Tune in to Tree Talk Thursdays

After a long hot summer, you're probably ready for a weather change. But are your trees? Tune into Tree Talk Thursday tomorrow from 12 noon to 1 p.m. to learn how to prepare your trees for the shift into storm season. Joining us will be Keith Pitchford from Pitchford Associates. Get great advice from Pitchford and our own expert Sara Turner on how you can minimize storm damage to your trees and property.

Tree Talk Thursdays is our online chat series. Visit our webpage tomorrow at noon tomorrow to tune in or ask a question. If you would like a reminder before the event, enter your email address on the page and you'll be invited to join when the chat starts.

You can also view our past Tree Talk Thursday chat sessions about choosing an arborist, summer tree care and other timely tree topics. Submit questions to our experts during the chat, or ahead of time by e-mailing us at treedc@caseytrees.org or tweeting @CaseyTrees. We look forward to seeing you there!

Photos: Inventory and Mapping at the National Zoo

Last Friday, the High School Summer Crew completed their fourth and final professional development day of the summer. As a reward for meeting their tree touch goals, development days featured a number of activities, each focusing on a different 'green' industry to help foster professional development. Not only did the Summer Crew reach their tree touch goal, they surpassed it by 534 trees - caring for 5,579 trees. Great job!

While most visit the National Zoo for its wonderful array of animals, the Crew spent their morning navigating its grounds using a combination of GPS, laser range finders and topographical maps. Their objective: try to identify trees (without looking at its often conveniently placed species tag), considering its location on the map and approximate height. This outing at the Zoo gave the students an opportunity to learn more about mapping and tree inventory.

Geographic Resources Director Tom Buckley provides some initial instruction.

GPS helps determine this tree's location.

Crew members use leaves to help identify this tree.

An example of the topographical maps Crew members used.

Crew member Sarah Turner uses a laser range finder to measure a tree in the distance.

Summer Crew students with Urban Forestry Crew Members Jabbari Brew and Edward Bell.

You can check out the rest of the pictures from this event on Flickr.

Summer Crew: Tree Planting Crew Update

Contributing writer - Edward Bell, Urban Forestry Crew Member

I began working at Casey Trees in the fall of 2010 as a crew member, and this summer I took on new leadership: managing a group of students on our Summer Crew and driving the water truck.

My experience over the summer can be summarized in four words, “my cup runneth over.” It might sound cliché, but I am thankful for the opportunity to have an impact on the environment and help care for an important part of our urban community: the trees. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with younger people and having a positive impact on their lives. I shared with them the basic knowledge about watering and tree care. I led by example and demonstrated good work practices like being prompt to work, working hard, and working well as a team. How do I motivate the students? I like to yell, “bucket brigade!” It’s my call to action to get work done.

This summer has definitely been a memorable one. We have watered thousands of trees and my crew didn’t get any traffic tickets or have any accidents. With only have one more week of the Summer Crew season we're planning on staying safe and productive.

Friday Photo Feature - August 5, 2011

A close-up of our irrigation system at our headquarters' garden. Also see last week's photo.

Summer Crew Update #6: Exploring the District

Contributing writer - Grace Pooley, Summer Crew Team Member

As the 2011 High School Summer Crew session comes to an end, I have been thinking a lot about the unique opportunity I have been given to experience so many different parts of the District. As a resident of Prince George’s County in Maryland, I was not familiar with many D.C neighborhoods before starting at Casey Trees. As my team biked across the District, I got to know new areas including Trinidad, Adams Morgan, H Street Corridor, Brookland and Columbia Heights.

Taking care of trees planted at Phelps School.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Casey Trees, helping to care for D.C's urban forest and making friends I never would have met without joining the Summer Crew. After graduation next Friday, I will miss meeting up at the tree yard in the morning to do our stretches and all the exciting and fun times we have had around the city. Hopefully the 2011 Summer Crew will get to meet up in the future at a volunteer event and explore the city again!

The Water By-Cycle team's equipment.

Summer Tree Spots: Cedar Hill

The Frederick Douglass House at Cedar Hill, built in 1855

Whether you’re looking for a historical adventure or just a pretty place to picnic, Cedar Hill is the perfect location for a stay-cation day in D.C. Located at 1411 W Street SE in Ward 8, Cedar Hill is a National Historic Site that was home to abolitionist and writer Frederick Douglass. The site's restored house, diverse tree canopy and spectacular view of downtown D.C. make it a Summer Spot well worth visiting.

Frederick Douglass and his family occupied the 21-room mansion and 15 acres of land at Cedar Hill from 1877 until 1895. After Douglass’s death, the site belonged to several non-profit associations before becoming a unit of the National Park Service in 1962. It has since undergone two restorations and is now open to the public year-round.

Shade trees at Cedar Hill. The small building is the Growler, where Douglass used to think and write.

What to do:

• See where Frederick Douglass worked and what inspired him. Tour times and reservations for the Frederick Douglass House are available here.
• Check out the old white oak tree on the front lawn, the largest tree that was alive and well when Frederick Douglass lived at Cedar Hill.
• View the D.C. skyline from across the river.
• Explore native tree species such as tulip trees, white ashes, black locusts and several kinds of oak trees. 
• Pack a picnic to enjoy on the shady lawn of Cedar Hill.

A great view of the Washington Monument from the steps of Cedar Hill. Photo credit: Tedeytan

Casey Trees hosted a Tree Walk at Cedar Hill in 2010. Tentatively, we will offer one again this fall. Check back often to our calendar for updates on Tree Walk schedules and other upcoming events. 

Can’t wait for the next docent-led tour? Take advantage of our free downloadable tree walks. Sites maps are currently available for the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land and the NGA Sculpture Garden. Check back for new downloadable tree walks added monthly.

Tree Rebate Increased for Large Canopy Trees

Casey Trees' popular Tree Rebate program just got better.

Starting today, rebates of up $100 are now available for select large canopy trees. Seven genus and 27 species – mostly native hickories and oaks - qualify for the increased rebate. Rebates of up to $50 per tree will continue to be available for small and medium canopy trees.

Funded by the District Department of the Environment (DDOE), Casey Trees' Tree Rebate program provides rebates to individuals who purchase and plant a tree in D.C. Rebate requests must be accompanied by a completed coupon pledging to water and care for the tree for a minimum of two years and a purchase receipt for each tree.

Additional program revisions allow for the rebate to be submitted for trees planted on nonresidential property in D.C. and the elimination of the three trees per property maximum. Trees must continue to be planted on private property and not on public property such as in street tree boxes, triangle parks or traffic circles.

Rebate forms are accepted year-round but we encourage you to plant trees in the fall (October-December) and spring (March-May). Trees planted during the summer may not be able to survive the intense heat stress experienced in D.C.

Invasives including the Bradford pear, Norway maple, Tree of Heaven, Mimosa, Sawtooth oak and Siberian elm and the Ash tree should not be planted and do not qualify for the rebate. Dwarf trees and shrubs are also ineligible.

Downloadable rebate forms, instructions and a complete list of trees eligible for the increased rebate are available on our website. Also be sure to plant smart this fall. Consult our Right Tree, Right Space guide before purchasing and planting any tree.

Tree of the Month: American Linden

The heat of mid-summer is well underway in D.C. If outdoor shade is what you seek, refuge under our Tree of the Month for August, the American linden (Tilia americana), just may provide some relief.

The American linden, also commonly known as American basswood or lime, is a tree native to North America and traditionally found throughout New England, Quebec, New Brunswick, the Great Lakes region and downward into the South. When fully mature, the American linden can grow to a very impressive size, with fully developed specimens ranging from 75 to 130 feet in height and three to four feet in diameter.

This American linden towers over surrounding structures.

There are a few noteworthy characteristics to help identify the American linden. Its bark is vertically ridged and gray in color, with quite long, overhanging limbs. In late June or early July, small, yellow clusters of flowers bloom at the tip of its branches - a fragrant attraction for honeybees, eager to extract pollen for their production of sweet honey. It is also a deciduous tree, meaning that in just a few months its canopy will be ablaze with autumn color, eventually shedding its leaves for the winter months.

Facts about the American linden:

• It's leaves are heart-shaped and deep green in color on top with a paler shade underneath.
• The Japanese beetle finds its leaves particularly tasty, as they are susceptible to the invasive insect.
• Their extensive, sprawling root system can support a lifespan of 100 to 150 years. 
• It qualifies for our tree rebate program (up to $100 per tree).

American lindens originally lined Massachusetts Avenue during much of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Recently, plantings by the Urban Forestry Administration and the work of the nonprofit group Restore Mass Ave have aimed to restore and protect the historic integrity of the American linden along the avenue. The U.S. Capitol Grounds is another location in the city for some great examples of the tree. You can take a look at the Casey Trees Map to locate American lindens across D.C.