The Leaflet - August 2014
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Transcript of The Leaflet - August 2014
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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 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
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
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 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
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
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 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
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 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
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 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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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