1 Tree, 2 Trees, 3 Trees, 4 Trees....

Contributing Writer - Holli Howard, Director of Geographic Resources

Community Tree Inventories help neighborhoods, civic associations, schools, etc. locate and map existing trees, identify locations for new trees, and more broadly speaking, engage individuals and promote increased tree planting.

Casey Trees has partnered with several community groups to inventory trees in their neighborhood including Trees for Georgetown, Dupont Circle Citizen's Association, McLean Gardens, and most recently Crestwood.

This past Saturday, over 40 Crestwood residents with Casey Trees' staff and Citizen Foresters collected detailed information about the trees on private property including tree species, size, and health. The primary goals for this inventory were identification and structure of the neighborhood urban forest, location of spaces for future plantings and to raise community awareness. The results of the inventory will be analyzed, put into a report for the community, and the data will be added to our database to help us monitor the tree canopy of the District.

Options for groups following the Community Tree Inventory include hosting a Treescape Design Workshop - our landscape design experts come to you, applying for a Community Tree Planting, or taking advantage of our Tree Rebate.

If your group is interested in partnering with Casey Trees to do a Community Tree Inventory, contact me at hhoward@caseytrees.org or 202-349-1905.

And in case you are wondering the tree above was inventoried this past weekend. It is a large white oak - Quercus alba. Wouldn't it be nice to learn what trees are in your yard and neighborhood?

CONFIDENCE AND A TREE FOR $10.00

I remember when I was in college I would flip through the course catalog a couple weeks before class registration opened and get way excited. Each class sounded better than the next. Somehow they even made Physics and Statistics sound exciting (they aren't). Of course I would then go to the first day of class and realize it was not going to be the sugary treat that I expected . Half of the time the content was completely different than written. What a let down.

I still take classes but now I make sure I know what I am going to get before I get there. I can tell you that Casey Trees classes and workshops are gold and the value is crazy insane - either free or just $10.00. I've spent that much on a hot dog - which may or may not have been green - at a DC United game.

For those of you have not signed up for a Treescape Design Workshop (Wed. Sept. 9 and Tues. Sept. 15, 6:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m.) yet, listen up. It's go time. This workshop is taught by seasoned landscape design professionals and arborists who not only know their stuff but how to make information on trees interesting and engaging.

You get to bring in simple sketches or photos of your yard and work with these folks to design a treescape plan that works for you. You say "I want shade". We will tell you where to plant. You say I" want seasonal color". We will say what tree to plant. You want to know how to plant a tree. We will tell you just what to do.

What you walk away with is a solid plan for your yard, direction, and confidence to get it done. Above is a sample landscaping plan from a previous Treescape Design Workshop attendee. You can see serious thought went into it - where existing trees and powers lines are located, how to maximize shade, and even options.

And let's talk about the FREE shade tree you get delivered to your house during the fall planting season. Not only do you not have to go to the store, struggle with which one to buy, worry about its health, or lug it back to your house, you get the tree for free. Who does that? Angels and Casey Trees.

Trees you can select from this season include:

• Red maple
• River birch
• American holly
• Southern magnolia
• Willow oak
• Bald cypress

Casey Trees is also open to taking the Treescape Design Workshop on the road. If your civic association, church group, etc. want to host a Treescape Design Workshop, all you have to do is provide the venue, guarantee 25 participants, and either pay $10.00 per person or host a meal/refreshments for all the attendees and instructors. Of course all the trees must be planted in DC.

Think about it and lets get some trees in the ground. Sign up here.

TREESCAPE DESIGN WORKSHOP - DESIGN YOUR YARD WITH TREES

I admit it. I watch a lot of HGTV.

In doing so I see a lot of do-it-yourself projects. Needless to say some turn out more successful than others. The less than fantastic projects usually flop because they project organizers do not do their homework or miss some important steps along the way. It happens. While comical for me, not funny for the homeowner.

Casey Trees embraces the D-I-Y spirit. Planting trees while relatively simple can be a little intimidating. What do I plant? Where do I plant it? When do I plant it? There are an endless amount of questions that can pop up and discourage someone from planting a tree. The good news is that Casey Trees has the answers and the class to help you make you a tree planting expert. I guarantee your neighbors will marvel at your skill.

Casey Trees' Treescape Design Workshops teach DC residents about basic tree care and help them design a custom treescape plan for their yard - front, back, side, it is up to you. Participants are encouraged to bring in photos of their yard, measurements, location of existing power lines and trees to determine what type and where trees make sense based on their expressed needs.

No need to get fancy. Bring your sketches on the back of a napkin or in crayon.

The best news is that not only will you walk away with a treescape plan for your yard and the knowledge of how to properly care for your trees once they are in the ground but you get to pick a shade tree to be delivered to your house in the next planting season for FREE. Seeing that trees can cost several hundred dollars, you are saving some serious coin just by spending two hours with us. Plus you don't have to worry about getting the tree from the nursery to the store. I am pretty sure Metro frowns on ginkgo trees being brought on the trains.

Only three Treescape Design Workshops are scheduled for this fall - 9/9, 9/15 and 11/3 - and they fill up fast. So hurry up and register today.