Friday Photo Feature - September 30, 2011

Crew members Jabbari and Ed off-loading a balled-and-burlapped sweetgum tree.
On Wednesday, we had 159 trees delivered to our tree yard for the upcoming planting season (launching tomorrow at Catholic University!)

CT at the Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair

Visit Casey Trees at the the Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair this weekend! The fair will take place Saturday, October 1st, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. We'll be at booth #55 near the 18th Street entrance. Stop by to learn about our programs or classes, ask us tree questions, make a donation to receive a t-shirt ($20 for adults, $15 for kids), or just say "Hi!"

We are proud to participate at the eighth year of the Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair. We'll be hanging out with independent artists from all over the country as they sell their handmade goods to everyone wanting to enjoy a day out in Adams Morgan.

Don't forget to check out the Crafty Bastards website to see who will be there. They've even provided a map and some tips for planning your day. Be sure to visit us on the grounds of the Marie Reed Learning Center at 18th & Wyoming in the Adams Morgan neighborhood.

You should also make some time to visit our partners, Bare Tree Apparel, at booth #160.  They've kindly decided to donate 25% of their Crafty Bastards 2011 sales to Casey Trees. Stop by their booth, buy some stuff and be sure to tell them we sent you!

Get Kids Involved With Arbor Kids Activities

Getting children involved with nature is easy with our Arbor Kids activities! Our downloadable activities offer kids the chance to learn about trees and why they are important to have around. Printable and easy to use, these activities don't require any fancy materials beyond some paper, something to write with, a tape measure, and our Tree ID Guide. Check out the activities and show those kids how cool trees can be!

The Name That Tree! activity introduces children to the science of tree identification. Children are asked to identify trees around their home and school using our Tree ID Guide and asks them to collect some leaves of various shapes. The children can then make collages with the leaf rubbing instructions included with the activity.

The Tree Benefits Scavenger Hunt sends children on an adventure through the neighborhood as they look for trees and how they interact with people and the environment. Look for leafy trees, big trees, things that live with trees, and tree products found at home. Each item also presents a short description of why trees are important.

The How Tall is That Tree activity shows children how to measure a tree. You can learn how to compare the tree's shadow to their own using proportions to estimate the trees height. You may need the aid of a friend or adult to measure their height and shadow. Afterwards, share the pictures of the trees they measured and post the data to the Casey Trees Map and photos to our Flickr group.

The My Trees: Home Inventory activity shows children how to be aware of trees and their condition. The activity asks children to make a map of their yard and then identify the condition of the trees and their species. They can then share this information with their parents so that any sick or injured trees can be properly addressed. Don't forget to post the trees near and around your house online!

If you're looking for even more activities for children or are an educator looking to add tree activities to their science classroom should check out our ROOTS curriculum.

Fort Dupont Tree Walk

Come enjoy the fall foliage with Casey Trees on October 15. Jorge Bogantes Montero, from the Anacostia Watershed Society and Shawn Walker, Urban Forestry Instructor for Casey Trees will lead a tree walk at Fort Dupont from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

As part of Feet in the Street (FITS) Day, the roads of Fort Dupont will be closed to vehicles. Take advantage and stroll around the park. Participants in the tree walk will learn about notable specimen and their characteristics, as well as basic tree identification methods.

There are only a few spots left in the October 15 Tree Walk at Fort Dupont, so register soon! For more information and to view all upcoming events, check out our calendar.

Casey Trees volunteers at a tree planting at Fort Dupont in 2006.

Tree Canopy Work Continues at District Schools

In the upcoming months, eight schools across the District will work with Casey Trees to improve their tree canopies. And for good reason - while the city's average canopy coverage is 35 percent, D.C. campuses lag behind with an average canopy coverage of just 20 percent.

Parking lots, playgrounds and open fields are all important features for schools, but strategically-planted trees can be an asset to schools and their students.

Chris Horton, project organizer for the British School of Washington community tree planting, agrees. "Trees will provide shade and interest in places to play," said Horton, who applied for a CTP at the request of one of his students. Horton also looks forward to "the sense of ownership and care" his students will have for the young trees. 

New trees are a great source of education for young students, both during the planting process and after. At CTP events, students learn how to plant trees and work together to reach a goal. Classes can then utilize the young trees to teach science lessons in an engaging, outdoor setting. Students will have a tangible example of why caring for and appreciating the environment is important. 

"Children exposed to trees learn to admire them, their environment, and nature," said Sue Erhardt, our Director of Education.

Interested in giving your school's tree canopy a boost? The deadline for the spring 2012 CTP season is Nov. 30. Downloadable applications can be sent in via fax, mail or email.

A version of this post was featured in the September issue of the Casey Trees e-newsletter, the Leaflet. Read more and subscribe to the Leaflet here.

Notes From the Green Living Expo

Contributing writer - Lisa Morris, Planning Associate

This past Saturday, Casey Trees hosted a table at the third annual Green Living Expo at Van Ness-UDC Metro Plaza, where residents, organizations and businesses from around the city shared inspiring ideas about how to green their lifestyles. Many people who stopped by our table had questions about the RiverSmart Homes and Tree Rebate programs, which enable residents to plant trees on their properties at low and reduced cost. Some were interested in learning about how to volunteer with us, while others stopped by to share their stories about past volunteer experiences. After our rainy September, stormwater was a hot topic. We discussed the critical role trees play in absorbing rainwater before runoff can pollute the Anacostia and other local waterways.

While we shared information about what we do, we also learned about the wide range of green services provided by local organizations and businesses. We met folks that collect organic material for composting and provide high-quality soil to urban farms; salvage building materials by deconstructing rather than demolishing houses; perform green audits of businesses and lifestyles to get them started on the path to sustainability; and reduce harmful chemicals in the environment by providing natural pest control. Since this event coincided with the regular Saturday UDC Farmers' Market, local vendors were on hand to sell fresh produce. And, as if all this weren’t enough, a rock band from the School Without Walls and Wilson High’s marching band entertained the crowd. All in all, it was a great afternoon, full of great ideas and great people.

Announcing the Autumn Almanac

Fall is officially here and Casey Trees is celebrating with the release of our Autumn Almanac. Our seasonal tree care guides help D.C. residents prepare private and city trees for the upcoming cool months.

Autumn is upon us. The good news is cooler weather is a great time for planting trees. If you already have trees, it is time to prepare them for the rapidly approaching winter months.

• Remove slow-release watering bags. Tree trunks and the tree flare need to be exposed to air. Bags that have been on trees for two or more years can be returned to Casey Trees for reuse. Your tree should be able to access its own water source now.
• Check the mulch. Freshen mulch by adding two to three inches in a ring around the trunk. Pull the mulch ring three to six inches away from the trunk.
• Water trees if it gets hot. We recommend you practice 25 to Stay Alive — 25 gallons of water per tree per week in times of little or no rainfall. Do not water after the ground freezes.
• Enjoy the fall color!

Fall is the perfect time to plant trees if you are a homeowner in the District. When you take advantage of our Tree Rebate program you can save up to $100 on qualifying large shade trees and up to $50 on most other species. Find out how you can participate.

Friday Photo Feature - September 23, 2011

It's raining in northeast DC, which is certainly great for the trees.
We're almost finished with watering recommendations for the summer, but that means we're nearing the start of planting season!