WINTER IN ROCK CREEK PARK: 125TH ANNIVERSARY HIKE Winter is a season experienced in contrasts. Dry indoor heat against the wet cold that seeps in under layers of clothes. Bright twinkle lights adorning buildings otherwise enveloped in a darkness that settles in early and overstays its welcome. Brown-black bare branches against muted skies. But little is as striking in winter as a walk through Rock Creek Park, the gift given to the nation’s capital 125 years ago that cuts a 4.4 square mile swath, twice as big as New York’s Central Park, through the heart of D.C. Melanie Choukas-Bradley, the D.C.-based naturalist and author, most recently of A Year in Rock Creek Park: The Wild, Wooded Heart of Washington, D.C. led us on our journey. We 33 hikers walked from Peirce Mill, near the park’s southern tip, up the Western Ridge Trail to the Rock Creek Park Nature Center and then looped back along Beach Drive. Along the way, Melanie quizzed us on easier-toidentify trees, pointed out tell-tale bark and showed us barely-there buds that
TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE HIKE, VISIT OUR FLICKR PAGE.
theleaflet
| February 2015
teased spring. In between stops, as we hiked slim trails in twos and threes, the group often fell silent, and the crunch of twings underfoot felt almost deafening. This sweet, surprising silence made the branches spinier, the bark richer, and the buds we passed brighter against the gray-blue sky. A city’s sounds are both comforting and all-consuming. The surround stereo of buses and sirens and small talk that envelops an urban dweller is the sort of song that lets a person know they’re not alone in this world. And yet, there exists within our city’s limits an opportunity to turn the volume dial all the way down and to disappear, to feel alone in the best possible way. A park that has for 125 years stood as a contrast to booming development ripping up streets and trees in its path, a winter hike through Rock Creek Park feels, strikingly, inumerable miles away from the city that surrounds it.
ALL ROCK CREEK PARK TOURS ARE SOLD OUT. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OTHER TREE TOURS, VISIT OUR WEBSITE.
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Photo courtesy of the Washington Project for the Arts
Uprooted trees find a new home and renewed purpose in D.C.’s lowest-canopied ward By Ellyse Stauffer, Communications and Marketing Intern | Early this fall, art rose from sidewalks, abandoned lots and forgotten parks as the 5x5 Project, an initiative of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, set up its public art installations across the District. The installations were temporary, yet one piece will continue to live on in D.C.’s SW Waterfront neighborhood – its trees. Brought on board by curator Lance Fung and artist Peter Hutchinson, Casey Trees planted 20 trees in an open space at the corner of 4th and I Streets SW. The trees’ locations were determined by the landing place of a rope thrown by Hutchinson, who has created similar artworks in cities worldwide. But just one month later, according to the confines of the 5x5 Project, the trees had to be removed. Jim Woodworth, Casey Trees’ Director of Tree Planting, was able to coordinate the replanting of these trees in the nearby Syphax Village and James Creek communities, in collaboration with Washington Project for the Arts Executive Director Lisa Gold, ANC 6D Commissioner Rhonda Hamilton, SW Civic Association Chair Kael Anderson and site manager Semadra Watson.
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“We appreciate the grassroots efforts of our local partners Kael, ANC Commissioner Rhonda and Semadra to find good homes for these trees and we are especially grateful to the WPA for committing to fund the effort,” said Woodworth. “Sometimes it’s surprisingly difficult to find good homes for new trees where the tree canopy is in dire need and the trees will not be threatened by development.” Ward 6 only has 17 percent canopy cover, the lowest percentage in the District. But Casey Trees is working to change this, and will be planting more than 50 trees at Eliot-Hine Middle School in Ward 6.
The original story of the 5x5 Project partnership appears in the October 2014 issue of The Leaflet.
Turn to pg. 13 for an in-depth look at the state of Ward 6’s tree canopy.
February 2015 | theleaflet
ward 6 profile
Tree canopy by anc Tree Canopy Profile Ward 6 has 76,000 residents* and spans 6.2 square miles. The current tree canopy of Ward 6 is 17.0%. Even as the second smallest ward in the city (by land area), Ward 6 has a total possible canopy** of 33.9% . Tree Canopy by ANC, 2013
6E 6C
6A
6B 6D
ANC 6A -
current
ANC 6B -
current
ANC 6C -
current
* Population data based on 2010 assessment, neighborhoodinfodc.org
ANC 6D -
current
**Total possible tree canopy is assessed by assuming that Grass and Bare Earth areas have the potential for future canopy cover. Tree Canopy Cover:
ANC 6E -
current
Tree Canopy / (Total Area - Water)
Possible Tree Canopy: (Tree Canopy + Grass + Bare Earth) / (Total Area - Water)
theleaflet
| February 2015
19.3%
potential
35.6% 22.1%
potential
41.8%
16.0%
potential
29.0% 15.2% 43.0%
potential
13.4%
potential
0%
27.4%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Total possible canopy is an analysis that can help to indicate opportunity areas for added tree canopy. However, total possible canopy includes all grass and bare earth landcover, without discounting sites with recreation fields or future development. Therefore, an analysis of total possible canopy alone (without accounting for site-specific indicators) should not be used to set an area-wide target canopy goal.
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Events EVENTS AND PROGRAMS TO WELCOME SPRING February and March are filled with classes and events to get you excited about the spring season. Become a Casey Trees Member to receive exclusive benefits, including advanced registration to events like the ones below.
FEBRUARY 20
FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 21 21
FAMILY PROGRAM
CLASS
BUDS STORY TIME
TREES 101
10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Hill Center 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
9:00 am to 3:00 pm Casey Trees Headquarters
Get your little one up and moving to
classroom training that culminates in
stories and songs about trees and
a tree i.d. walk around the Brookland
the environment.
neighborhood.
Boost your tree knowledge with this
This class is full.
FEBRUARY 21
FEBRUARY 28
FAMILY PROGRAM
CLASS
BUDS STORY TIME
TREES 201
10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m Rock Creek Park Nature Center 5200 Glover Rd NW
9:00 am to 3:00 pm Casey Trees Headquarters
Delight your tree lover in-training
skills and ability to match species
with songs and stories about trees
to appropriate planting sites in this
and the environment.
follow up to the our introductory
Improve your tree identification
Trees 101 class. Only 6 spots available.
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February 2015 | theleaflet
MARCH 1
MARCH 10
MARCH 13
CLASS
SOCIAL
FAMILY PROGRAM
STRUCTURAL PRUNING
BRANCH OUT HAPPY HOUR
BUDS STORY TIME
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Casey Tree Farm
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. El Rey 919 U St NW
10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Hill Center 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
Dreaming of warmer temperatures?
Treat your toddler or preschooler to
Trick yourself by sipping on a margarita
an engaging morning full of stories,
at El Rey at our monthly happy hour.
songs and crafts about trees and the
Get trained in the fundamentals of pruning young trees at our tree nursery in Berryville, VA. This class is full; waitlist available.
environment. This story time will be held at the Hill Center.
MARCH 14
MARCH 18
MARCH 25
CLASS
ADVOCATE
CONFERENCE
TREE PLANTING WORKSHOP
TREE ADVOCATES MEETING
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Catholic University of America 3606 John McCormack Drive NE
6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Casey Trees
CANOPY CONNECTIONS: URBAN FORESTS FOR PUBLIC GOOD
Become active in the re-treeing of D.C. by learning how to properly select and plant trees so you can be prepared to lead volunteers in planting trees at future sites.
Rivers Project which is aiming to
Get up to speed on DC Water’s Clean curb pollution in Rock Creek and the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers.
8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Carnegie Institution for Science 1530 P Street NW
Join us for this one-day conference geared toward industry professionals to discuss pressing urban forestry issues, learn about the latest research being undertaken and connect with those interested in growing and protecting our
MARCH 28
trees and urban forests.
TOUR CHERRY BLOSSOMS WITH WASHINGTON WALKS 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. National Mall
Lace up your walking shoes for a cherry blossom tour. Learn how they came to be planted in D.C. and all the different varietals you can find. All proceeds will be donated by Washington Walks to Casey Trees. theleaflet
| February 2015
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Arbor Kids
Tree-inspired art work!
The leaves may be long gone, but tree bark art is a unique way to examine trees in the winter months. Make crayon rubbings of the bark and start a collection.
With a crayon and paper, trace the pattern of tree bark
Courtesy of Rainforest
Alliance
Courtesy of The
Kitchn
Identify the tree by its bark and keep a collection of different species. Courtesy of Marsha’s
Reading and Crafts Cubbyhole
Need some help identifying the bark? Check out TreeBarkID.com 14
February 2015 | theleaflet