The Leaflet — September 2012

leaflet

the

SEPTEMBER 2012

COMMUNITY INVESTMENT

FROM CLASSES TO PLANTINGS TO RESEARCH, CASEY TREES' FALL PROGRAMS HIGHLIGHT

TH E VALU E OF TREES

CASEY TREES NEWS IN BRIEF

Casey Trees gears up for fall planting season Casey Trees is about to make more than 350 trees — and 26 sites in the D.C. area — a little happier through its Community Tree Planting (CTP) program. The first tree will be put in the ground on Sept. 27 at The Kingsbury Center, one of 10 schools receiving trees this fall.

New Citizen Forester (CF) recruits will learn how to properly plant trees and lead volunteers from experienced CFs at the National Zoo planting on Oct. 6. All other volunteer opportunities begin Oct. 27.

The full schedule is available on Page 10. School plantings and some special planting events are closed to outside volunteers. Advanced registration is required and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. No tree planting experience is necessary to participate.

For individuals interested in re-treeing the District in ways other than tree planting, check out Page 7 for more on how to sponsor a tree planted this year through the CTP program.

CASEY TREES NEWS CONSTRUCTION AT TREE PLANTING ANNEX NEARS COMPLETION | The new building at 3015 12th Street NE, which will house Casey Trees’ Tree Planting Department and its tree yard, is almost complete. Finishing touches will be made during the month of September.

TWO STAFF RECEIVE ARBORIST CERTIFICATION | Arborist-Auditor Katie Heffernan and tree planting crew member Josh Singer passed their International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) exams and are now certified arborists. The new certifications bring the total number of ISA-certified arborists on staff to eight.

SUMMER VOLUNTEERS HELP CARE FOR D.C.’S TREES | Last month, dozens of volunteers helped water, weed and mulch trees planted by Casey Trees in the past two years.

On Aug. 6 and 7, a group of British teenagers helped care for trees at Oxon Run Park in Ward 8. Each teen raised more than £4,000 for the Joshua Foundation and were rewarded with a two-weeks-long community service trip to the U.S., with stops in New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C. In another tree care event on Aug. 11,

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residents of Ward 5 helped tend to trees on the Metropolitan Branch Trail.

CASEY TREES TO EXHIBIT AT FALL COMMUNITY EVENTS | As is fall tradition, Casey Trees will set up shop at a handful of large community events this fall, starting on Sept. 9 at Adams Morgan Day along 18th Street NW. Other dates and locations include: • • • •

Sept. 15 — H Street Festival Sept. 21 — PARK(ing) Day Sept. 22 — Barracks Row Fall Festival Oct. 6 — Columbia Heights Day

For community groups interested in requesting Casey Trees to table at their neighborhood festivals or present at a meeting, please fill out the community engagement form online.

PRIVATE TREE DEDICATIONS DEADLINE APPROACHES | Looking to make a gift that lasts a lifetime? Time is running out for private Tree Dedications in 2012. Those looking to plant a commemorative tree in a specific location have until September 15th to make your request.

For more information about our Tree Dedication

September 2012 | theleaflet

program, call 202.833.9125 or send an email to our Development Department. Public dedications will be available throughout the fall CTP season.

TREE CANOPY SYMPOSIUM REGISTRATION OPEN | Individuals can still register for $55 to attend Casey Trees’ Tree Canopy Symposium on Oct. 18. Flip to Page 11 for more information on the conference schedule, speakers and location.

URBAN FORESTRY NEWS MAYOR GRAY ESTABLISHES POWER LINE UNDERGROUNDING TASK FORCE | D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray appointed a special task force on power line undergrounding. The group

consists of D.C. agency employees, members of affected communities, D.C. councilmembers and private sector professionals, mainly from utility companies in the area. Casey Trees Executive Director Mark Buscaino gave testimony at the first task force meeting on Aug. 23.

BROOKLAND CELEBRATES ITS 125TH ANNIVERSARY | The official anniversary of the Brookland neighborhood, home to Casey Trees’ headquarters, is Sept. 5. Events and celebrations commemorating the 125th birthday of the community are on schedule throughout the month of September.

IN THIS ISSUE...

FROM THE DESK: HOW TO ACHIEVE THE MAYOR’S SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.................................. 4-5 SPOTLIGHT: CITIZEN FORESTER THERESA JENKINS.............................................................................. 6 GIVING: SPONSOR A TREE PLANTED IN 2012........................................................................................... 7 TREE REBATE PROGRAM OFFERS INDIVIDUALS UP TO $100 PER TREE............................................. 9 CASEY TREES ANNOUNCES FALL 2012 COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING SCHEDULE......................... 10 UPCOMING CASEY TREES EVENTS.......................................................................................................... 11 TREEWISE PROGRAM BECOMES SUMMER EDUCATION SUCCESS................................................... 12 TECHNICAL SERVICES & RESEARCH DIRECTOR GIVES DEPARTMENT FORECAST.......................... 13 DEVELOPMENT TRACKER: ST. ELIZABETH’S EAST CAMPUS IN WARD 8.......................................... 14 CASEY TREES URGES RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE WATERING THIS MONTH..................................... 15 ARBOR KIDS: SEED HUNT GUIDE.............................................................................................................. 16

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From the Desk From Vision to Reality: Aligning D.C.’s tree functions to achieve Mayor Gray’s 40 percent tree canopy goal Mayor Gray has received much deserved praise for his Sustainability Plan and 40 percent Tree Canopy Goal. To attain it, Casey Trees urges Mayor Gray to review the city’s current tree management activities and the agencies that carry them out.

The two key agencies involved in tree related activities in D.C. are the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), and within it the Urban Forestry Administration (UFA), and the District Department of the Environment (DDOE). Their missions are as follows:

MARK BUSCAINO

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

• DDOT: Develops and maintains a cohesive sustainable transportation system that delivers safe, affordable, and convenient ways to move people and goods while protecting and enhancing DC’s natural, environmental and cultural resources. Within DDOT… • UFA: Establishes and maintains a full population of healthy street trees.

• DDOE: Improves the quality of life for the residents and natural inhabitants of the Nation’s Capital by protecting and restoring the environment, conserving our natural resources, mitigating pollution, and educating the public on ways to secure a sustainable future.

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Although these statements are clear, history, not mission, often dictates tasks, which is why UFA for example, administers D.C.’s tree protection law, often called the Tree Bill. While the law impacts trees almost exclusively on private space, UFA is tasked with street tree management on the public space. The net impact is that administering the Tree Bill on private lots interferes with UFA’s ability to carry out its primary mission managing street trees, and UFA has suggested that DDOE assume Tree Bill oversight to streamline agency functions.

Another administrative alignment issue concerns the D.C. State Forester’s Office, which is housed in UFA. Given UFA’s mission, the D.C. State Forester oversees exclusively street trees, different from every other state forester office, which oversees all trees and forests in their state. By extension, federal funds provided to the DC State Forester’s office are used almost exclusively on the city’s street trees as opposed to all of D.C.’s trees.

Finally, the State Forester’s Office is supposed to support and convene an Urban Forest Council to encourage coordination of a state’s management of its trees and provide the public a voice into urban forestry-related matters — a key element of Mayor Gray’s Sustainability Plan. Unfortunately, since 2002, D.C.’s State Forestry Office is the only state forester’s office in the U.S. that does not have an Urban Forest Council, which muzzles the public voice, discourages Agency coordination and encourages inefficiencies and waste.

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DDOE plants trees on private lots through its stormwater programs, conducts tree planting for stream stabilization and other performs activities.

It reviews construction plans that impact trees, is responsible for regulatory compliance to the EPA for tree-related issues and coordinates writing and implementation of the city’s Urban Forest Master Plan — a requirement of the city’s MS-4 Stormwater Discharge Permit. DDOE has had its Urban Forest Master Plan draft ready to go for years, but because of agency struggles, it has never been finalized.

These issues have slowed D.C.’s progress toward a greener future, and we urge the Mayor to take the following steps: 1. Revise UFA’s mission to include tree management on schools, parks and other DC public spaces. This is a huge job that plays to UFA’s strengths, recognizes their current role and will enhance the quality and quantity of trees on public space.

2. Shift Tree Bill and Tree Fund oversight to DDOE, both of which impact private space.

This will clarify roles and cement DDOE’s mandate and activities on the private space including tree planting, development plan review and related tasks.

4. Task DDOE to establish and regularly convene an Urban Forest Council to give the public a voice in D.C.’s tree issues and to coordinate agency activities to reduce redundancies and inefficiencies in managing the District’s urban forest on all lands.

5. Finally, relocate the D.C. State Forester’s Office to DDOE, which is charged by its enabling legislation with establishing, coordinating and meeting tree policy on all D.C. lands, not just its street trees.

The Mayor’s Sustainability Plan and its 40 percent tree canopy goal are ground breaking, and to achieve it, the city must modify its existing organizational structure to eliminate overlapping responsibilities, inefficiencies and waste. These simple actions will have a significant positive impact toward achieving the goal and will represent a quantum leap for the future of this, our City of Trees.

Regards,

Mark Buscaino Executive Director

3. Assign coordination of all-lands tree policy, done by no agency at present, to DDOE as required by its enabling legislation.

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Spotlight Citizen Forester Theresa Jenkins does her name proud Since her days in high school, Citizen Forester Theresa Jenkins has embraced her nickname: Tree.

project leaders and a diverse group of volunteers, all whom have similar aspirations, optimism and expectations for improving the District’s canopy.”

A Brookland resident, Jenkins would regularly pass Casey Trees’ headquarters on 12th Street NE and was curious to see what the organization was about.

One of the greatest aspects of tree planting is working with the Casey Tree Staff, the dedicated project leaders and a diverse group of volunteers, all whom have similar aspirations, optimism and expectations for improving the District’s canopy.

“I loved the name,” she said, “and I was actively looking for a volunteer opportunity that would benefit many aspects of the city, while doing something I love.”

Jenkins’ first taste of Casey Trees came in May 2011, when she a took a tree tour of Capitol Hill.

“I wanted to know more,” she said, “so I quickly attended several classes and tree plantings and became a Citizen Forester later that year.”

Being outdoors and helping improve the environment play important roles in Jenkins’ life — and her volunteer service with Casey Trees — but it is the community aspect of tree plantings that keeps her coming back for more.

Jenkins is vocal about her support of the city’s tree canopy and the work she and others do to protect it. Though she understands the importance of planting, she often talks with people about advocating for trees in communities.

“Trees are important to the health and well-being of all District citizens,” Jenkins said. “Plus, planting trees is a great way to get connected to the city you live in.”

Do you want to become a Citizen Forester? Register online for the Citizen Forester-qualifying Tree Planting Workshop on Oct. 6.

“One of the greatest aspects of tree planting is working with the Casey Tree Staff, the dedicated

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Giving Casey Trees now offers tree sponsorship opportunities It has been just two weeks since Casey Trees launched its new online marketplace, The ColleCTion, and the new merchandise is already flying off the shelves. But with all the fancy swag to choose from, it is easy to forget what your purchase is going towards.

Cue in the new Tree Sponsorship option, which allows friends and supporters of Casey Trees to know exactly where their donations are going. Tree sponsorship gives you the chance to support the planting of a tree through our Community Tree Planting program, which is set to bring over 400 trees — a $100,000 investment — to the District this fall (see graphic).

2012 PROJECTED TREE TOTALS BY WARD

385

WARD 4

191

WARD 3

For just $100, you can sponsor the purchase and planting of one tree. In return, you will receive a formal letter from Casey Trees notifying you of the location of the tree, its species and the date on which it was planted.

82

WARD 1

202

WARD 5

6

WARD 2

74

WARD 6

132

WARD 7

To sponsor a tree for you or a loved one, visit The ColleCTion and make your donation. By sponsoring a tree today, you will be leaving a lasting gift to future generations of Washingtonians.

Donations are accepted securely online or via mail. Make your donation today.

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WARD 8

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CASEY TREES’

TR E R BATE

E

PLANT A TREE

The

COLLE CTION CASEY TREES MARKET

Gym bag, $15

Sport this bag and other Casey Trees merchandise available for purchase online.

T-shirts | Water bottles | Hip canteens | Totes | Watering bags | Trunk guards

SAVE SOME CASH! Complete guidelines, rebate coupons, area nurseries and tree planting tips are available at

CASEYTREES.ORG

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September 2012 | theleaflet

Tree Planting Tree Rebates up to $100 per tree available

By Katie Heffernan, Arborist-Auditor, Casey Trees | Fall is a great time to plant, and Casey Trees’ popular Tree Rebate program continues to offer do-it-yourself tree planters big rewards during tree planting season. Any individual who plants a tree on private property in the District can receive a rebate from Casey Trees for up to $100. There is no limit on the number of trees that a person can be rewarded rebates for.

Rebates of up to $50 per tree are available for small and medium canopy trees, including standardsize fruit trees and native flowering trees like silverbell or yellowwood. Most trees qualify, as long as they reach 15 feet tall and wide at maturity.

Dwarf trees and shrubs — even large shrubs — do not qualify for the rebate. Invasive tree species — Norway maple, Tree-of-heaven, Mimosa, Bradford pear, Sawtooth oak and Siberian elm — and any variety of ash should not be planted and do not qualify for the rebate.

Casey Trees will approve the full rebate amount for purchases more than the rebate tier amount, or the full retail price of the tree for purchases that are less than the rebate tier amount.

Note that trees must be planted on private residential and commercial property and not on public property such as in street tree boxes, triangle parks or traffic circles.

Downloadable rebate forms, instructions and a complete list of trees eligible for the increased rebate are available online.

A selection of 27 large, native canopy trees qualify for the $100 rebate — primarily oaks and hickories, as well as American beech, American linden, American sweetgum, sycamore and tuliptree.

Rebate requests must be accompanied by a completed form pledging to water and care for the tree(s) for a minimum of two years, as well as an itemized receipt for each tree.

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Volunteer Registration for fall 2012 Community Tree Planting events opens Sept. 10 Volunteer opportunities are in blue. Citizen Forester-only plantings or trainings are in green. Schools and special planting events are not open to outside volunteers. Advanced registration is required.

SEPTEMBER DATE

DAY

TIME

LOCATION/GROUP

12:30 p.m.

The Kingsbury Center

Saturday Saturday

9:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

Collegiate PCS Wangari Gardens Memorial Planting

27

Thursday

29 29

OCTOBER

4

Thursday

9:00 a.m.

Maury Elementary School

6

Saturday

9:00 a.m.

National Zoo - Smithsonian Institution

10 11

Wednesday Thursday

9:00 a.m.

2:00 p.m.

National Child Research Center Capital Area Food Bank

13 17

Saturday Wednesday

9:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

Oxon Run Citizens Association Drew Freeman Middle School

17

Wednesday

12:30 p.m.

Anne Beers Elementary School

20 23

Saturday Tuesday

9:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

Metropolitan Branch Trail Stoddert Elementary School

24

Wednesday

9:00 a.m.

Friends of Takoma Park Recreation Center

25 27 27 31

Thursday Saturday Saturday Wednesday

9:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

Imagine Southeast PCS Friends of Dakota Park Emerson Park HOA Art & Tech PCS

31

Wednesday

12:30 p.m.

Washington Jesuit School

NOVEMBER

1

Thursday

9:30 a.m.

Grace Episcopal Day School

3 3 10 16 17

Saturday Saturday Saturday Friday Saturday

9:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

Blair Apartments (Md.) with Clean Currents LLC Conservation Montgomery McLean Gardens Fort Myer Crestwood Citizens Association

Saturday Saturday

9:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

St. Paul’s Parish at Rock Creek Cemetery Wangari Gardens

DECEMBER

1 8

SPONSORS

®

All sites in pink, will receive cherry trees sponsored

by NCBF.

Collegiate PCS, Sept. 29

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Metropolitan Branch Trail, Oct. 20

Friends of Takoma Park Recreation Center, Oct. 24

Friends of Dakota Park, Oct. 27

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Events Upcoming events in September and October From classes to tree tours to book readings, Casey Trees has a variety of event offerings this fall, with more educational opportunities to come. Register online to grab a spot!

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18

Class: Trees 101

Class: Trees 201

Tree Canopy Symposium

9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Casey Trees Headquarters 3030 12th Street NE

9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Casey Trees Headquarters 3030 12th Street NE

9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

FHI 360 Conference Center, 8th Floor 1825 Connecticut Avenue NW

Get to know Washington, D.C.’s trees. This course provides a foundation in tree anatomy, tree identification and an overview in how trees function to provide the benefits we enjoy in the urban forest. The session will culminate with a street tree identification walk.

Getting to know a tree means more than simply knowing its name. This course is geared toward Citizen Foresters, Project Organizers and others interested in building confidence in tree identification and selecting the right tree for the right place. Classroom and field sessions will be combined.

The Tree Canopy Symposium convenes scientists, practitioners, local and national leaders to discuss the importance of our urban tree canopy; how it improves our lives; how we can estimate its value; and how much an area contains. Regional canopy data and opportunities for regional cooperation and coordination will be introduced for future discussion.

Cost: Free *This is a Citizen Forester-qualifying course.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 Tree Talk Thursdays: A Canopy Affair 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Online

Join Jessica Sanders, Director of Technical Services and Research, and Dr. Joe H. Sullivan, professor of plant science and landscape architecture at the University of Maryland, College Park, in a discussion on The District’s tree canopy. Sanders and Sullivan will bring context to the subject, including definition, measurement and the effects of urban environmental stress on plants.

Cost: Free

Cost: Free

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6 Class: Tree Planting Workshop 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

National Zoo - Smithsonian Institution 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW

Learn to select and prepare a tree planting site and properly plant trees to ensure survival. Techniques critical to maintaining urban tree health, including mulching, watering and pruning, will be covered. After lunch, practice your skills by helping to plant 30 trees by the National Zoo’s lion and gorilla exhibits.

Cost: Free *This is a Citizen Forester-qualifying course. Students are asked to volunteer their time at two or more tree planting events this fall to be classified as a Citizen Planter and eventually become team leaders at future plantings

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Cost: $55

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25 A Conversation with Andrea Wulf 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Location TBD

Spend an evening with acclaimed author Andrea Wulf, whose latest book, Founding Gardeners: The Revolutionary Generation, Nature, and the Shaping of the American Nation, discusses how America and wider political, social and cultural issues were shaped by four iconic figures — George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison — and their passion for gardening and agriculture.

Cost: TBD *Registration is currently not open for this event.

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Education TreeWise sees greater engagement in second summer of program

By Liz Ball, Volunteer Coordinator, Casey Trees | With a successful second season under its belt, TreeWise, Casey Trees’ summer youth enrichment program, embodies the idea that teaching children early on about the urban forest can make them more informed tree stewards in the future.

TreeWise, formerly called Arbor Kids on the Go, was launched last summer. The approach is unique — TreeWise counselors hit the road and bring fun and engaging environmental education lessons to youth ages six to 13 enrolled in summer programs in the District, Maryland and Virginia.

This summer, counselors Alex Kemp, a senior at The George Washington University, and Michelle Ramirez, a senior at the University of Maryland at College Park, taught more than 500 students a curriculum filled with lessons, activities and games to further the their environmental awareness and knowledge.

Lessons included many hands-on activities, including “Water and Trees,” where students learned about the important relationship trees have with water, especially in our urban environments, and tested their knowledge in a relay race.

“It was hands down our most popular lesson this summer,” Ramirez said. “There is no better way to reinforce what the kids learned than with a race that tested their knowledge retention.”

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Overall, Ramirez and Kemp visited a total of 14 different groups in five Wards and Maryland, including Bridges Academy, CentroNía Bilingual Charter School, Grace Episcopal Day School, Jan’s Tutoring House and The Lowell School. The students at these camps participated in some of TreeWise‘s 80-plus sessions this summer!.

“TreeWise was the greatest educational experience of the summer,” said Rene Davis, a staffer at the Bridges Academy.

TreeWise will begin scheduling camps early next spring. Find out more about the program and application requirements online or email inquiries to treewise@caseytrees.org.

Would you like to get your children outdoors learning about trees and the benefits they provide? Give them the seed hunt guide on Page 16, or find more downloadable activities online.

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Technology & Research New research projects signal departmental changes

By Jessica Sanders, Director of Technical Services and Research, Casey Trees | As the focus of the department changes from geographic resources to technical services and research, a new long-term plan is being developed and implemented.

Research is integral for evaluating current practices and developing methods to inform and improve future programs. The Technical Services and Research (TS&R) Department has a few projects queued up this year, including urban tree mortality, urban ecosystem services analysis (iTree) and establishing growth models and projections of trees planted in various soil scenarios Planting trees is key to Casey Trees’ mission.

Department staff have altered the previous tree mortality study to incorporate a more scientific approach. By tracking tree progress and mortality, TS&R staff can build mortality contingency tables.

These contingency tables will make it easier to track the difficult urban environment that trees live in, providing appropriate data for Casey Trees staff to use while analyzing management practices to increase tree survival rates.

They also help define an establishment period for urban trees in the District. This establishment period is the hardest portion for a tree, the growth can be very inconsistent, and mortality is high during this period. When trees have consistent growth from one year to the next, a tree is

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considered established.

Urban trees are often planted in very compacted or fill soils, which make growing conditions very harsh. Because of this, there have been various techniques and products over the years to create a more habitable environment for trees in cities. These products have never had a direct comparison in one geographic area using one tree species.

This year, Casey Trees staff have the opportunity to observe these variables using trees planted 8 years ago.

This exciting research will not only provide insight to the scientific and planning community, but it will also be a way of assessing methods for future site remediation.

The mission of Casey Trees was an important factor in changing departmental direction, and trees planted in the future will be given greater opportunities to thrive as TS&R enters a new chapter of research.

Join Jessica on Sept. 13 as they discuss tree canopy issues in this month’s Tree Talk Thursdays online chat.

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Planning & Design Development Tracker: St. Elizabeth’s East Campus in Ward 8

By Lisa Morris, Planning Associate, Casey Trees | The D.C. government is working to transform the historic, 180-acre east campus of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital into a new hub of activity east of the river.

A possession transfer between the federal and D.C. governments initiated master planning process.

Released earlier this summer, the master plan proposes a mixeduse development that would repurpose most of the historic buildings as well as add new buildings.

Currently, the site has about a 32 percent tree canopy cover, slightly below the city average of 35 percent.

If the plan is built, about 12 acres of canopy will be lost to new development, reducing the tree canopy to around 25 percent. The loss of trees and addition of impervious surface will perpetuate problems such as stormwater runoff and water and air pollution.

With careful attention, the District can capitalize on this development opportunity while mitigating for

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the canopy loss that the development plans require.

First, the development team should design tree spaces that are large enough to facilitate street tree canopy growth. Soil volume recommendations range from 400 to 1,000 cubic feet, depending on the species and sidewalk width. Silva cells under the sidewalk can extend rooting space for street trees to help them reach their full potential.

Second, we recommend setting a tree canopy goal to ensure that the canopy that will be lost is made up for throughout the development. For a development of this density, a 35 percent canopy goal would be ambitious but achievable.

Large scale developments such as St. Elizabeth’s East provide an opportunity to bring new employment, residential and retail opportunities to the District’s residents. They also provide an opportunity to create more sustainable and beautiful neighborhoods by planning for a healthy and extensive tree canopy.

September 2012 | theleaflet

Tree Care Casey Trees encourages summer tree watering, fall weather preparation This summer has been hard on the District’s trees, as much of the area has been affected by moderate drought conditions.

To help residents ensure their trees are receiving the proper amount of water, Casey Trees will continue to issue its weekly watering recommendations through the September.

The Farmer’s Almanac forecasts a fairly warm September, with two inches of rainfall — 1.5” below average — furthering the region’s recent dry spell.

And although summer is still upon us, the first day of autumn — Sept. 22 — is right around the corner and it is never too late to get your trees ready for the seasonal transition.

Fall is ideal for planting new trees — receive up to $100 per tree through our Tree Rebate program.

The mild weather also makes it easier to prepare existing trees for the cooler months.

By the end of the month, Casey Trees encourages you to: • Continue watering. Practice 25 to Stay Alive — 25 gallons of water per tree per week in times of little or no rainfall — through the month of September. Do not water after the ground freezes.

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• Remove slow-release watering bags. Tree trunks and the tree flare need to be exposed to air, so once October arrives, remove any watering devices and store them until next spring.

• Check the mulch. Freshen mulch by adding two to three inches in a ring around the trunk.

Be sure to practice the 3-3-3 rule — three inches of mulch in a three-foot ring with a three-inch space around the tree trunk.

Casey Trees offers tree-care resources online and through its course offerings and Tree Talk Thursdays online chat.

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Arbor Kids Seed Hunt Guide As fall approaches, many trees’ seeds ripen and/or become more visible. Seeds are not only a crucial part of a tree’s life cycle but they are also an important source of food for birds and other animals during the winter, even here in the city! See if you can find all of these types of seeds in your neighborhood or nearby park and check each one off as you go. What other seeds do you see?

GOLDENRAIN TREE

AMERICAN BASSWOOD

HONEYLOCUST

SYCAMORE

SUGAR MAPLE

EASTERN WHITE PINE

NORTHERN CATALPA

BUR OAK

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EASTERN HEMLOCK September 2012 | theleaflet