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| November 2014
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CASEY TREES NEWS IN BRIEF
Casey Trees staff dig in and plant trees at Michigan Park
Thanks to a camera set up around the clock to capture wildlife on the Casey Tree Farm in Berryville, Va., this bear made his big screen debut. Photo by Zelena Williams
On October 21, Casey Trees staff took a break from the Brookland office to plant seven trees at nearby Michigan Park in Northeast D.C. as part of the Sustainable DC Budget Challenge Grant.
CASEY TREES NEWS NEW ADDITION TO THE CASEY TREES STAFF | Jason Galliger joins the Communications and Development department as the Digital Strategist. A recent graduate of Virginia Tech, he brings a wealth of digital marketing know-how to the Casey Trees team CASEY TREES HANDBOOK WINS MERIT AWARD | The National Capital Area American Planning Association will award Casey Trees the Benjamin Banneker Award for Outstanding Social Commitment and Community Initiative for the Citizen Advocate Handbook, compiled by the Planning and Design Department. The award will be presented during a ceremony on November 20.
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TREE ADVOCATES MEETING ON NOV. 6 | The last Tree Advocates meeting of the year will be held on November 6 at the Casey Trees headquarters from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Benjamin Tauber, RLA, LEED Green Assoc., Senior Associate with Lee and Associates, Inc. will discuss his landscape designs for CityCenterDC. This LEED ND Gold project features multi-level garden terraces and stormwater capture using trees. The meeting will also discuss what the election results mean for D.C.’s trees. Registration is required.
DC PLUG | Need answers about the District’s and Pepco’s proposed plan to bury the worst-performing power lines in the city? On November 12, join Casey Trees, Pepco and the Urban Forestry Administration for the DC PLUG: Burying Lines, Raising Questions webinar from noon to 1:00 p.m. and have your questions answered.
November 2014 | theleaflet
URBAN FORESTRY NEWS STUDIES FIND INTERACTION WITH TREES HELPS US BETTER RESPOND TO STRESS | Landscape architects Bin Jiang, Chun-Yen Chang and William C. Sullivan explored the relationship between increasing tree density and responses to stress in a new study published in Environment and Behavior. The study showed increased stress response ability with increasing tree density. In a second phase of the study, Jiang, Chang and Sullivan looked at the difference between male and female responses to stress in an applied performance stress test coupled with three different treatments of tree densities — low, medium, and high. Results showed that males responded better to stress when encountering a medium amount of tree density while women showed no significant results. There is not sufficient evidence from the study, however, to conclude that tree density has no effect on stress response in women.
NOW ON SALE
DPW BEGINS LEAF COLLECTION | The Department of Public Works has begun collecting leaves across the District. More information, including a schedule of neighborhood pick-up dates, is available on their website. UFA KICKS OFF LARGEST TREE PLANTING SEASON TO DATE | The Urban Forestry Administration will plant 8,000 trees across the District this fall — their highest season planting total to date.
NATIVE TREES OF D.C. POSTER PRINT AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE SHOP
IN THIS ISSUE... WHY TREE D.C.?............................................................................................................................................ 6 DIGGING UP HISTORY................................................................................................................................. 11 TREET YOURSELF.................................................................................................................................. 12-13 VISITING ARBORIST SHARES HIS CASEY TREES EXPERIENCE........................................................... 15 UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND EVENTS............................................................................................... 16-17 ARBOR KIDS: KID-FRIENDLY KITCHEN PROJECTS!............................................................................... 18 theleaflet
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TRANS
FORM ATION 4
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This fall, Casey Trees will plant more than 500 trees across D.C. with the help of more than 400 volunteers. These volunteers are first-hand witnesses to the transformation that’s happening across the District and provide critical support as we work to reach the District’s 40 percent canopy goal by 2032. The Park at LeDroit is a Sustainable DC Budget Challenge Grant site. theleaflet
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WHY TREE
DC? “I think there’s something about having an increased number of trees in a park that makes it more inviting, it gives it that idea especially in the summer of a nice shady place you can go and read a book.”
-EMILY HENKELMAN
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On October 25, 46 trees were planted at the Park at LeDroit in Northwest D.C. with the help of more than 80 volunteers. We asked them: WHY DO YOU THINK TREES ARE IMPORTANT TO THE LEDROIT PARK NEIGHBORHOOD? Here are a few of their answers.
“The community alone, without community you don’t have this! [Motions to field of volunteers.] Look at it, it’s beautiful!”
-PERRY MORGAN
“I recently moved to the neighborhood and really want to start investing in the neighborhood.”
-ADRIANE THEIS
“I really want this neighborhood to continue to grow and to continue to become a place where people want to raise families. The work that we’re doing here is one important step in making it a place that’s more inviting for people to be.”
-OWEN WILLIS
November 2014 | theleaflet
Q “
OUR MOST SHARED FACEBOOK POST
OF THE MONTH
Submitted to: friends@caseytrees.org
WHAT’S EATING MY TREE?
“What’s green, shaped like a mango, tastes like a banana, and can be found locally?”
-Dawn, W D.C. Thanks 2 @CaseyTrees & the more than 100 neighbors & supporters that came out Sat 2 improve our park @LeDroitParkDC. -@bdfooter
A
OUR MOST
‘D INSTAGRAM
This looks to be the result of a buck deer rubbing its antlers on your trees. Though the tree looks bad now, you should give it some time and see how it recovers. Installing deer guards on your tree trunks should prevent this from happening in the future.
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N D
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T! E E IF R G F A A ET VE
EI EC
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TTEE O VO
A
T! IF
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DECISION 2014 VOTE FOR THE TREE WITH THE BEST FALL COLOR
YOUR GIFT PLANTS TREES AT SCHOOLS, PARKS AND RECREATION CENTERS IN D.C. 8
November 2014 | theleaflet
Spotlight
Oliver Pattison on his daily reads, best memories and next steps By Casey Manning, Communications & Marketing Associate | It’s a good thing Oliver Pattison looks good in hats because he wore many at Casey Trees over his fouryear tenure. Though he’s moving on to new ventures, his mark on Casey Trees will remain. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING AT CASEY TREES AND HOW DID YOU FIND YOURSELF HERE? OLIVER PATTISON: I’ve been here exactly four years. I got interested in working on web and data projects while working at a couple of other D.C. nonprofits, and Casey Trees offered a multi-disciplinary role that fit my skills quite well. Like many people who make their career on the web, I studied the unrelated field of government in college WHAT’S YOUR FONDEST MEMORY OF CASEY TREES? OP: I really enjoyed holiday parties with Jared, Tim, Mark and Chris (my original Communications and Development team from 2010 to 2014). Great food and friends who I might not have met without working here. HOW HAS WORKING AT CASEY TREES CHANGED YOU? OP: Casey Trees and the Communications and Development team have been a place for me to explore and grow tremendously. Prior to coming here, I’d never picked up a camera before – now I have a life-long hobby. I didn’t know there were outlets for my creativity that I could use toward a purpose or goal.
IF YOU WEREN’T WORKING ON WEBSITES, YOU’D BE: OP: If I weren’t working on the web I might be an educator, although I haven’t ruled out that career path yet. WEBSITES THAT YOU CHECK DAILY: OP: My daily reads on the web are The Verge, Ars Technica and Greater Greater Washington. THING YOU’LL MISS MOST ABOUT CASEY TREES: OP: I will miss the current and (almost)
theleaflet
| November 2014
completely new Communications and Development staff who’ve joined this year. I have only had the chance to work with the current team for a few months, but I think they’re going to do great things with the website, design, fundraising and events over the next few years. I am proud to have helped hire such a capable and creative team. WHAT’S YOUR NEXT MOVE? OP: Nonprofit web consulting. For hire!
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THIS FALL,
BEAUTIFY YOUR HOME WITH TREES
2 WAYS TO ADD A TREE TO YOUR PROPERTY!
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YOU PLANT Use our Tree Rebate and get up to $100 back per tree.
OR WE PLANT With RiverSmart Homes, your $50 per tree co-pay includes a home consult, tree and labor.
November 2014 | theleaflet
DIGGING UP
HISTORY
OTHER INTERESTING THINGS WE’VE DUG UP AT PLANTINGS COW FEMUR
SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL ZOO
PROHIBITION-ERA WHISKEY BOTTLES MULTIPLE SITES
BELT BUCKLE OXON RUN
Photo courtesy of the Stuart Center
By Ellyse Stauffer, Communications and Marketing Intern | During a Community Tree Planting on October 11, Casey Trees volunteers found a cannonball dating back to the Civil War. Vicky Rajca, Director of Finance and Operations at the Stuart Center, was present at the time of the discovery. “Fort Totten was not too far from here, so it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility to find three, even four cannonballs,” said Rajca. Jon Psotka, a Civil War aficionado and Casey theleaflet
Trees Member, is from Rockville, Maryland, which he defines as “Civil War Central.” Of the cannonball, Psotka said, “It’s unlikely it was fired during battle, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t fired ‘shot.’ The artillery in the forts would fire shots for practice every so often. That area during the Civil War was either empty or farmland so they would have had lots of room to test fire their cannons every so often as drills.” Psotka explained that Fort Stevens, which took place in 1864, was the only battle that was fought in D.C., very far from the planting
| November 2014
site. On a battle site, it is possible to find thousands of cannonballs, but the discovery of an individual cannonball is definitely not typical in other areas of D.C. Though it is very unlikely for dormant cannonballs to pose danger, there is a slight chance that they may still contain active explosives, so it is necessary to clear them with authorities before they are displayed. Once it’s cleared, Rajca said, “we do plan to display it with a plaque.” The Stuart Center is located on Varnum St. NE, Washington, D.C.
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TREET YOURSELF We asked Casey Trees staff and volunteers to share their closely guarded recipes – all featuring ingredients from trees – so that you too can treat your family this holiday season.
Photo courtesy of SkinnyTaste
BAKED SPICED PEARS SWEET & SPICY NUT MIX GRAPEFRUIT GIN FIZZ BY STEPHANIE JUCHS, COMMUNITY EDUCATION COORDINATOR
BY JARED POWELL, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT
Adapted from SkinnyTaste. Glutenfree and low on sugar, this is a healthy dessert that’s sure to please everyone at your dinner table. Makes four servings.
Sweet, savory and so simple to put together, this nut mix makes a great holiday gift.
2 large ripe pears 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice 2 tsp honey 1/4 cup crushed walnuts 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 2. Cut the pears in half, scoop out seeds and place cut-side up on a baking sheet. 3. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice, top with walnuts and drizzle ½ teaspoon honey over each one. 4. Bake in the oven 25-30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
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1/3 cup dark-brown sugar 2/3 cup white granulated sugar 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp cayenne 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 lb walnuts 1/2 lb pecan halves 1 egg white, room temperature 1 tbsp water 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. Beat egg white and water until frothy and toss with nuts to coat. 3. Stir in sugar mixture, making sure to break up any lumps. 4. Spread nuts in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 5. Cool completely before storing.
BY CASEY MANNING, COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING ASSOCIATE
This recipe is easily scaleable and the perfect pre-dinner drink to please a crowd. Makes two cocktails. 3 oz gin 1 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice 1 cup ginger ale Cucumber slices Ice 1. Combine gin, grapefruit juice and ice in a cocktail shaker, then split between two glasses. 2. Carefully top off each glass with ginger ale and cumcumber slices just before serving.
November 2014 | theleaflet
PUMPKIN SOUP WITH CINNAMON CRUTONS
by ARIELLE CONTI, TECHNICAL SERVICES AND RESEARCH INTERN Arielle’s mother made this soup for her when she was growing up. The cinnamon crutons truly steal the show, so don’t skimp on the sweet and smoky spice. FOR THE SOUP 2 tablespoons butter 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup) 2 (13 3/4 ounce) cans vegetable broth 1 (1 lb) can solid-pack pumpkin (2 cups) 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/8 tsp ground ginger 1/8 tsp pepper 3 cups milk or almond milk FOR THE CROUTONS 3 tablespoons softened butter 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 4 slices whole grain bread 1. Heat butter in large saucepan; add onion and sauté until tender but not brown, about 10 minutes. 2. Add all soup ingredients and bring to a boil, cover and lower heat. 3. Simmer 15 minutes. 4. Blend with an immersion blender until mixture is smooth. 5. Simmer for 15 minutes more. 6. Preheat oven to 400°F. 7. Blend first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Spread on bread slices; place on a cookie sheet in a single layer. 8. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until toast is crisp and topping is bubbly. 9. Cut into small triangles or squares. 10. Serve soup garnished with cinnamon croutons
SERVICEBERRY MUFFINS
by VICTOR CASTILLO, CASEY TREES VOLUNTEER & LEAD CITIZEN FORESTER These muffins are famous at plantings that Victor leads, and luckily, we were able to convince him to share the secret recipe. FOR THE MUFFINS ½ cup rolled oats ½ cup orange juice ½ cup plain yogurt ½ cup vegetable oil 1 egg, beaten 1½ cups flour ½ cup sugar ½ tsp salt ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp baking powder 1½ cups serviceberries FOR THE TOPPING 2 tbsp sugar ¼ tsp cinnamon 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. 2. Soak rolled oats in orange juice for a couple of minutes. Add yogurt and mix. Stir in egg and oil to the oats, orange juice and yogurt mixture. 3. Mix dry ingredients (but not berries) together in a large bowl. Add berries to dry mixture; stir to coat. 4. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients. Pour in the rolled oats mixture. Gently fold together, being careful not to over-mix. 5. Spray mini-muffin or standard muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Evenly spoon mixture into the pan and top with the cinnamon / sugar mixture. 6. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick comes out clean; about 12 to 14 minutes for the mini-muffins or 18 to 20 minutes for standard muffins. 7. Cool muffins in pan. Serve warm or cool completely on a wire rack.
Haven’t seen serviceberries on your grocery store shelves? The berry, which grows on a tree native to the D.C. region, is pleasantly sweet but not overly so. Learn more about the serviceberry in our TREE SPECIES GUIDE.
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On October 23, Casey Trees planted seven trees with 18 students on a sloping hill besides Paul Public Charter School’s campus in Northwest.
FEATURED SCHOOL PLANTING
PAUL PCS
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While the middle and high school students were tackling the tough dirt, Paul PCS Director of Development Takita Mason was already planning for the future. “When they grow up, they can come back to their alma mater and see the same tree they planted back in the 8th, 9th, 10th, or 11th grade.” November 2014 | theleaflet
VISITING ARBORIST REFLECTS ON HIS CASEY TREES EXPERIENCE
[
As part of the Society of Municipal Arborists Exchange, NYC Parks and Recreation Director of Tree Planting Matthew Stephens spent three days in October with Casey Trees digging in the dirt, exploring the Casey Tree Farm in Berryville, Va. and planting trees alongside staff. We gave him a chance to reflect on his experience below.
By Matthew Stephens, Director
of Tree Planting at NYC Parks & Recreation | A few months ago, both NYC Parks and Casey Trees successfully applied for an urban forester exchange organized through the Society of Municipal Arborists. The goal of the exchange was simple – enable urban foresters to share expertise, management practices and technology through an on-site and immersive experience. To that end, I was welcomed for a few days into the Casey Trees family with open arms! During my time, I visited the Casey Tree theleaflet
Farm, participated in tree planting events and met with the leadership to discuss the dayto-day management as well as the long-term vision of the organization. I was also able to witness Casey Trees’ innovative tree-growing practices at the Farm and take in tree plantings completed throughout the District. With everyone I talked to, rode along with, or learned from, I noticed one commonality – passion. Passion to inspire the young, maximize tree survival, add canopy to backyards, but perhaps most importantly, true passion for the people and trees of
| November 2014
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D.C. The city is lucky to have Casey Trees as a stakeholder in their urban forest, and I can attest that Casey Trees is an expert and trustworthy steward. I want to thank the staff of Casey Trees for allowing me to take part in this exchange and want them to know I am sincerely grateful for their time and generosity. Casey Trees is an amazing organization working on amazing projects and I’m certain they will continue to be at the forefront of urban forestry for decades to come.
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Events TREE CARE EVENTS AND PROGRAMS TO KICK OFF THE WINTER SEASON November and December are filled with classes and events to get you excited about the winter season. Become a Casey Trees Member to receive exclusive benefits, including advanced registration to events like the ones below.
NOVEMBER 6 ADVOCATE: TREE ADVOCATES MEETING 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Casey Trees Headquarters
Speak with Benjamin Tauber, a local landscape architect who helped design the sustainable elements at CityCenterDC.
NOVEMBER 7
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12
FAMILY PROGRAM
LIVE WEBINAR
BUDS STORY TIME
DC PLUG: BURYING LINES, RAISING QUESTIONS
10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Hill Center 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
12:00 p.m to 1:00 p.m. Your Computer
Come to the Hill Center for our Buds
Got questions about DC PLUG, the District and Pepco’s proposed plan to bury
family program, a tree-focused story
the worst-performing overhead power lines in the city? Get answers during our
time aimed toward an audience of
live webinar!
toddlers and preschoolers.
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November 2014 | theleaflet
NOVEMBER 8 FAMILY PROGRAM
FALL COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING SCHEDULE
BUDS STORY TIME 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m Rock Creek Park Nature Center 5200 Glover Rd NW
11/6 Yu Ying PCS 11/8 Banneker Recreation Center Community Tree Planting
Come to Rock Creek Park for our
11/15 Fort Dupont Park Community Tree Planting
Buds family program, a tree-focused
11/22 Battery Kemble Park Community Tree Planting
story time aimed toward an audience
12/13 Takoma Recreation Center Community Tree Planting
of toddlers and preschoolers.
NOVEMBER 12
NOVEMBER 14
DECEMBER 5
SOCIAL
TREE TOUR:
FAMILY PROGRAM
BRANCH OUT HAPPY HOUR
UNIQUE TREE SPECIES AT SMITHSONIAN GARDENS
BUDS STORY TIME
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Right Proper Brewing Company 624 T Street NW
10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Hill Center 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
Join us at Right Proper for our
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Enid A. Haupt Garden 950 Indepencence Avenue SW
monthly social happy hour. Free and
Learn about trees not often found on the
family program, a tree-focused story
open to all.
streets or within parks of the District with
time aimed toward an audience of
this guided tour of some of the unique
toddlers and preschoolers.
Come to the Hill Center for our Buds
species found in the Smithsonian gardens. *Event is filled, waitlist available.
DECEMBER 6
DECEMBER 9
DECEMBER 13
CLASS
SOCIAL
FAMILY PROGRAM
TREES 301 AT CASEY TREE FARM
BRANCH OUT HAPPY HOUR
BUDS STORY TIME
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Casey Tree Farm
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Jack Rose Dining Saloon 2007 18th St NW
10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m Rock Creek Park Nature Center 5200 Glover Rd NW
Join us at the Casey Tree Farm to
Join us at Jack Rose for our
Come to Rock Creek Park for our
learn advanced winter tree ID concepts
monthly social happy hour. Free and
Buds family program, a tree-focused
and tricks of the trade.
open to all.
story time aimed toward an audience of toddlers and preschoolers.
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Arbor Kids
Kid-friendly kitchen projects!
Fall is a great time to cook with tree fruit! Here are some delicious recipes to try at school or at home with fruit from you fruit trees.
Persimmons can transform into muffins or chips
Courtesy of Sweet
Beet and Green Bean
Courtesy of The
Kitchn
Asian pears are delicious on their own or sliced and served with nut butter
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November 2014 | theleaflet