Citizen Forester Spotlight: Kevin Kelso

Ever since he was a child, Citizen Forester Kevin Kelso has had a passion for trees. A native to Des Moines, Iowa, Kelso says one of his earliest memories “is looking out the window of the car… and seeing the towering trees on either side of the road forming a green archway overhead.”

After moving to D.C., Kelso was shocked by satellite images showing the District’s diminishing tree canopy that appeared in The Washington Post. They were the same images that moved philanthropist Betty Brown Casey to establish Casey Trees in 2002. Kelso was concerned for the District’s trees and began following the efforts of Casey Trees, “fascinated by its tree inventory project.”

Kelso (left) works with a fellow volunteer at a Community Tree Planting event in March

In 2007, Kelso acted on his love for trees and attended one of Casey Trees’ free classes, Introduction to Trees and Inventory (now called Trees 101). He has been a committed Citizen Forester ever since, qualifying as a Lead Citizen Forester in 2008 and attending more than 40 Community Tree Planting (CTP) events.

For Kelso, planting with Casey Trees is always a “rewarding experience.” He loves tree planting events because they present an opportunity to meet new people and visit different neighborhoods. He also says that there is a meditative quality to tree planting: “mundane concerns are displaced by the focus on getting that tree in the ground.”

Sure, planting events are self-gratifying for Kelso, but his motivations for volunteering with Casey Trees are also altruistic. Unlike all too many of us, Kelso grasps the long-term effects of our interactions with the earth. He takes pleasure in knowing that the reconstruction of D.C.’s canopy will create a “lasting improvement that will be enjoyed for generations to come.”

This Citizen Forester spotlight was featured in the August issue of our online newsletter The Leaflet. Read more stories from The Leaflet or sign up here to receive updates from Casey Trees!

Summer Tree Care: Pruning

Thanks again to everyone who helped us prune trees at Murch Elementary on Saturday! If you attended the event, kudos for knowing how to prune. And if you missed it, you’re in luck! This summer we will be blogging summer care tips every other Thursday so you can help D.C.’s trees stay healthy. Today’s topic—you guessed it—summer pruning.

A clean final cut.

Some literature suggests that pruning should only be done in the winter. But while winter pruning may be better for structural purposes, the summer is actually a great time to remove dead or injured branches. When a tree has its leaves, you can distinguish the dead branches from the live branches much more easily than when the whole tree is bare. Dead branches make the tree more vulnerable to insects and disease and should be pruned promptly.

So if you’ve noticed any trees with dead or damaged parts, don’t wait until winter! You can help your tree out now. Before you begin, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Don't over-prune! No more than 25% of a tree’s canopy should be pruned in one year—especially if you are working with a young tree.
• Prune parts that are threatening to the tree’s health. Branches that are dead, damaged, or crisscrossed all qualify.
• Leave elm trees alone for now. Because of their susceptibility to Dutch elm disease, elms should not be pruned during summertime.
• Always wear head and eye protection to avoid injury.
• Some pruning care—such as the use of a chainsaw to remove extra heavy branches or branches far out of reach—should be handled by a professional. Check out the replay of last week’s Tree Talk Thursday for more information on certified arborists.

A twisted branch can harm an otherwise healthy tree. Photo credit: HaeckDesign

Since pruning is a skill that takes practice, it is best to learn how to prune from an expert before trying it on your own. We suggest becoming a Citizen Forester. Citizen Foresters can participate in our pruning events, which will take place once a month for the remainder of the summer. For dates and locations see our calendar. If you’re interested in becoming a Citizen Forester, sign up for our next qualifying class: Trees 101. If you really want to get into pruning, we also provide training sessions in the winter where you can officially become a Citizen Pruner.

For more pruning information, check out the Department of Agriculture's "How to Prune Trees" pamphlet. Thanks for helping us take care of the District's trees, and don't forget to check back for more summer tree care tips!

Murch Elementary Pruning Recap

This past Saturday morning, 12 volunteers attended a pruning workshop at Murch Elementary School in Northwest D.C., the first of four opportunities this summer developed to help Citizen Foresters improve their pruning skills and provide much needed structural pruning to some of the District's trees.

Freshly cut and piled branches.

Casey Trees staff demonstrated a number of pruning techniques - always emphasizing safety - and introduced participants to a number of pruning tools - some familiar, others new. Many of the pruned trees were those Casey Trees' volunteers had previously planted at the school through its Community Tree Planting (CTP) program. Murch has partnered with Casey Trees on four CTP events over the years. This weekend's pruning exercise was another investment by Murch and Casey Trees in ensuring the trees thrive. See more photos from this event on Flickr.

Casey Trees' Urban Forestry Instructor Shawn Walker demonstrates for two volunteers.

Our pruning workshops are intended to be informative but are primarily are work days and as such are reserved for Citizen Foresters who have previous pruning experience and can examine and prune trees properly and efficiently. More than 100 trees were "touched" by Casey Trees volunteers.

If you're interested in becoming at Citizen Forester or learning more about the program, you can visit the Citizen Forester webpage or sign up for an upcoming Citizen Forester-qualifying class, Trees 101, on Saturday, July 25 at 9:00 a.m. The class is free and it is a great way to learn about trees and meet like-minded people.

Sometimes pruning can really draw a crowd.

The second pruning event will take place at Simon Elementary School on Saturday, July from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Southeast. If you are a Citizen Forester and want to sharpen your pruning skills, email Shawn Walker, Urban Forestry Instructor. Those who participate in three or all of the pruning workshops will receive a pair of their very own pruning shears.

If you are not free to attend, be sure to continue caring for trees on and surrounding your property this summer. Check our website for pruning and other tree-care tips.