“Growing Savvy Tree Advocates: Citizen Advocate Handbook and Strategy” by Maisie Hughes & Emily...

Maisie Hughes, DirectorEmily Oaksford, Planning Associate

Planning + Design DepartmentCasey Trees . Washington, D.C.

Growing Savvy Tree AdvocatesCasey Trees’ Advocacy Program and Citizen Advocate Handbook

What we do

Our Mission • To restore, enhance and protect the

tree canopy of the nation’s capital.

Casey Trees

What we do

Planning + Design Department• Inform, educate, and engage

with professionals • Provide public comment • Offer consulting services

Casey Trees

Tree Canopy Goal

Casey Trees adopted a 40% tree canopy goalCurrent UTC = 35.8%Need to plant 216,300 trees

= 8,600 trees per year*

The Mayor adopted this 40% goal in his ‘Sustainable DC Plan’ in 2012

Casey Trees

How we measure progress

Tree Report Card

A- Our current tree canopy is 36%

A+ Tree planting citywide has stabilized to about 10,000 Trees per year

B- Tree health may be threatened in the future by the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), which could affect 35% of our urban forest

F Tree protection is still a big concern

Casey Trees

Development pressures are causing a loss in tree canopy• D.C. is not protecting our

existing trees • D.C. is not replacing trees at

the same rate that we are losing them

Tree Protection

Casey Trees

1950 = 50% 2006 = 38% 2011 = 36%

Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital

Redevelopment (SE DC)

Tree Protection… is not working

Casey Trees

1950 = 50% 2006 = 38% 2011 = 36%

Fort Lincoln neighborhood,

COSTCO development

(NE DC)

Casey Trees

Tree Protection… is not working

Advocacy at Casey Trees

What we have been doing

• Provided public comment, guidance, or assistance to agencies, developers, and private-sector professionals

• Taught an advocacy class at Casey Trees, ‘Stand up for Trees’ twice a year

Advocacy

Advocacy

• Use our existing assets, galvanize our volunteers and help them act!

• Connect people to policy-makers and stakeholders hold decision-makers more

accountable for their districts show officials that people care

about trees

What we wanted to accomplish

Today, let us share with you…

What we’ve accomplished in 6 months

• Engaged and advocated with 48 volunteer advocates• Attended 15 public meetings, 2 lobby days (with 13

councilmember office meetings)• Submitted 9 public comments (6 by advocates, 3 by staff)

• Created a unique Citizen Advocate Handbook• Developed an online advocacy platform• Advanced an online petition (for lobby day)

Advocacy

Our Volunteer Tree Advocates

Tree advocates:• are experienced volunteers,

private citizens• work with Casey Trees staff • provide grassroots support of

Casey Trees’ policy agenda• use Casey Trees’ materials and

resources

Defining our cadre



A Tree Advocate’s role

Tree advocates:• are not official

representatives of Casey Trees - which is a benefit!

• are volunteering their time, showing their dedication to the issues

• are citizens of DC, speaking with their elected officials that represent their personal interests

What it takes to be a Tree Advocate


Attend ‘Stand up for Trees’

Attend 2 Tree Advocates Meetings per year

Complete 4 Advocacy Action per year

• participate in Lobby Days• attend public meetings, charettes• submit public comment or testify

Advocacy actions

• State of the Ward Town Hall meeting (Ward 5 update)

• Parks Master Plan public meetings

• September Lobby Day• Tommy Wells Community

Coffee Hours

Advocacy actions

• State of the Ward Town Hall meeting (Ward 5 update)

• Parks Master Plan public meetings

• September Lobby Day• Tommy Wells Community

Coffee Hours

Advocacy actions

17%

Citizen AdvocateHandbook

Inside the Handbook

Regulations impacting trees

Inside the Handbook

Key players

Within one neighborhood, there are many individuals and agencies responsible for land and the trees on that land.

BROOKLAND

Inside the Handbook

Key players

BROOKLAND

Inside the Handbook

Key players

Private Residences

District Department of Transportation (DDOT)

Urban Forestry Administration (UFA)

DC Public Schools

DC Parks and Recreation (DPR)

National Park Service (NPS)

Private Residences

District Department of Transportation (DDOT)

Urban Forestry Administration (UFA)

DC Public Schools

DC Parks and Recreation (DPR)

National Park Service (NPS)

Inside the Handbook

Key players

BROOKLAND

Inside the Handbook

Political designations

5B04

Inside the Handbook

BROOKLAND


• Smallest governance level is the Single Member District (SMD)

• SMDs contain approximately 2,000 residents

• Each SMD elects a representative to serve on the Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC)

• ANCs provide ‘great weight’ in the local decision-making process

• Developers are often required to present their plan to the ANC

• Input at this local level can often change development plans and influence ANC recommendations

5B

5B055B02

5B03

5B04

5B01

Inside the Handbook


Inside the Handbook

Decision-making process

Inside the Handbook

How to advocate

The Advocacy Platform

Landing page

• Current initiatives

Advocacy Platform

Landing page

• Current initiativesLobby Day Petition

Advocacy Platform

Landing page


• Upcoming actions

Advocacy Platform

Landing Page


• Upcoming actions

• Advocacy tools

Advocacy Platform

Lessons learned

Lessons Learned

• We can learn a lot from national (and local) advocacy organizations and campaigns

Study best practice from other organizations

• Relationship with decision-makers

Lessons Learned

Local advocacy is inherently different

Lessons Learned

• Relationships with our volunteers

Local advocacy is inherently different

Lessons Learned

• Choose your words, and your targets… wisely

• Expect the unexpected

Refine your message

In 20 Years… our 40% tree canopy will be reached!In 20 Years…

2012

CANOPY RESTORED

2032

After 40%

Our mission will endure

To enhance the tree canopy:• Promote the practice of replacement

planting• Encourage succession planting in

neighborhoods and on streets

To protect the tree canopy:• Manage invasive pests and disease• Combat destructive development

After 40%

But our mission will endure

Our territories beyond DC in 20 years :• Casey Tree Farm area (Berryville, VA)

• Montgomery, Prince George’s County (MD)

• Arlington, Alexandria (VA)

After 40%

Our mission will endure

Our job to enhance tree canopy is never complete as long as there are places to plant more trees!

Maisie Hughes, DirectorEmily Oaksford, Planning Associate

Planning + Design DepartmentCasey Trees . Washington, D.C.

Thank you

[email protected]; [email protected]; 202.349.1892

3030 12th Street NEWashington, DC 20017

“Growing Savvy Tree Advocates: Citizen Advocate Handbook and Strategy” by Maisie Hughes & Emily...

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