Upload
casey-trees
View
217
Download
2
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Winter's Gifts — The holiday season is a time to give and be thankful. The December issue of The Leaflet explores the many ways trees give back to us, and how we can thank them.
Citation preview
theleafletDECEMBER 2013
the gift of trees
CASEY TREES NEWS IN BRIEF
2 December 2013 | theleaflet
CASEY TREES NEWS
ADVOCACY EFFORTS LEAD TO ZONING MEASURE CHANGES | On Nov. 19, Maisie Hughes, Director of Planning & Design, and Tree
Advocates Delores Bushong and Laszlo Bockh
provided public testimony to the District Zoning
Commission to express concern about the Green Area
Ratio (GAR), a zoning measure intended to set new
standards for landscape and site design that mitigate
stormwater runoff, improve air quality and reduce
the urban heat island effect. The existing measure
failed to incentivize the planting of large canopy trees
based on the measures proposed credit system, which
valued trees based on their planted size instead of
size at maturity. Casey Trees testimony resulted in the
“Plantings” section of the credit system score card
being altered by the Office of Planning to reflect the
environmental and economic value of trees.
ARBORIST POSITION OPENS IN TREE PLANTING DEPARTMENT | Casey Trees is
looking for an Arborist to oversee the Community Tree Planting (CTP) program and procurement
activities for all Casey Trees planting initiatives. A
bachelor’s degree in arboriculture, horticulture, urban
Dr. Jessica Sanders, Jim Woodworth and Joseph Duszak explored
the condition of American elm cultivars — selected from the same
nursery and stock — planted in 2003 at two different D.C. locations,
where the trees experienced divergent success and health as a result
of differing management strategies. Their findings were recently published in the current issue of Cities and the Environment, a
e-journal dedicated to the ecology of urban communities.
In 2003, mainly Princeton elms were planted along Barracks Row, a
commercial corridor in Capitol Hill that was undergoing revitalization,
and the 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue corridor adjacent to the White House. Ten years later, the Barracks Row elms
display greater amounts of structural defects and adverse health conditions when compared to their White House
counterparts. This difference was attributed to the delayed pruning program in place for Barracks Row, while the
White House elms benefited from rapid and aggressive pruning that improved tree structure and health. The elms
along Barracks Row, while facing threats, have still been key towards growing community investment and interest
in trees. Casey Trees looks ahead to finding the balance between realistic, yet proactive management strategies
and collaborations that help the urban forest thrive.
Casey Trees study gets published in online journal
forestry, landscape management or related field, and
three or more years of experience is required; Master’s
degree preferred.
LAST BRANCH OUT OF 2013 | Our monthly
happy hours will continue until the end of the year with
the newly added Dec. 10 date at Stoney’s, a Logan
Circle bar featuring great food and drinks. Volunteers,
friends, and staff will reflect on the successful year as
the leaves fall away, winter sets in and 2013 winds
down. The December event will be the last chance to
warm up with Casey Trees until Branch Out returns
on Feb. 11 Check in with Casey Trees Facebook and
Twitter accounts for events to come in 2014.
ZOO RECEIVES 30 NEW TREES | Originally
scheduled as the fall 2013 CTP season kickoff on
Oct. 5, but postponed due to the federal government
shutdown, 30 new trees were finally planted along a
service road at the Smithsonian National Zoological
Park on Dec. 2. Both Casey Trees and park staff
planted the trees, which are part of a habitat
restoration project adjacent to Rock Creek Park.
This was the third Casey Trees planting with the
Smithsonian National Zoological Park.
theleaflet | December 2013 3
RIVERSMART HOMES PROGRAM CONTINUES TO REACH GOALS | More than
340 native trees will have been planted through the
RiverSmart Homes program by the end of 2013.
Newly hired Arborist Marty Frye recently returned to
Casey Trees and is currently performing site visits with
homeowners to prepare for the planting of 350 trees
this spring.
STUDY IMPROVES DOCUMENTATION OF PRIVATE URBAN FOREST | Researchers
from the University of Tasmania observed two
Australian cities — Melbourne and Hobart — using
a broader forestry technique known as “size class
analysis” to evaluate change in the private urban forest. Although trees on public land are often well
documented, a large percentage of trees on private
land in cities do not share the same luxury. The size
class analysis observations determined that private
land is trending towards smaller and denser trees,
which do not provide as much benefit to the urban
forest. Higher levels of large shade tree protection on
private property and compensation through planting on
public land could help to improve the situation.
MULTI-SCALE APPROACH CRITICAL IN UNDERSTANDING URBAN RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPES | Researchers from different
institutions looked to gain a greater understanding
of how urban residential expansion should be approached. Four city regions — Baltimore, Miami,
Boston, and Phoenix — were examined and surveyed
based on urban residential expansion’s effect on land
use, land cover and ecological changes. Using three
different scales — individual household decisions,
neighborhood-level decisions, and regional-scale
policy — the study found that management of single
parcels was linked to residents’ attitudes, values,
socioeconomic and lifestyle factors and constraints,
as well as the biophysical characteristics of the
site. Of note was the impact of social pressure as a
cause of landscape decisions among individuals and
neighborhoods.
IN THIS ISSUE...
FROM THE DESK: ENHANCING THE VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE AT CASEY TREES ............................. 4
SPOTLIGHT: REMEMBERING LIFE THROUGH TREES .............................................................................. 5
QUANTIFYING DEVELOPMENT’S IMPACT ON D.C.’S TREE CANOPY..................................................... 7
HOW D.C.’S PARKLAND MEASURES UP ............................................................................................... 8-9
SCHOOL PLANTING PROGRAM ENDS YET ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SEASON ............................. 10-11
ARBOR KIDS: ICE ART FOR TREES .......................................................................................................... 12
URBAN FORESTRY NEWS
4 December 2013 | theleaflet
From the Desk
MARK BUSCAINOEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Like many nonprofits, our power comes from
three main engines. First is our Board of Directors, which provides strategic direction
to guide our work. The second engine — our
dedicated staff — brings the smarts and
creativity to develop and test programs within
that strategic guidance to propel us forward to
achieve our mission and goals. The third engine,
however, is in many ways the most powerful —
our volunteers.
Even though we have grown our staff and
programs over the years, without our volunteers
we would be light years behind. Volunteers help us in so many ways. They register
participants for events, plant and care for trees
across the city, advocate for trees that are
threatened by development projects, communicate
to councilmembers and decision makers about the
importance of maintaining funding for city agencies that
maintain D.C.’s trees and green spaces, and many other
functions.
As I told staff at a recent meeting, we must focus on
enabling others to make the places where they live
greener and healthier, and that is largely done through
the benevolent work of our corps of more 1,700
volunteers from across the D.C. metro. But what of
the future? How do we continue to grow this corps of
engaged and motivated citizens to meet the challenges
and needs of tomorrow?
Volunteer Power 101That’s the question our Volunteer Coordinator, Katie
Blackman, asked a few months ago, and she is well on
her way to finding out. Over the next few months, Katie
will hold several focus sessions with our newly formed
volunteer committee to get their ideas on how we all can
be more impactful toward achieving our mission. I am
confident, given the group of dedicated people on this
committee, that the sessions will be fruitful and expose
a range of ideas that we have not yet thought about.
Achieving our mission by empowering others — creating
a platform for greater community engagement —
planting more trees and caring for them for generations
to come. Stay tuned to hear more about how you can
come out and help us take another step forward toward
restoring, enhancing protecting the tree canopy of the
nation’s capital. Email Katie with questions about our
new volunteer engagement initiatives or to share your
ideas!
Regards,
Mark Buscaino
Executive Director
theleaflet | December 2013 5
Spotlight
After loss, remembering a life through treesBy Mark DeSantis, Development Associate, Casey Trees | For some, a tree is nothing more than
just that — a tree.
But for others, a tree can represent something much
more meaningful. Trees can be powerful symbols of
growth, change and — perhaps most often — life.
This was the case in June of this year, when Casey
Trees was contacted by local resident Doug Johnson
and several of his close friends who were looking to
commemorate the life of Eric Thomas, a dear friend and
Casey Trees volunteer, who had recently passed away.
“We wanted a lasting and tangible memorial that
represented something important,” Johnson said.
Eric was a long-time Washingtonian who loved
gardening and frequently volunteered his time on
weekends to help Casey Trees at our Community Tree Planting events. A true asset to the Casey Trees family,
Eric lost his courageous battle with cancer in May.
Remembered for his fun-loving, vibrant and generous
spirit, Eric’s legacy continues to live on among his
friends and family. But Doug wanted to ensure this
legacy would also make an impact in the city that Eric
loved.
“We wanted a lasting and tangible memorial that
represented something important to Eric.”
To do so, Johnson and more than 100 of Eric’s closest
friends and family, joined together to start a Crowdrise
campaign in hopes of raising money to plant trees in
honor of Eric and his life. Working with Casey Trees,
they were able to raise a staggering $27,605 — all of
which has gone towards our planting programs within
Washington, D.C.
Thanks to this incredible outpouring
of generosity and love, Eric’s friends
and family will have planted more
than 100 trees across our city — an
amazing gift to our city that will last
for generations.
“Eric would have wanted something
that would be beneficial to the
community,” Johnson said. “We hope
that when friends and family see a
tree, they will think about Eric.”
At Casey Trees we too hope that
as you walk around and see our city’s trees — or even
if you come out to plant alongside us — you remember
this idea: Every tree has a story.
For Doug Johnson and the rest of Eric’s friends, a tree is
no longer just a tree – it’s far more than that now.
“A tree will become a beautiful symbol of the life of an
equally beautiful person.”
Casey Trees offers a variety of ways to commemorate a loved one or meaningful life event.
Eric Thomas was an avid gardener and volunteered on multiple
occasions at Casey Trees plantings.
YEAR-END
GIVING
123
Make checks payable to Casey Trees and mail to: 3030 12th St. NE, W DC 20017
PHONE
Become a Member or make a one-time donation. Gift Memberships also available.
Call 202.833.9125 for stock transfers or credit card donations.
BY DECEMBER 31, 2013
CASEYTREES.ORG/DONATE
ONLINE
theleaflet | December 2013 7
Urban tree canopy changes with development
Technology & Research
By Dr. Jessica Sanders, Director of Technical Services and Research, Casey Trees & Dexter H. Locke, MESc, Doctoral Student, Clark University | What is the state bird of Washington,
D.C.? The construction crane. According to the District
Department of Transportation, at present there are more
than 60 cranes erected across the District.
While planting trees to increase canopy in the District is
important, how does current construction impact existing
tree canopy, if at all? The idea of construction and a
declining canopy led us to conceptualize a research
project with Jarlath O’Neil-Dunne, a colleague from the
Spatial Analysis Lab at the University of Vermont, to
better understand changes in D.C.’s canopy between
2006 and 2011 and the role construction played during
that period. Is large-scale development or the removal of
several individual trees spread across many smaller sites
causing much of the city’s canopy decline?
To answer these questions, we reviewed more than
100,000 approved building permits issued between
2006 and 2011 and categorized them according to their
likelihood of impacting trees. Permits indicative of larger
site disturbances were separated from those that didn’t
seem to impact trees. For example, a complete building
demolition where trees existed on the property was
placed in a “Probable” category while a toilet installation
was classified as “Unlikely” to threaten tree canopy.
After completing the analysis, we determined that during
our study period the city lost one-third to one-half of the
tree canopy on sites permitted for construction.
But what about other construction-related causes of
canopy loss? The fluidity in the permitting and building
process introduces lags, which may explain the results.
These lags and other factors suggest that canopy loss
happened on unpermitted sites, which may present an
opportunity for improving tree preservation mandates.
While widespread development is expected to continue,
our urban forest can flourish if we recommit ourselves
to planting, maintaining and protecting trees. Our work
sheds light on the role and growing need to accompany
new trees with advocacy initiatives to reach the city’s
tree canopy goal.
As a PhD student at Clark University in Worcester, Mass., Dexter H. Locke’s research goals look to further understand how the unique combination of messages, messengers and markets impacts participation in different urban forestry initiatives in major cities in the northeastern U.S.
Maples and sweetgums planted by Casey Trees on the grounds of
Spingarn High School were threatened by construction of the D.C. Streetcar
barn at the site. The trees were transplanted to another site in D.C.
8 December 2013 | theleaflet
How do D.C.’s parks measure up?By the Planning and Design Department, Casey Trees | Urban parks offer a variety of opportunities
for recreation and relaxation. A well-designed park
system means that urbanites can enjoy the trappings
of city life — access to people, jobs, culture, efficient
transportation, etc. — and daily interaction with nature.
Scientists have found that interaction with nature is
critically important for the health and well-being of
city residents. Research indicates that traveling long
distances to visit natural places does not provide the
same healthful benefits as having direct and walkable
access to green spaces. It is for these reasons that
parks — and the trees within them — are critically
important to city life.
PARKLAND OF D.C.
D.C.’s trees are predominantly found in its parks and
open space. Those land types account for approximately
9,300 acres, or 24 percent of the District’s land area.
Most of the city’s parks and open space are managed
by the federal government through the National Park
Service (NPS), which owns approximately 6,800 acres
of land that make up more than 350 properties. Ranging
from large parks — Rock Creek, Fort Dupont and
Anacostia Parks are some examples — to small traffic
circles and triangles, NPS is responsible for a large
portion of D.C.’s trees.
Outside of NPS, a smaller but important landholder is
the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR).
Planning & Design
DPR owns roughly 900 acres of parkland in the city and
facilitates quality urban recreation and programming of
area parks. DPR land constitutes 10 percent of parkland
and open space in the city, but it is the Department
of General Services that manages and maintains the
grounds (and trees) on these parks.
CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS
Because parks are so important to communities, the
Trust for Public Land (TPL) developed the ParkScore®
index, a rating system that ranks cities based on their
quality of parks, according to three factors: acreage,
services and investment, and access.
ParkScore® index ranks Washington, D.C. sixth out of
WHO OWNS WHAT?
Around 9,300 acres — or 24 percent — of District
land is made up of parks or other open space areas.
NPS (74%)
DPR (10%)
Other (16%)
According to the Capital Space Plan, adopted by NCPC in 2010.
theleaflet | December 2013 9
Casey Trees recently received a grant from the District government that will fund tree plantings at DPR sites across the city.
D.C. Boundary
Water
Properties
Streets, Right-of-way
National Park Service
D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation
KEY LANDOWNER OVERVIEW OF WASHINGTON, D.C.
National MallAnacostia
Park
Oxon Run Park
Fort Dupont Park
Rock Creek Park
50 cities, meaning that there is an opportunity for our
city to improve. Although D.C. excels in its accessibility
to parkland as well as percentage of parkland to overall
land area, we fall short in the number of playgrounds
— currently 1.7 playgrounds per 10,000 residents. We
could also improve in providing larger parks, another
factor that impacted D.C.’s ParkScore® ranking.
For more information on how D.C.’s park
land is owned, managed, maintained, and
planned, see the City’s Capital Space Plan,
developed in partnership with the National
Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), NPS
and the D.C. government.
More information about TPL’s ParkScore® Index is
available online.
Rock Creek Park
10 December 2013 | theleaflet
Education
By Priscilla Plumb, Youth Programs Coordinator, Casey Trees | This season, Casey
Trees planted 58 trees at 10 schools in the District,
Maryland and Virginia, working with 215 students from
kindergarten to high school.
Oct. 16 — Grace Episcopal Day School (Md.)Forty elementary school students added 10 trees along
Connecticut Avenue NW to create a buffer between
the busy road and the school
grounds and for much-needed
shade for the parking lot and
front of school.
Oct. 23 — Imagine Southeast Public Charter SchoolWe planted five trees with 17
3rd- to 6th-grade students
at Imagine, including a grove
of river birch to help soak up
water near one of the building’s
roof downspouts.
Oct. 29 — Drew Freeman Middle School (Md.)Twenty-three middle school
students helped us plant two
shade trees and one evergreen
tree at the front of the school
and two fruit trees in the
school’s growing orchard.
Oct. 30 — E.L. Haynes Public Charter SchoolTwenty-five kindergartners and their parents planted six
shade trees at the school, enhancing the parking lot and
front entrance of the school. A fruit tree was also added
in front of their classroom window.
Oct. 30 — Mary McLeod Bethune Public Charter SchoolThirty 4th- to 8th-grade students planted six trees at the
school, including shade trees for their newly renovated
playground and fruit trees for their garden.
School planting program
theleaflet | December 2013 11
Nov. 6 — Jefferson Middle SchoolEight middle school students and Kid Power Inc. helped
us plant five new fruit and shade trees. The fruit tree
additions doubled their existing orchard!
Nov. 7 — Capital City Public Charter SchoolFive new native trees were planted at the front of the
school by 15 high school and middle school students.
The trees will help attract native pollinators to the
school’s many garden spaces.
Nov. 7 — Imagine Hope Public Charter SchoolSix new shade trees were planted by 24 elementary
school students along the school’s parking lot. A mix of
oaks and American elms will help reduce stormwater
runoff and provide shade for the cars and street.
Nov. 8 — IDEA Public Charter SchoolA group of 15 high school students planted five shade
trees on the campus to enhance the school’s playing
field and a new outdoor lunch space.
Nov. 13 — Drew Model Elementary School (Va.)Eighteen elementary school students helped plant five
native trees in the school’s newly renovated courtyard.
The space is an extension of the school library, which
looks out onto the courtyard.
12 December 2013 | theleaflet
Arbor Kids
Ice art for treesAs the weather gets colder, make some ice art to decorate your outdoor trees, provide some winter food to wildlife or
just to have some fun.
INSTRUCTIONS
• Go on a walk around your neighborhood and
collect some fun, interesting materials, such as
tree needles, colorful fallen leaves, feathers, twigs,
seeds, flowers, berries, etc.
• Fill a small bowl, tin or cup with at least an inch of
water.
• Place a piece of twine or string around the edge of
the container in the water. **Make sure the string
is long enough so there is some left outside the
container to use for hanging once frozen.
• Carefully arrange your collected
items in the water.
• Leave it outside or place in your
freezer over night.
• Once it is frozen carefully
remove it (you may need to run
warm water over it to release it
from the container) and hang
outside.
Have fun creating!