theleaflet | August 2014 1

theleafletAUGUST 2014

Stormy weatherShelter from the summer storms amp so much more

2 August 2014 | theleaflet

CASEY TREES NEWS IN BRIEF

CASEY TREES NEWS

CASEY TREES ADDS TO ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS | Four new Board Members have been

chosen to represent the diverse needs of Casey Trees

as we continue to expand our efforts in promoting

protecting and enhancing DCrsquos tree canopy The

newest additions are Tom Stoner Abby Gray Mary

Kent and longtime Casey Trees volunteer and

advocate Kevin Kelso We thank outgoing members

Corbin Harwood and Lindsey Hardesty for their

dedicated service Read more about the new membersrsquo

backgrounds and what they hope to contribute to

Casey Treesrsquo mission on pages 12-13

JESSICA SANDERS PhD ELECTED VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ARBORICULTURAL RESEARCH amp EDUCATION ACADEMY | Dr Jessica Sanders Casey Trees Director of Technical

Services amp Research has been elected to serve as

Vice President of the Arboricultural Research and

Education Academy This new posting was announced

at the International Society of Arboriculturersquos annual

International Conference held this year in Milwaukee

Priority Fall Community Tree Planting volunteer registration opens August 19

UDC TO OFFER FREE SOIL TESTING TO DC RESIDENTS | The Environmental Quality

Testing Lab at the University of the District of Columbia

in Van Ness is offering free soil quality testing for

homes and community gardens throughout August

DC residents must apply and will then be contacted

to schedule a soil sampling time The analysis done

by undergraduate and graduate students at the lab

will measure macro nutrients and environmental

trace metals including lead and arsenic mdash important

information for home gardeners to have

WORLD BANK CITES ANACOSTIA WATERSHED INITIATIVE AS A MODEL FOR GLOBAL URBAN DEVELOPMENT | The Anacostia Watershed Initiative launched in 2000

as a 30-year $10 billion project links economic

development with restoration of the watershed through

public-private partnerships According to an article

published by the World Bank the Districtrsquos use of

innovative financial tools to repurpose underutilized

plots is serving as a model for Latin America and the

Caribbean where large majorities of the population live

in densely packed urban areas

URBAN FORESTRY NEWS

Our Fall Community Tree Planting season is gearing up to begin in October and a perk of Casey Trees Membership is priority access to volunteer sign-ups for these in-demand slots Planting sites this fall include Peirce Mill in Rock Creek Park LeDroit Park All Souls Unitarian Church in Columbia Heights Fort Dupont Park and many more General registration for these volunteer opportunities will open September 2 Not a Casey Trees

Member yet Register at the Ally level or above to receive priority sign-up access to select classes and plantings in addition to exclusive invitations to Members-only happenings and events

2 August 2014 | theleaflet

CASEY TREES NEWS IN BRIEF

CASEY TREES NEWS

CASEY TREES ADDS TO ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS | Four new Board Members have been

chosen to represent the diverse needs of Casey Trees

as we continue to expand our efforts in promoting

protecting and enhancing DCrsquos tree canopy The

newest additions are Tom Stoner Abby Gray Mary

Kent and longtime Casey Trees volunteer and

advocate Kevin Kelso We thank outgoing members

Corbin Harwood and Lindsey Hardesty for their

dedicated service Read more about the new membersrsquo

backgrounds and what they hope to contribute to

Casey Treesrsquo mission on pages 12-13

JESSICA SANDERS PhD ELECTED VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ARBORICULTURAL RESEARCH amp EDUCATION ACADEMY | Dr Jessica Sanders Casey Trees Director of Technical

Services amp Research has been elected to serve as

Vice President of the Arboricultural Research and

Education Academy This new posting was announced

at the International Society of Arboriculturersquos annual

International Conference held this year in Milwaukee

Priority Fall Community Tree Planting volunteer registration opens August 19

UDC TO OFFER FREE SOIL TESTING TO DC RESIDENTS | The Environmental Quality

Testing Lab at the University of the District of Columbia

in Van Ness is offering free soil quality testing for

homes and community gardens throughout August

DC residents must apply and will then be contacted

to schedule a soil sampling time The analysis done

by undergraduate and graduate students at the lab

will measure macro nutrients and environmental

trace metals including lead and arsenic mdash important

information for home gardeners to have

WORLD BANK CITES ANACOSTIA WATERSHED INITIATIVE AS A MODEL FOR GLOBAL URBAN DEVELOPMENT | The Anacostia Watershed Initiative launched in 2000

as a 30-year $10 billion project links economic

development with restoration of the watershed through

public-private partnerships According to an article

published by the World Bank the Districtrsquos use of

innovative financial tools to repurpose underutilized

plots is serving as a model for Latin America and the

Caribbean where large majorities of the population live

in densely packed urban areas

URBAN FORESTRY NEWS

Our Fall Community Tree Planting season is gearing up to begin in October and a perk of Casey Trees Membership is priority access to volunteer sign-ups for these in-demand slots Planting sites this fall include Peirce Mill in Rock Creek Park LeDroit Park All Souls Unitarian Church in Columbia Heights Fort Dupont Park and many more General registration for these volunteer opportunities will open September 2 Not a Casey Trees

Member yet Register at the Ally level or above to receive priority sign-up access to select classes and plantings in addition to exclusive invitations to Members-only happenings and events

theleaflet | August 2014 3

IN THIS ISSUE

DISRUPTIVE DEER DISTURBING TREES 4

DC KIDS LEARN A LOVE OF TREES 5

DENSE THREATS ON LUSH LAND 8

CITIZEN SCIENTISTS TAKE PART IN GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH 10

INTRODUCING OUR NEWEST BOARD MEMBERS 12-13

UPCOMING CLASSES VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITES amp EVENTS 14-15

The right way to water your treesA friend of mine was talking to me about his

tree last week This past spring he planted an

oak tree in his front yard to celebrate the birth

of his daughter and he was very excited about

it In fact he was so excited he said that he

watered it every day with his hose ndash rain or

shine ndash confident that this was the right thing

to do

Thatrsquos when I got a bit concerned ldquoAre you

watering it even when we get rainrdquo I asked

ldquoAbsolutelyrdquo was the response

I tried to break the bad news in a way that he

could understand ndash that there is such a thing

as too much water even for a newly planted

tree I advised him to try and be a bit more

systematic in his watering approach or else he

could damage or even kill his new tree

Fortunately at Casey Trees we make watering

trees correctly easy to do Perhaps the

simplest solution is to install a watering bag

around your tree and fill it up once a week These

bags deliver 25 gallons of water to the base of the

tree slowly allowing it to penetrate down to the

roots that need it Casey Trees watering bags can

be purchased through our online shop

If you donrsquot want to use a watering bag there are

many other alternatives You can follow our weekly

watering recommendations on Facebook Twitter and our homepage take the 25 to Stay Alive Pledge and receive a complimentary rain gauge

orconsult our watering video which demonstrates

the best ways to water your tree

We all love our trees and at this time of year we

know all too well one of their main benefits ndash

cooling our homes and neighborhoods Letrsquos be

sure they get a good start in life by watering them

right the first time

Thanks for your ongoing support

Regards

Mark Buscaino

Executive Director

MARK BUSCAINOEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

From the Desk

4 August 2014 | theleaflet

By Jim Woodworth Director of Tree Planting | The Districtrsquos deer population

and its newly planted trees arenrsquot always

friends Casey Trees has witnessed deer

destruction and damage to our newly planted

trees in two varieties deer browse a year-

round threat where hungry deer nibble on the

fresh tender new growth of young twigs of

trees and deer antler rub which is a problem

during the fall and winter months when bucks

have antlers Deer can quickly do substantial

damage to young trees by rubbing off the

thin bark including the important vascular

This may come as a surprise but deer browse

and invasive noxious plant species are two of

the largest threats to the forest regeneration

and forest health in our area natural areas

Recent controlled culling by National Park

Service snipers may be the most effective for

longer term gains in vegetation management

and ecosystem heath Deer population

control and culling are ndash though controversial

ndash important and crucial components to tree

canopy restoration

Here inside the beltway the infrequent bear

siting is a very rare and big deal with massive

multi-agency animal control and police

responders What natural predators do our

white tailed deer have True coyotes are a

recent arrival and do provide some predatory

pressure in our mid-Atlantic woodlands but

vehicular collisions and road kill account for

the large majority of our local deer fatalities

Protecting trees from deerBill Yeaman National Parks Service biologist

for Rock Creek Park provides the technical

specification that Casey Trees now utilizes

as its best management practice create a

circular hoop of metal gage 2rdquo x 4rdquo square

galvanized wire fence secured in place with

one or two 6-foot length pieces of frac12rdquo steel

rebar threaded through the wire rungs of the

fencing

Protection applicationOur first large scale application of this

deer fencing was for a restoration and

reforestation planting of 250 trees in Fort

Dupont Park in Southeast This is the largest

tract of contiguous forest land in the eastern

part of the District owned by the National

Park Service More recently we have utilized

the deer protection for new plantings in

Rock Creek Park including Dumbarton

Oaks and Piney Branch Parkway This fall

wersquoll be installing deer protection fencing in

conjunction with several projects including

on-going work in Fort Dupont Park and

plantings with Rock Creek Conservancy and

the Friends of Peirce Mill

Protection maintenanceRegular maintenance includes inspections

to ensure that the deer protections are

intact or shored-up again if they have been

dislodged Deer protections also require

seasonal weeding as the fencing often can

act like a ladder for the convenient twining

of undesirable and highly invasive vines Do

be careful and wear gloves and long sleeves

while tending to tree maintenance weeding

and mulching ndash deer protection fencing

provides other benefits too habitat for

insects small critters and the like

Protecting young trees from the Districtrsquos deer population

theleaflet | August 2014 5

By William Green Communications Intern Every summer Casey Trees staff sets out to local

summer camps to teach DCrsquos kids the natural

importance and fun of trees through the Treewise

program Beginning as a pilot program in 2011

Treewise strives to ldquoconnect kids to trees in the city by

bringing outdoor place-based hands-on tree lessons

to summer programs in the areardquo according to Youth

Programs Manager Priscilla Plumb

On a cool Friday in July staff members headed down

the street from Casey Trees headquarters in Brookland

to St Anthony Catholic School

Priscilla and her two counselors Kelsey Desmond and

Dahneeacute Gore started off the day with a brain teaser

for the kindergarden and first grade students asking

them how many trees they thought were in the city

ldquo100rdquo one student

guessed ldquoA

thousandrdquo

suggested

another ldquoTwo millionrdquo Priscilla announced to audible

gasps

What followed was a flurry of activity from pantomime

to song to scientific study After having been told that

the bark of a tree was its bodyguard one boy picked to

participate in the group reenactment of a tree folded

his arms and held his head high radiating the type of

confidence that told you no one was getting past him

Two girls picked to be the treersquos branches strained on

their tip-toes and reached for the sky

The kids got a chance to show off their artistic skill

with leaf rubbings and drawings of trees which ranged

from the abstract to the surprisingly precise

The childrenrsquos eyes lit up when the staff brought out

the magnifying glasses Surprise and awe radiated as

they discovered the previously invisible complexity of

leaves tree bark and spiky seed pods They crowded

around a classmatersquos glass after the announcement

of a particularly exciting discovery and even took to

studying the errant bugs and weeds in the schoolyard

At the end of the morning the children received their

official Junior Forester certificates confirming their

newly imparted knowledge of trees and cementing

their status as pint-sized tree evangelists

DC KIDS LEARN A LOVE OF TREES

|

6 August 2014 | theleaflet

Dense threats

lush land

on

PHOTO BY ERICA SANCHEZ-VAZQUEZ

theleaflet | August 2014 7

By Stephanie Juchs Community Education Coordinator amp Katie Blackman Volunteer Coordinator | If yoursquove spent any time

in Rock Creek Park or Fort Dupont Park

yoursquove no doubt seen the scene created

by expanses of vine-covered trees But

whatrsquos happening beneath those dense

lush vines

Trees require soil and space to grow

which is a precious commodity in the

city While expanses of concrete or

tiny tree pits limit their growth in our

city center in natural areas trees and

the spaces they could occupy are

often threatened by the presence of

invasive species Non-native invasive

plants and vines threaten trees both

directly and indirectly They can smother

existing trees by engulfing and killing

branches which blocks sunlight and

can outcompete native seedlings and

trees for light nutrients water and most

importantly space

While removing invasive species is the

first step in eliminating competition and

opening up space for trees continued

monitoring and maintenance is needed

to prevent invasive species from

returning to these vacant areas After

the invasive species have been removed

trees and other non-invasive plant

species that will restore or expand native

forests and help outcompete invasive

species should be planted

Casey Trees has dedicated this summer

to taking that important first step

in some of our cityrsquos most precious

National Parks

Working closely with the Rock Creek

Conservancy Anacostia Watershed

Society and the National Park Service

earlier this summer nearly 40 volunteers

spent more than four hours hand-pulling

non-native plant species protecting

newly sprouted native species from

deer and caring for more established

native species in Battery Kemble Park

in Northwest and Fort Dupont Park in

Southeast And we are not done yet

On August 9 Casey Trees Rock Creek

Conservancy and the National Park

Service will remove even more invasives

in Rock Creek Park

Casey Trees and the National Park

Service will return to each of these sites

this fall and spring to add hundreds

of trees and other native plants If

you would like to get involved in this

exciting initiative check back with us

on September 2 (or August 19 for

Members at the Ally level or above) to

sign up for our fall plantings at Battery

Kemble Park and Fort Dupont Park or

join us for our Non-Native Invasive Plant Removal class and Field Session on August 20th and 23rd

theleaflet | August 2014 5

By William Green Communications Intern Every summer Casey Trees staff sets out to local

summer camps to teach DCrsquos kids the natural

importance and fun of trees through the Treewise

program Beginning as a pilot program in 2011

Treewise strives to ldquoconnect kids to trees in the city by

bringing outdoor place-based hands-on tree lessons

to summer programs in the areardquo according to Youth

Programs Manager Priscilla Plumb

On a cool Friday in July staff members headed down

the street from Casey Trees headquarters in Brookland

to St Anthony Catholic School

Priscilla and her two counselors Kelsey Desmond and

Dahneeacute Gore started off the day with a brain teaser

for the kindergarden and first grade students asking

them how many trees they thought were in the city

ldquo100rdquo one student

guessed ldquoA

thousandrdquo

suggested

another ldquoTwo millionrdquo Priscilla announced to audible

gasps

What followed was a flurry of activity from pantomime

to song to scientific study After having been told that

the bark of a tree was its bodyguard one boy picked to

participate in the group reenactment of a tree folded

his arms and held his head high radiating the type of

confidence that told you no one was getting past him

Two girls picked to be the treersquos branches strained on

their tip-toes and reached for the sky

The kids got a chance to show off their artistic skill

with leaf rubbings and drawings of trees which ranged

from the abstract to the surprisingly precise

The childrenrsquos eyes lit up when the staff brought out

the magnifying glasses Surprise and awe radiated as

they discovered the previously invisible complexity of

leaves tree bark and spiky seed pods They crowded

around a classmatersquos glass after the announcement

of a particularly exciting discovery and even took to

studying the errant bugs and weeds in the schoolyard

At the end of the morning the children received their

official Junior Forester certificates confirming their

newly imparted knowledge of trees and cementing

their status as pint-sized tree evangelists

DC KIDS LEARN A LOVE OF TREES

|

6 August 2014 | theleaflet

Dense threats

lush land

on

PHOTO BY ERICA SANCHEZ-VAZQUEZ

theleaflet | August 2014 7

By Stephanie Juchs Community Education Coordinator amp Katie Blackman Volunteer Coordinator | If yoursquove spent any time

in Rock Creek Park or Fort Dupont Park

yoursquove no doubt seen the scene created

by expanses of vine-covered trees But

whatrsquos happening beneath those dense

lush vines

Trees require soil and space to grow

which is a precious commodity in the

city While expanses of concrete or

tiny tree pits limit their growth in our

city center in natural areas trees and

the spaces they could occupy are

often threatened by the presence of

invasive species Non-native invasive

plants and vines threaten trees both

directly and indirectly They can smother

existing trees by engulfing and killing

branches which blocks sunlight and

can outcompete native seedlings and

trees for light nutrients water and most

importantly space

While removing invasive species is the

first step in eliminating competition and

opening up space for trees continued

monitoring and maintenance is needed

to prevent invasive species from

returning to these vacant areas After

the invasive species have been removed

trees and other non-invasive plant

species that will restore or expand native

forests and help outcompete invasive

species should be planted

Casey Trees has dedicated this summer

to taking that important first step

in some of our cityrsquos most precious

National Parks

Working closely with the Rock Creek

Conservancy Anacostia Watershed

Society and the National Park Service

earlier this summer nearly 40 volunteers

spent more than four hours hand-pulling

non-native plant species protecting

newly sprouted native species from

deer and caring for more established

native species in Battery Kemble Park

in Northwest and Fort Dupont Park in

Southeast And we are not done yet

On August 9 Casey Trees Rock Creek

Conservancy and the National Park

Service will remove even more invasives

in Rock Creek Park

Casey Trees and the National Park

Service will return to each of these sites

this fall and spring to add hundreds

of trees and other native plants If

you would like to get involved in this

exciting initiative check back with us

on September 2 (or August 19 for

Members at the Ally level or above) to

sign up for our fall plantings at Battery

Kemble Park and Fort Dupont Park or

join us for our Non-Native Invasive Plant Removal class and Field Session on August 20th and 23rd

6 August 2014 | theleaflet

Dense threats

lush land

on

PHOTO BY ERICA SANCHEZ-VAZQUEZ

theleaflet | August 2014 7

By Stephanie Juchs Community Education Coordinator amp Katie Blackman Volunteer Coordinator | If yoursquove spent any time

in Rock Creek Park or Fort Dupont Park

yoursquove no doubt seen the scene created

by expanses of vine-covered trees But

whatrsquos happening beneath those dense

lush vines

Trees require soil and space to grow

which is a precious commodity in the

city While expanses of concrete or

tiny tree pits limit their growth in our

city center in natural areas trees and

the spaces they could occupy are

often threatened by the presence of

invasive species Non-native invasive

plants and vines threaten trees both

directly and indirectly They can smother

existing trees by engulfing and killing

branches which blocks sunlight and

can outcompete native seedlings and

trees for light nutrients water and most

importantly space

While removing invasive species is the

first step in eliminating competition and

opening up space for trees continued

monitoring and maintenance is needed

to prevent invasive species from

returning to these vacant areas After

the invasive species have been removed

trees and other non-invasive plant

species that will restore or expand native

forests and help outcompete invasive

species should be planted

Casey Trees has dedicated this summer

to taking that important first step

in some of our cityrsquos most precious

National Parks

Working closely with the Rock Creek

Conservancy Anacostia Watershed

Society and the National Park Service

earlier this summer nearly 40 volunteers

spent more than four hours hand-pulling

non-native plant species protecting

newly sprouted native species from

deer and caring for more established

native species in Battery Kemble Park

in Northwest and Fort Dupont Park in

Southeast And we are not done yet

On August 9 Casey Trees Rock Creek

Conservancy and the National Park

Service will remove even more invasives

in Rock Creek Park

Casey Trees and the National Park

Service will return to each of these sites

this fall and spring to add hundreds

of trees and other native plants If

you would like to get involved in this

exciting initiative check back with us

on September 2 (or August 19 for

Members at the Ally level or above) to

sign up for our fall plantings at Battery

Kemble Park and Fort Dupont Park or

join us for our Non-Native Invasive Plant Removal class and Field Session on August 20th and 23rd

theleaflet | August 2014 7

By Stephanie Juchs Community Education Coordinator amp Katie Blackman Volunteer Coordinator | If yoursquove spent any time

in Rock Creek Park or Fort Dupont Park

yoursquove no doubt seen the scene created

by expanses of vine-covered trees But

whatrsquos happening beneath those dense

lush vines

Trees require soil and space to grow

which is a precious commodity in the

city While expanses of concrete or

tiny tree pits limit their growth in our

city center in natural areas trees and

the spaces they could occupy are

often threatened by the presence of

invasive species Non-native invasive

plants and vines threaten trees both

directly and indirectly They can smother

existing trees by engulfing and killing

branches which blocks sunlight and

can outcompete native seedlings and

trees for light nutrients water and most

importantly space

While removing invasive species is the

first step in eliminating competition and

opening up space for trees continued

monitoring and maintenance is needed

to prevent invasive species from

returning to these vacant areas After

the invasive species have been removed

trees and other non-invasive plant

species that will restore or expand native

forests and help outcompete invasive

species should be planted

Casey Trees has dedicated this summer

to taking that important first step

in some of our cityrsquos most precious

National Parks

Working closely with the Rock Creek

Conservancy Anacostia Watershed

Society and the National Park Service

earlier this summer nearly 40 volunteers

spent more than four hours hand-pulling

non-native plant species protecting

newly sprouted native species from

deer and caring for more established

native species in Battery Kemble Park

in Northwest and Fort Dupont Park in

Southeast And we are not done yet

On August 9 Casey Trees Rock Creek

Conservancy and the National Park

Service will remove even more invasives

in Rock Creek Park

Casey Trees and the National Park

Service will return to each of these sites

this fall and spring to add hundreds

of trees and other native plants If

you would like to get involved in this

exciting initiative check back with us

on September 2 (or August 19 for

Members at the Ally level or above) to

sign up for our fall plantings at Battery

Kemble Park and Fort Dupont Park or

join us for our Non-Native Invasive Plant Removal class and Field Session on August 20th and 23rd

8 August 2014 | theleaflet

By Arielle Conti Technical Services amp Research Intern | Casey Trees Technical Services amp Research Department

has partnered with five other organizations in different cities in an

effort to standardize tree monitoring protocols Although many

cities gather data regarding their urban forest each city collects

data differently This means that when researchers urban foresters

and arborists from across the world come together to discuss best

practices they are likely to run into issues when comparing data and

results

In light of this a number of researchers put their heads together

and decided the best way to collect standardized data would be to

have volunteers otherwise known as citizen scientists take accurate

measurements But how do we know if volunteers are qualified

enough to take these measurements We donrsquot Therefore Casey

Trees along with similar organizations in Philadelphia Tampa Grand

Rapids Chicago and Malmouml Sweden have teamed up to test the

accuracy of measurements taken by citizen scientists versus their

expert counterparts Each organization has been tasked with

recruiting at least 10 ldquonovicerdquo volunteers individuals with less than

one year of tree measuring experience four ldquointermediaterdquo volunteers

individuals with more than one year of tree measuring experience and

one ldquoexpertrdquo a certified arborist

In the District interest in the project has been overwhelming More

than 30 volunteers signed up to be a part of this collaborative

research and will be measuring 150 trees in the Eastern Market

neighborhood They will be looking at the overall health of these

trees by documenting factors including diameter canopy condition

wood condition and the amount of planting space available to the

tree Once the data is collected it will be analyzed and used to help

standardize practices across cities We are thrilled by the positive

response from our communityrsquos citizen scientists and will be sharing

the findings in the November issue of the Leaflet

Local citizen scientists play a part in groundbreaking research

theleaflet | August 2014 9

YOUR GIFT PLANTS TREES AT SCHOOLS PARKS AND RECREATION CENTERS IN DC

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY

renew

By Emily Oaksford Planning Associate | On June 27 Casey Trees Planning amp Design

department in partnership with the American Society

of Landscape Architects (ASLA National and Potomac

Chapters) hosted a Green Area Ratio (GAR) Design

Charrette following the District Department of the

Environmentrsquos (DDOE) GAR Training Seminar

Using five real DC sites as case studies attendees

were able to apply what they learned in the DDOErsquos

morning GAR training to Casey Treesrsquo afternoon

design charrette to gain a richer understanding of

this new and important piece of DCrsquos zoning code In

development scenarios crafted by Casey Trees each

group worked together to sketch a site design that

included the landscape elements such as trees green

roofs and bioretention planters needed to meet the

new GAR requirements

The Green Area Ratio (GAR) is a new environmental zoning regulation in the District of Columbia that took effect on October 1 2013 The GAR requires new developments or substantial renovation projects in certain zoning districts to

include a qualifying amount of green landscape elements

Supplemental Charrette for new DC zoning regulation a success

theleaflet | August 2014 9

YOUR GIFT PLANTS TREES AT SCHOOLS PARKS AND RECREATION CENTERS IN DC

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY

renew

By Emily Oaksford Planning Associate | On June 27 Casey Trees Planning amp Design

department in partnership with the American Society

of Landscape Architects (ASLA National and Potomac

Chapters) hosted a Green Area Ratio (GAR) Design

Charrette following the District Department of the

Environmentrsquos (DDOE) GAR Training Seminar

Using five real DC sites as case studies attendees

were able to apply what they learned in the DDOErsquos

morning GAR training to Casey Treesrsquo afternoon

design charrette to gain a richer understanding of

this new and important piece of DCrsquos zoning code In

development scenarios crafted by Casey Trees each

group worked together to sketch a site design that

included the landscape elements such as trees green

roofs and bioretention planters needed to meet the

new GAR requirements

The Green Area Ratio (GAR) is a new environmental zoning regulation in the District of Columbia that took effect on October 1 2013 The GAR requires new developments or substantial renovation projects in certain zoning districts to

include a qualifying amount of green landscape elements

Supplemental Charrette for new DC zoning regulation a success

10 August 2014 | theleaflet

By William Green Communications Intern | Each summer since 2003 Casey

Trees has hired local high school students

to traverse the city in trucks and on bikes

as part of its Summer Crew program which

aims to water the thousands of trees Casey

Trees has planted across the District Casey

Trees staff and crew members team up to

use hoses water bladders and bike-hauled

trailers to get the job done But Summer

Crew hasnrsquot always been as sophisticated To

understand how much Summer Crew does

today take a look at how far theyrsquove come

HUMBLE BEGINNINGSWhile today Casey Trees owns a small fleet

of trucks to support its tree planting and

care operations the first Summer Crew

used rented pickup trucks to get to tree care

sites And without any kind of water storage

capacity or permit to access city water crew

members relied on accessing water from

willing residents and businesses and then

used buckets and hoses to transport water to

the trees

STRIDESFollowing its successful pilot season Casey

Trees purchased its first truck and a water

bladder capable of holding 500 gallons This

made sourcing and the actual watering of

the trees much more efficient

Casey Trees purchased its second truck

in 2005 and started using slow-release

watering bags which encircle tree trunks

and guarantee they receive the necessary

amount of water

GROWTHIn 2009 street bikes were incorporated into

the fleet Outfitted with a trailer borrowed

from the Washington Area Bicyclist

Association the bike transported several

hundred feet of garden house safety cones

buckets and a hydrant meter to watering

sites

While truck teams were effective at servicing

distant and densely-packed planting sites

the bike team was used to target small

clusters spread throughout the core of

the city Since the addition of the street

bike was just being piloted it was given a

conservative watering goal of 25 to 30 trees

a day whereas truck teams were expected to

water 50 trees a day Now that street bikes

have been fully integrated into the Summer

Crew fleet (branded as Water By-Cycle) and

tweaks have been made to the tree sites they

are deployed to the bike teams now match

the trucks outputs nearly one to one

The hydrant meter has also boosted

productivity As the number of trees needing

to be watered grew so did the crewrsquos need

for access to water Thanks to an agreement

with the city the Summer Crew can directly

pump water from the hydrants to the trees

The hydrant meter tracks the water usage

which Casey Trees then pays for

TODAYrsquoS CHALLENGESThe Summer Crew program is currently made

up of two truck and three bike teams and

relies on two 800-gallon water bladders four

hydrant meters and a lot of 5-gallon buckets

and hose to get the job done

In fact the city recently started requiring

groups that access fire hydrants to use

a backflow preventer Since the devices

can be bulky and expensive an extensive

search was done to find an affordable model

and then carve out the necessary space to

transport it

The Summer Crew program will continue to

evolve in response to need governance and

unforeseen factors but its central mission

will remain the same keep DCrsquos trees alive

during their toughest time

HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER CREW INNOVATES TO KEEP DCrsquoS TREES ALIVE BY TRUCK AND BIKE

theleaflet | August 2014 11

12 August 2014 | theleaflet

Spotlight

By William Green Communications Intern | Change

has come to the Casey Trees Board of Directors This summer the

Board welcomes four new direcors We talked with them about their

background their new board membership and what they hope to

bring to Casey Trees with their position

Introducing Casey Treesrsquo newest board members

25 TO STAYALIVE

FOLLOW OUR WEEKLY

WATERING ALERTS

TOM STONERWhen working in the field of environmental advocacy Tom Stoner thinks you have to be careful not to miss the forest for the trees ldquoEnvironmentalists often think about the very big picture about the impact on the globe and the impact on the earth the impact on a city but we sometimes lose sight of what impact it has on one person and that I think can be a powerful force for advocating and I think it resonates with peoplerdquo

A veteran of the media and real estate development industries Tom brings to Casey Trees 25 years of experience working with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation including serving as the chairman of its Board Tom also leads the TKF Foundation with his wife Kitty which works to promote and develop public green spaces

A long time DC resident and Casey Trees volunteer and advocate Kevin Kelso remembers reading the original 1999 Washington Post article that led to the Casey Trees founding It inspired him to devote his time and energy to protect DCrsquos treesldquoBecause I am an active Citizen Forester I hope to bring that experience to the boardrdquo Kevin says

Kevin came to DC to attend George Washington University and remained after graduation He currently serves as the director of finance and operations at Independent Education the association of independent schools of the greater Washington area Kevin also sits on the executive committee for the National Capital Apple Macintosh Users Group

KEVIN KELSO

theleaflet | August 2014 11

12 August 2014 | theleaflet

Spotlight

By William Green Communications Intern | Change

has come to the Casey Trees Board of Directors This summer the

Board welcomes four new direcors We talked with them about their

background their new board membership and what they hope to

bring to Casey Trees with their position

Introducing Casey Treesrsquo newest board members

25 TO STAYALIVE

FOLLOW OUR WEEKLY

WATERING ALERTS

TOM STONERWhen working in the field of environmental advocacy Tom Stoner thinks you have to be careful not to miss the forest for the trees ldquoEnvironmentalists often think about the very big picture about the impact on the globe and the impact on the earth the impact on a city but we sometimes lose sight of what impact it has on one person and that I think can be a powerful force for advocating and I think it resonates with peoplerdquo

A veteran of the media and real estate development industries Tom brings to Casey Trees 25 years of experience working with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation including serving as the chairman of its Board Tom also leads the TKF Foundation with his wife Kitty which works to promote and develop public green spaces

A long time DC resident and Casey Trees volunteer and advocate Kevin Kelso remembers reading the original 1999 Washington Post article that led to the Casey Trees founding It inspired him to devote his time and energy to protect DCrsquos treesldquoBecause I am an active Citizen Forester I hope to bring that experience to the boardrdquo Kevin says

Kevin came to DC to attend George Washington University and remained after graduation He currently serves as the director of finance and operations at Independent Education the association of independent schools of the greater Washington area Kevin also sits on the executive committee for the National Capital Apple Macintosh Users Group

KEVIN KELSO

12 August 2014 | theleaflet

Spotlight

By William Green Communications Intern | Change

has come to the Casey Trees Board of Directors This summer the

Board welcomes four new direcors We talked with them about their

background their new board membership and what they hope to

bring to Casey Trees with their position

Introducing Casey Treesrsquo newest board members

25 TO STAYALIVE

FOLLOW OUR WEEKLY

WATERING ALERTS

TOM STONERWhen working in the field of environmental advocacy Tom Stoner thinks you have to be careful not to miss the forest for the trees ldquoEnvironmentalists often think about the very big picture about the impact on the globe and the impact on the earth the impact on a city but we sometimes lose sight of what impact it has on one person and that I think can be a powerful force for advocating and I think it resonates with peoplerdquo

A veteran of the media and real estate development industries Tom brings to Casey Trees 25 years of experience working with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation including serving as the chairman of its Board Tom also leads the TKF Foundation with his wife Kitty which works to promote and develop public green spaces

A long time DC resident and Casey Trees volunteer and advocate Kevin Kelso remembers reading the original 1999 Washington Post article that led to the Casey Trees founding It inspired him to devote his time and energy to protect DCrsquos treesldquoBecause I am an active Citizen Forester I hope to bring that experience to the boardrdquo Kevin says

Kevin came to DC to attend George Washington University and remained after graduation He currently serves as the director of finance and operations at Independent Education the association of independent schools of the greater Washington area Kevin also sits on the executive committee for the National Capital Apple Macintosh Users Group

KEVIN KELSO

theleaflet | August 2014 13

WHEN LESS THAN 15 INCHES OF RAIN FALLS IN A GIVEN WEEK TREES MUST RECEIVE 25 GALLONS OF WATER TAKE THE PLEDGE TO WATER YOUR TREES

DURING THEIR MOST VUNERABLE SEASON amp RECEIVE A COMPLIMENTARY RAIN GAUGE

ABBY GRAYAbby Gray joins the board with 25 years of experience in the Garden Club of America serving as both chairman and now director of the DCVirginia area chapter

ldquoI will bring whatever support I can from my experience and my involvement with the Garden Club of America to help promote the good work that Casey Trees does and plans to dordquo

Abby a mother of two and a veteran of the finance industry lives currently in Baltimore

MARY KENTFor new board member Mary Kent horticulture isnrsquot just a hobby but a passion You can tell just by looking at her garden full of plants from the prairie of her native Minnesota

Mary comes to Casey Trees with almost 20 years of experience working with the Garden Club of America where she now sits on the executive committee She has also served on the board for the Reeves-Reed Arboretum in Summit New Jersey

14 August 2014 | theleaflet

Volunteer Rock Creek Park Invasive Species Removal 900 am to 1100 am Rock Creek Park6100 16th St NW

Help Casey Trees Rock Creek Conservancy and the National Park Service remove invasives and vines

Cost Free

Fruit Tree Workshop900 am to 400 pm The Stuart Center821 Varnum St NE

The workshop led by fruit tree expert Michael Phillips will include information on fruit tree basics including pruning fungal disease management and insect challenges

Cost $25

Scholarships available

Social Branch Out Happy Hour 600 pm to 800 pm19051905 9th St NW

Join us at 1905 for our monthly happy hour Free and open to all

Cost FreeNo advanced registration required

Family Program Tree Detectives at Stoddert Elementary630 pm to 730 pm Stoddert Elementary School4001 Calvert St NW

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

Cost Free

Family Program Buds Story Time 1000 am to 1045 am24th amp R Streets NE

Join us for our new family program Buds a tree-focused story time aimed toward an audience of toddlers and preschoolers

Cost FreeThis class is FULL but your name can be added to the waitlist

Class amp Field Session Non-Native Invasive Plant RemovalClass 615 pm to 900 pm Casey Trees Headquarters Field session 900 am - 1130 amRock Creek Park

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 DC area The course consists of two parts on two different days a 25 hour classroom session at the Casey Trees headquarters (August 20th) followed by a 25 hour field session (August 23rd) in Rock Creek Park Participants will learn how to identify and control species of non-native invasive plants found in the Washington DC area including beefsteak plant Japanese stiltgrass and mile-a-minute

Cost Free

This course includes classroom and field sessions Registering for the classroom session automatically registers participants for the field session

Events

Tree care events and programs to enjoy as summer winds downAugust and September offer the chance to take a break from planting and try out this summerrsquos tree care events tree

tours and family programming Become a Casey Trees Member to receive exclusive benefits including advanced

registration to events like the ones below

SATURDAY AUGUST 9

THURSDAY AUGUST 21

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 13

Volunteer Petworth Tree Care 600 pm to 800 pm7th amp Webster Streets NW

Give young trees a leg up by caring for trees in Petworth with us

Cost Free

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 20 amp SATURDAY AUGUST 23

SATURDAY AUGUST 16

TUESDAY AUGUST 12

theleaflet | August 2014 15

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 5

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 9

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 13

Class Trees 101900 am to 300 pmCasey Trees Headquarters

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

Cost FreeThis is a Citizen Forester-qualifying course

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 20

Family Program Buds Story Time 1000 am to 1045 amHill Center921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE

Join us at the Hill Center for our Buds family program a tree-focused story time aimed toward an audience of toddlers and preschoolers

Cost Free

Social Branch Out Happy Hour 600 pm to 800 pmEl Centro1819 14th St NW

Join us at El Centro for our monthly social happy hour Free and open to all

Cost FreeNo advanced registration required

Class Stand Up for Trees900 am to 200 amCasey Trees Headquarters

Learn how to become an advocate for the trees in your community and turn your knowledge into action by joining Casey Treesrsquo league of Tree Advocates

Cost FreeThis is a Citizen Forester-qualifying course

Tree Tour Treeathlon with Melanie Choukas-Bradley900 am to 300 pmOlmsted Summerhouse on the US Capitol Grounds

Jumpstart the fall season with Casey Treesrsquo Treeathlon a Washington DC tree tour led by Melanie Choukas-Bradley conducted via bicycle on foot and by kayak or canoe Registration opens August 12

Cost $50Advanced registration is offered exclusively to Casey Trees Members Not already a Member Consider joining today and receive exclusive benefits like early registration to events like these

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 27Class Trees 201900 am to 300 pmCasey Trees Headquarters

In this follow-up course to Trees 101 participants will learn more advanced tree identification skills and the process for identifying the right tree for the right place Participants will get to test their newly acquired skills in a field session

Cost freeThis is a Citizen Forester-qualifying course

Family Program Tree Detectives at Stoddert Elementary1000 am to 1100 am Garfield ParkSouth Carolina Ave amp 3rd St SE

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

Cost Free

Family Program Buds Story Time 1000 am to 1045 amRock Creek Park Nature Center5200 Glover Rd NW

Join us for our new family program Buds a tree-focused story time aimed toward an audience of toddlers and preschoolers

Cost Free

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 13 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 23Class Tree Decay630 pm to 900 pmCasey Trees Headquarters

Come learn how to identify wood decay fungi and effective methods for testing trees for decay in this class led by Dr Chris Luley

Cost Free

CASEY TREES FALL FESTIVAL SCHEDULECasey Trees is coming to you Stop by our booths at these fall festivals

to say hi and learn about our upcoming programs

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 20H STREET FESTIVAL

DC STATE FAIR

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 27BARRACKS ROW FESTIVAL

CRAFTY BASTARDS (SATSUN)

SUNDAY OCTOBER 5TAKOMA PARK FESTIVAL

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 21

16 August 2014 | theleaflet

Arbor Kids

Outdoor Tree Art amp GamesDo you have an old tree stump a big log or large tree cookie in your yard or school playground Use those tree stumps to make a natural loom or

play some outdoor games This month we are inspired by the blogs Babble Dabble Do and The Enchanted Tree

TULIP POPLAR

Make your stump into a Natural Loom to use over and over again and

see how your loom changes with the seasons Get directions here to

build one

You can also use the stump to play a good old fashioned game of tic-

tac-toe with objects you collect outside