theleaflet | April 2014 1

theleafletAPRIL 2014

A Season to LearnSee the many ways hard work and education bear fruit.

2 April 2014 | theleaflet

CASEY TREES NEWS IN BRIEF

CASEY TREES NEWS

ARBOR DAY SIGNALS RELEASE OF SIXTH ANNUAL TREE REPORT CARD | Arbor Day,

April 25, will once again be marked with the release

of the annual Casey Trees’ Tree Report Card. The

2013 edition will be the sixth annual release, with each

edition measuring the quantity and quality of the tree

canopy and expansion and sustainability efforts of the

previous year within Washington, D.C. Casey Trees’

Tree Report Card is the only independent tree canopy

assessment of a major U.S. city.

NEW COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING ASSOCIATE WELCOMED TO CASEY TREES | The Communications and Development

team is proud to announce the addition of a new team

member. Casey Manning has joined the group as the

new Communications and Marketing Associate who

will contribute to the organizations event planning,

marketing and media related efforts. Manning brings

notable design and promotion experience to Casey

Trees after graduating from the University of Vermont

with a B.S. in Public Communication and most recently

working as an Email & Social Media Specialist for

Fishbowl, Inc.

As an organization that couldn’t exist without its incredible volunteers, Casey Trees is proud to both acknowledge

and participate in National Volunteer Week. The week — April 6 through 12 — is intended to inspire and

encourage others to engage in their communities and form bonds over meeting challenges all across the nation.

No stranger to hard work and volunteerism, Casey Trees will be

holding three events during the week:

• On April 8, a prominent event will feature volunteers from

Conservation International and the Corporate Executive

Board participating in a Tree Care event at Marie Reed

Community Center which is followed by a Branch Out

Happy Hour. Both events are generously sponsored by the

Great Lakes Brewing Company.• The April 9 Congressional Cemetery Tree Care event

will benefit from the help of volunteers from the Virginia Tech student chapter of the American Society of

Landscape Architects and the Advisory Board Company.• A Tree Care Event that will also commemorate the Global Youth Day of Service. The April 11 Tree Care at the

Takoma Recreation Center will host volunteers from Legacy of Health and National Geographic as well as

students from Capital City Public Charter School.

CASEY TREES MARKS 40 YEAR ANNIVERSERY OF NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK

WORK WITH CASEY TREES | Spring is a time

of new beginnings and change is stirring at Casey

Trees. The Communications and Development team

is now hiring for two positions, a Development Associate as well as a CRM Administrator are

sought to join the team behind Casey Trees’ promotion

and fundraising efforts. To learn more, please contact

Jared Powell, Director of Communications and

Development, at jobs@caseytrees.org. For high school

students in the area, Casey Trees is now accepting

applications for its annual High School Summer Crew,

a youth jobs program in which high school students

serve as caretakers for D.C.’s trees in the summer. The

Summer Crew application period will run until mid-May.

COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING PROGRAM APPLICATIONS DUE MAY 1 | Community

groups interested in hosting a Community Tree Planting (CTP) event are encouraged to submit an

application by May 1 to be considered for the fall 2014

and spring 2015 planting seasons. Groups must have

locations for 10 or more trees on their private or public

property. To learn more about the CTP requirements

and apply to the program just visit the application page.

theleaflet | April 2014 3

U. S. NATIONAL ARBORETUM TO HOST TREE CLIMBING CHAMPIONSHIP | A local

landmark, the U.S. National Arboretum will play host to

the 2014 MAC-ISA Tree Climbing Championship

on April 5, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The annual

competition, which is free and open to the public, will

feature climbing events, forestry challenges, family

friendly tree activities and opportunities to picnic as

well as try out a variety of food trucks. Casey Trees

staff will be on hand at the event to lead children’s

activities and answering tree questions.

REGISTRATION CONTINUES FOR 2014 STIHL TOUR DES TREES | The annual 500-mile

cycling tour will continue in 2014 by setting its sights

on the roads of Wisconsin from July 27 to August 2.

The cycling tour aims to raise money to fund research

focused on improving the health of urban forests,

invest in education programs aimed at connecting

young people with the environment, and raise

awareness in communities about the importance of

trees to the quality of urban life. In 2012, Casey Trees’

employee Neil Irvin and former Arborist Sara Turner

raised more than $3,500 to cycle 585 miles across

Oregon.

HUNDREDS OF TREES VANDALIZED IN D.C. NEIGHBORHOODS | Not all urban forestry

developments are for the best. In mid-March, an

arrest was made in the case of a vandal who carved

extremely damaging, deep carved-circles into local

trees throughout the Bloomingdale and Truxton Circle

neighborhoods of Washington, D.C. The heartbreaking

crime is estimated to have affected up to 800 trees.

The raw carving destroyed tree barks while leaving the

trees open to infection and dramatically reducing their

life expectancy.

IN THIS ISSUE...

SPOTLIGHT: VOLUNTEER REAFFRIMS TREE PASSION ........................................................................... 6

RIVERSMART HOMES DOES ITS PART TO PROTECT WATERSHEDS ................................................... 7

BROOKLAND GREEN SAVED .................................................................................................................... 8-9

TOURING THE BEAUTY OF GREAT FALLS .......................................................................................... 10-11

BUDS STORY TIME DEBUTS AT U.S. NATIONAL ARBORETUM ............................................................ 12

APRIL AND MAY EVENTS, CLASSES AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES..................................... 14-15

ARBOR KIDS: SPRING FOREST FLOOR I-SPY ........................................................................................ 16

URBAN FORESTRY NEWS

4 April 2014 | theleaflet

HONOR. SUPPORT.

CELEBRATE.

TRAVEL LISTEN

SPONSORED BY

SUPPORT CASEY TREES AT THE CANOPY AWARDS AND EXPERIENCE A NIGHT TO REMEMBER.

BUMPER JACKSONS

ANDREW LIPKE AND THE AZRAEL STRING QUARTET

Travel in style to the Canopy Awards through a special Uber Promotion.

Just download the app and enter promo code:

CASEYTREESto receive a free first ride up to $25.

Metro: Five minute walk from the NoMaGallaudet U station on the Red Line.

Bus: Use the U St-Garfield Metrobus lines (90, 92, 93).

Park: Free parking is available in the lot directly in front of Union Market or on the street.

theleaflet | April 2014 5

PLAY WIN

4.24.146:30 - 10:00 PM1509 5TH ST NE, W DC

SPONSORED BY 5®

Take a peak at some of the items featured in the night’s Silent Auction.

Four Diamond Club Tickets to

Washington Nationals

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW)

Class Gift Certificate

Phillips Collection Membership

Tudor Place Private Tour

Shuffleboard

Giant Checkers

Bocce Ball

...and more, including Putt Putt golf,

Giant Jenga, and Giant Connect 4.

6 April 2014 | theleaflet

Spotlight

Team Leader Lina Cortas rediscovers passion for treesBy Max Lopatnikov, Communications Intern,

Casey Trees | “Variety,” says Lina Cortas, as she

considers her favorite thing about being involved with

Casey Trees.

Long before she became a dear friend of Casey Trees,

Cortas recalls walking through a colored Pennsylvania

fall for the first time after arriving from her birthplace

of Beirut, Lebanon. The shock of seeing the vivid peak

color laid the roots for a love of trees lasting well into

adulthood.

Having an educational background

in agriculture and work experience

in ornamental horticulture led Cortas

to volunteer for Restore Mass Ave,

an organization that plants and cares

for trees in D.C. When she wanted to

learn more about tree care and foster

a deeper connection to the region’s

trees, she stumbled upon Casey Trees

and took her first classes, after which

— as often happens — a whole window

of opportunity opened up to learn and

engage with trees in endless ways. She

soon realized how much more there was

to learn.

“The knowledge shared through classes and interactions

with both staff and volunteers reconnected me with

the science of plants. I also learned how I could make a

difference in a tangible way,” Cortas said.

Variety is what kept her coming back. Cortas started

attending tree plantings and before she knew it, she

had become a Citizen Forester and a motivating Team

Leader.

Cortas likes being able to actively participate and get

things done and having a chance to think and contribute

ideas, while always leaving time to learn more. She does

— by planting, pruning, and caring for trees. She thinks

— by helping the Volunteer Engagement Steering Team

(VEST) develop new activities for volunteers to further

engage with Casey Trees’ mission. She learns — by

continuing with classes and forming relationships within

the Casey Trees’ community.

While consulting for other nonprofits professionally,

Cortas is fortunate enough to meet people who are

passionate about causes. For her, Casey Trees has been

an avenue to only build on that passion.

“I love trees. I always have. I love this city because of the

trees. I interrupt my conversations with friends to point

out aspects of trees,” Cortas says.

At Casey Trees, we are ecstatic to help others discover

and rediscover their natural appreciation for trees.

Diverse volunteers like Lena Cortas only help reaffirm

our own commitment.

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

theleaflet | April 2014 7

RiverSmart Homes: a needed friend of local watersheds

Submit a request online to get started with the RiverSmart Homes program today.

Tree Planting

By Marty Frye, Arborist, Casey Trees | It’s

snowing outside right now and salt covers the roads. A

creaky truck rolls down the street, leaking a slow drip of

oil. Soon the steady melt of the snow and coming rains

will flush all of this down the street and, with nowhere

else to go, into our storm-water drains.

Through that system, the polluted water will either go

directly to our rivers and streams, or take a trip to the

Blue Plains water treatment plant where it will undergo

an energy-intensive process to make it clean. In the

heaviest of storms, the storm-water will overflow our

sewage system and lead to further impacts on our rivers

and streams, including exposure to toxins, raised salinity,

and excess nutrient load.

Meanwhile, up in Ft. Bunker Hill Park — just a few

blocks from Casey Trees’ headquarters — the trees and

developed forest soils are steadily absorbing the water

and keeping it and any pollutants carried with it out of

our rivers. Water works at a huge scale and to replace

nature’s systems of water management is an epic task,

often doomed to failure.

The natural, self-regenerating capacity of forests to

absorb storm-water and filter it cannot be matched,

and only the most expensive conventional storm-water

management efforts (try billions of dollars, with a B)

come close. The forest that existed in D.C. was once

free — all it needed was a little respect and it would

continue to do its work for us.

Today, the urban forest has dwindled from its previous

glory and the

Anacostia, Potomac,

Rock Creek, and

tributary streams of

this great city are

suffering as a result.

Yet all is not lost.

The emergence of

well-informed urban

forestry efforts seeks

to turn this tide and

restore our city’s

forest.

Casey Trees’

partnership with the

District Department

of Environment through the River Smart Homes program seeks to tackle this problem head on and with

a motivating goal in mind: healthy rivers and streams.

Residential yards are some of the most abundant

plant-able spaces in the city. Parks like Ft. Bunker Hill

are limited in the city and can’t handle all of the water

flowing through our urban watershed, but by reforesting

house by house we can drastically increase the tree

canopy in the city.

Vital to this effort are homeowners who are willing and

excited to care for trees. Even in the city, we live in a

complex watershed with natural processes at play. By

cooperating with these processes, we can make life

easier for ourselves and for our rivers and streams.

8 April 2014 | theleaflet

By Maisie Hughes, Director of Planning & Design, Casey Trees | On Tuesday, March 18, Mayor

Vincent C. Gray and Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie

announced a “plan for the District’s Department of

General Services (DGS) to swap unused parcels of

land in exchange for the Brookland Green site,” owned

by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

(WMATA).

This move was in response to overwhelming community

support to save the “Brookland Green,” a parcel of land

that is home more than 20 mature trees and located

adjacent to the Brookland-CUA Metro Stations Kiss-

and-Ride drop off.

While many residents and businesses were open to

portions of the area being developed, they were also

concerned that too rapid of development in the

neighborhood would come at the expense of green

space, trees and goals for their neighborhood.

Councilmember McDuffie, the Brookland Neighborhood

Civic Association and Casey Trees have stood together

in support of preserving the Brookland Green and its

trees. Doing so helps the District achieve the goals

embodied in Mayor Gray’s Sustainable DC Plan, which

set a 40 percent tree canopy goal and aims to have

parks and natural spaces within a ten-minute walk of all

residents.

Through Casey Trees’ advocacy efforts, almost 300

letters of support to preserve the Green were collected

and sent to WMATA’s Board of Directors and Mr. Stan

Wall, WMATA’s Director of Real Estate/Station Planning.

Additionally, the Brookland Neighborhood Civic

Association collected 374 petition signatures in support

of preserving the Brookland Green.

Mayor Gray Swaps Land to Preserve the Brookland Green

These trees of the Brookland Green will live to see another day. Photo credit: Brookland Bridge

Advocacy

theleaflet | April 2014 9

While this is great news for the Brookland community,

it is important that the land swap does not ultimately

end in tree canopy loss for another neighborhood.

Our advocacy team will closely monitor the pledge

to preserve the Brookland Green and ensure that

the proposed land swap sites are held to the same

standards as the Brookland Green.

Casey Trees believes this project can create a model

for a sustainable, mixed-use and transit-oriented

development - a development that can help us achieve a

40 percent tree canopy cover District-wide.

Overhead view of Brookland territory and the tree canopy being spared from development.

Take action for trees today and join our advocacy efforts.

10 April 2014 | theleaflet

Touring the beauty of the Potomac GorgeNANCE FUNCTION

By Stephanie Juchs, Community Education Coordinator, Casey Trees | When most people travel to Great Falls, Maryland,

part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National

Historical Park, they immediately head for the scenic

Great Falls overlook or gear up for a strenuous hike

on a section of the Billy Goat trail that follows the

Potomac’s edge. Few people get off the well-known

routes in favor of trails on the other side of the

tow path that meander through some of the oldest

still-intact forests in Maryland, offering breathtaking

vistas.

On a a recent blustery Sunday morning, several

adventurers joined Carole Bergmann, Forest

Ecologist for the Maryland National Capital Park and

Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), and Casey Trees

to explore this exceptional forest habitat.The 528 acre “Gold Mine

Tract” is one of the largest

contiguous piedmont forests

in Maryland and was the first forest in the state to be

inducted into the Old Growth Forest Network. While

the forest is a an example of a still evolving Eastern

Hardwood Old Growth Forest, the trees are some of the

oldest and largest in the area and create a cathedral-

like canopy dominated by towering tulip trees and large

American beech.

While taking in the towering majestic trees, Carole

started the tree tour with an overview of the Gold Mine

area and how the forest has changed over time due

to changing species composition and evolving land

Education

Participants listen as Carole Bergmann explores details during the tour.

This well-educated Tree Tour group is all smiles.

theleaflet | April 2014 11

use. The Gold Mine Tract and the surrounding trails

get their name from the traces of gold mine ruins that

were constructed following the Civil War. Following

the closing of the mines, the popularity of the area

demanded the addition of a trolley line in 1913 to

transport individuals. While remnants of the trolley are

now long gone, its history can be seen in the topography

surrounding the trail.

While the Gold Mine Tract area is safeguarded for

future enjoyment, it is not immune to human impacts,

including the introduction of invasive species. While the

tour focused on trees, Carole, who spends a great deal

of her professional time on invasive removal, pointed

out invasive species that are starting to take hold in the

park, including garlic mustard and bush honeysuckle.

However, when compared with areas of

Rock Creek Park and the MNCPPC parks in

Montgomery County, the Gold Mine area is

relatively pristine with, very few invasive species

present.

As our group continued along the trail, Carole

highlighted the identifying features of native

white oak and the handiwork of a pileated

woodpecker on a snag. On the ridge above

the towpath, the group was gifted a stunning

view of Great Falls and a wide swath of the

Potomac Gorge. This viewpoint offered a stark

comparison to the tree species found on the

edge of the Potomac below, mostly American

sycamore, with the upland species like

Chestnut oak that surrounded our group.

Additional information about online, classroom and outdoor educational opportunities can be accessed on the website.

12 April 2014 | theleaflet

By Lacey S. Brown, Family Programming Contributor | As a former Casey Trees staff member,

I am thrilled to be partnering with Casey Trees for a

second year to provide family programming to children

and their parents and caregivers.

BUDSNew this year, Buds is tree-focused story time created

to entertain and teach audiences of toddlers and

preschoolers, 18 months to 5 years, and is hosted at the

U.S. National Arboretum.

Each session of

Buds will feature

three to four tree and

environment focused

books interspersed

with songs about

trees, their parts and

the animals who

depend on them.

Children will create

a pair of “binoculars”

during the craft

portion of the story

time and leave with

a list of seasonally appropriate “scavenger hunt” items.

Following story time, children and families can use their

“binoculars” to hunt for items from the list, like star

shaped leaves and seeds with wings, as they explore the

Arboretum on their own.

Buds story time dates:

May 31, June 14, July 19, August 16, September 13, October

25, November 8, December 13

TREE DETECTIVESFor the second year, I will be offering Tree Detectives, a

series of family-focused tree tours styled as scavenger

hunts where kids hunt for clues to identify different

trees. Tree Detectives is aimed toward children ages 6

to 10.

Participants receive a “detective’s notebook” for each

walk, which will be a take-away guide to the trees on the

walk. These walks will take place on Saturday mornings

in April to June and September through November.

In July and August, twilight walks will take place on

weekday evenings to take advantage of the drop in

temperature as the sun goes down.

Tree Detectives dates:

May 3: Lacey Woods Park

June 7: Lincoln Park

July 9: Garfield Park

August 13: Stoddert School in Northwest

September 20: Azalea trail at the National Arboretu

October 4: TBD

November 8: TBD

Buds story time at the National Arboretum to debut May 31

Education

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

theleaflet | April 2014 13

ww

PlantedCaredPruned

AdvocatedDonated

Thank you to everyone who

has...

Celebrate National Volunteer WeekApril 6-12

Save the Date:Spring Wrap Up Party

May 1711:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.Details forthcoming

14 April 2014 | theleaflet

Tree Tour: Cherry Blossom Walk 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.Location determined upon registration

Join Washington Walks and Casey Trees for a walking tour recounting how Japanese cherry trees came to be planted in the District and the different varieties found in the area. The walk will also include up-close looks at other notable trees along the National Mall.

Cost: $20**In partnership with Washington Walks. Register for this event on

the Washington Walks website. All proceeds from the walk will be donated to Casey Trees.

Social: Branch Out Happy Hour 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.Solly’s 1942 11th St NW

It is National Volunteer Week and we want you to celebrate our volunteers with us and the Great Lakes Brewing Company at Solly’s for our monthly social happy hour!

Cost: Free**No registration required

Tree Tour: Frederick Douglass National Historic Site9:00a.m. to 12:00p.mFrederick Douglass National Historic Site1411 W Street SE

Celebrate the District’s Emancipation Day a few days early with a tour of Frederick Douglass’ home and the surrounding grounds! A morning tour of Cedar Hill, the former home of Frederick Douglass, will be followed by a tree tour led by City of Trees author Melanie Choukas-Bradley.

Cost: Free, SOLD OUT

Class: Non-Native Invasive Plant Removal6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Casey Trees Headquarters

This course looks at non-native, invasive plants and how they threaten native landscapes. Participants will learn how to identify and control invasives found in the D.C. area. The course consists of two parts on two different days: a 2.5 hour classroom session at the Casey Trees headquarters (April 23rd) followed by a 3 hour field session (April 26th) in Rock Creek Park.

Cost: $20, SOLD OUT

Class: Non-Native Invasive Plant Removal Field Session9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.Rock Creek Park

Field session for “Non-Native Invasive Plant Removal” class. The course consists of two parts on two different days: a 2.5 hour classroom session at the Casey Trees headquarters (April 23rd) followed by a 3 hour field session (April 26th) in Rock Creek Park.

Cost: Free, SOLD OUT

Family Program: Tree Detectives at Lacey Woods Park10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.Lacey Woods Park 1200 N. George Mason DriveArlington, VA

Bring the whole family to Tree Detectives, a family-focused tree tour where you’ll hunt for clues including leaves, flowers and fruit to help identify different trees.

Cost: Free

Events

Tree tours and classes to see through the planting seasonApril and May are full of classes, tree tours and planting events to participate in. Become a Casey Trees Member to receive exclusive benefits, such as advance registration to events like those below!

SATURDAY, APRIL 12SUNDAY, APRIL 6 SATURDAY, APRIL 26

TUESDAY, APRIL 8 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23

SATURDAY, MAY 3

theleaflet | April 2014 15

Tree Tour: Riparian Forests Paddling Outing5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.Kenilworth ParkDeane Avenue NE

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 is only available to current Casey Trees Members. Receive benefits like advanced registration, invitations to special events, and discounted

tickets by becoming a member today!

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

Volunteer

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14

APRIL

MAY

3 Saturday 9:00 a.m. Lansburgh Park 3 Saturday 9:00 a.m. Rosedale Conservancy

DATE DAY TIME LOCATION/GROUP

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. Advance registration for

volunteer events is required and many events have already filled up.

3 Thursday 9:00 a.m. Garrison Elementary School 5 Saturday 9:00 a.m. St. Joseph’s Seminary 5 Saturday 9:00 a.m. Shepherd Park 10 Thursday 10:00 a.m. Robert Goddard Montessori School (Md.) 11 Friday 10:00 a.m. Armed Forces Retirement Home 12 Saturday 9:00 a.m. Quincy Street Neighbors 12 Saturday 9:00 a.m. Edgewood Neighborhood 19 Saturday 9:00 a.m. Fair Haven Community Center (Va.) 19 Friday 9:00 a.m. Knox Terrace 22 Tuesday 9:00 a.m. Imagine Hope - Lamond PCS 26 Saturday 9:00 a.m. Langdon Park

SATURDAY, MAY 31

16 April 2014 | theleaflet

Arbor Kids

I Spy: Spring Forest FloorSpring rains and fading snowmelts give way to the vibrancy of an emering spring forest. Just look down —spot

all the tree pieces and leaves below!

American Holly leaves

Tulip Poplar Seeds

Dried Redbud leaf

Magnolia Leaf

Snowdrop flowers

Beach leaf

Fern Piece of tree bark

How many other types of dried leaves can you

find?