Maisie Hughes, Director Emily Oaksford, Planning Associate Planning + Design Department Casey Trees . Washington, D.C. Growing Savvy Tree Advocates Casey Trees’ Advocacy Program and Citizen Advocate Handbook
Jun 19, 2015
Maisie Hughes, DirectorEmily Oaksford, Planning Associate
Planning + Design DepartmentCasey Trees . Washington, D.C.
Growing Savvy Tree AdvocatesCasey Trees’ Advocacy Program and Citizen Advocate Handbook
What we do
Our Mission • To restore, enhance and protect the
tree canopy of the nation’s capital.
Casey Trees
What we do
Planning + Design Department• Inform, educate, and engage
with professionals • Provide public comment • Offer consulting services
Casey Trees
Tree Canopy Goal
Casey Trees adopted a 40% tree canopy goalCurrent UTC = 35.8%Need to plant 216,300 trees
= 8,600 trees per year*
The Mayor adopted this 40% goal in his ‘Sustainable DC Plan’ in 2012
Casey Trees
How we measure progress
Tree Report Card
A- Our current tree canopy is 36%
A+ Tree planting citywide has stabilized to about 10,000 Trees per year
B- Tree health may be threatened in the future by the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), which could affect 35% of our urban forest
F Tree protection is still a big concern
Casey Trees
Development pressures are causing a loss in tree canopy• D.C. is not protecting our
existing trees • D.C. is not replacing trees at
the same rate that we are losing them
Tree Protection
Casey Trees
1950 = 50% 2006 = 38% 2011 = 36%
Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital
Redevelopment (SE DC)
Tree Protection… is not working
Casey Trees
1950 = 50% 2006 = 38% 2011 = 36%
Fort Lincoln neighborhood,
COSTCO development
(NE DC)
Casey Trees
Tree Protection… is not working
Advocacy at Casey Trees
What we have been doing
• Provided public comment, guidance, or assistance to agencies, developers, and private-sector professionals
• Taught an advocacy class at Casey Trees, ‘Stand up for Trees’ twice a year
Advocacy
Advocacy
• Use our existing assets, galvanize our volunteers and help them act!
• Connect people to policy-makers and stakeholders hold decision-makers more
accountable for their districts show officials that people care
about trees
What we wanted to accomplish
Today, let us share with you…
What we’ve accomplished in 6 months
• Engaged and advocated with 48 volunteer advocates• Attended 15 public meetings, 2 lobby days (with 13
councilmember office meetings)• Submitted 9 public comments (6 by advocates, 3 by staff)
• Created a unique Citizen Advocate Handbook• Developed an online advocacy platform• Advanced an online petition (for lobby day)
Advocacy
Our Volunteer Tree Advocates
Tree advocates:• are experienced volunteers,
private citizens• work with Casey Trees staff • provide grassroots support of
Casey Trees’ policy agenda• use Casey Trees’ materials and
resources
Defining our cadre
Our Volunteer Tree Advocates
Our Volunteer Tree Advocates
A Tree Advocate’s role
Tree advocates:• are not official
representatives of Casey Trees - which is a benefit!
• are volunteering their time, showing their dedication to the issues
• are citizens of DC, speaking with their elected officials that represent their personal interests
What it takes to be a Tree Advocate
Our Volunteer Tree Advocates
Attend ‘Stand up for Trees’
Attend 2 Tree Advocates Meetings per year
Complete 4 Advocacy Action per year
• participate in Lobby Days• attend public meetings, charettes• submit public comment or testify
Advocacy actions
• State of the Ward Town Hall meeting (Ward 5 update)
• Parks Master Plan public meetings
• September Lobby Day• Tommy Wells Community
Coffee Hours
Advocacy actions
• State of the Ward Town Hall meeting (Ward 5 update)
• Parks Master Plan public meetings
• September Lobby Day• Tommy Wells Community
Coffee Hours
Advocacy actions
• State of the Ward Town Hall meeting (Ward 5 update)
• Parks Master Plan public meetings
• September Lobby Day• Tommy Wells Community
Coffee Hours
Advocacy actions
• State of the Ward Town Hall meeting (Ward 5 update)
• Parks Master Plan public meetings
• September Lobby Day• Tommy Wells Community
Coffee Hours
Advocacy actions
17%
Citizen AdvocateHandbook
Inside the Handbook
Regulations impacting trees
Inside the Handbook
Regulations impacting trees
Inside the Handbook
Key players
Within one neighborhood, there are many individuals and agencies responsible for land and the trees on that land.
BROOKLAND
Inside the Handbook
Key players
BROOKLAND
Inside the Handbook
Key players
Private Residences
District Department of Transportation (DDOT)
Urban Forestry Administration (UFA)
DC Public Schools
DC Parks and Recreation (DPR)
National Park Service (NPS)
BROOKLAND
Inside the Handbook
Key players
Private Residences
District Department of Transportation (DDOT)
Urban Forestry Administration (UFA)
DC Public Schools
DC Parks and Recreation (DPR)
National Park Service (NPS)
BROOKLAND
Inside the Handbook
Key players
Private Residences
District Department of Transportation (DDOT)
Urban Forestry Administration (UFA)
DC Public Schools
DC Parks and Recreation (DPR)
National Park Service (NPS)
BROOKLAND
Inside the Handbook
Key players
Private Residences
District Department of Transportation (DDOT)
Urban Forestry Administration (UFA)
DC Public Schools
DC Parks and Recreation (DPR)
National Park Service (NPS)
BROOKLAND
Inside the Handbook
Key players
Private Residences
District Department of Transportation (DDOT)
Urban Forestry Administration (UFA)
DC Public Schools
DC Parks and Recreation (DPR)
National Park Service (NPS)
Private Residences
District Department of Transportation (DDOT)
Urban Forestry Administration (UFA)
DC Public Schools
DC Parks and Recreation (DPR)
National Park Service (NPS)
Inside the Handbook
Key players
BROOKLAND
Inside the Handbook
Political designations
5B04
Inside the Handbook
BROOKLAND
Political designations
• Smallest governance level is the Single Member District (SMD)
• SMDs contain approximately 2,000 residents
• Each SMD elects a representative to serve on the Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC)
• ANCs provide ‘great weight’ in the local decision-making process
• Developers are often required to present their plan to the ANC
• Input at this local level can often change development plans and influence ANC recommendations
5B
5B055B02
5B03
5B04
5B01
Inside the Handbook
Political designations
Inside the Handbook
Decision-making process
Inside the Handbook
How to advocate
The Advocacy Platform
Landing page
• Current initiatives
Advocacy Platform
Landing page
• Current initiativesLobby Day Petition
Advocacy Platform
Landing page
• Current initiatives
• Upcoming actions
Advocacy Platform
Landing Page
• Current initiatives
• Upcoming actions
• Advocacy tools
Advocacy Platform
Lessons learned
Lessons Learned
• We can learn a lot from national (and local) advocacy organizations and campaigns
Study best practice from other organizations
• Relationship with decision-makers
Lessons Learned
Local advocacy is inherently different
Lessons Learned
• Relationships with our volunteers
Local advocacy is inherently different
Lessons Learned
• Choose your words, and your targets… wisely
• Expect the unexpected
Refine your message
In 20 Years… our 40% tree canopy will be reached!In 20 Years…
2012
CANOPY RESTORED
2032
After 40%
Our mission will endure
To enhance the tree canopy:• Promote the practice of replacement
planting• Encourage succession planting in
neighborhoods and on streets
To protect the tree canopy:• Manage invasive pests and disease• Combat destructive development
After 40%
But our mission will endure
Our territories beyond DC in 20 years :• Casey Tree Farm area (Berryville, VA)
• Montgomery, Prince George’s County (MD)
• Arlington, Alexandria (VA)
After 40%
Our mission will endure
Our job to enhance tree canopy is never complete as long as there are places to plant more trees!
Maisie Hughes, DirectorEmily Oaksford, Planning Associate
Planning + Design DepartmentCasey Trees . Washington, D.C.
Thank you
[email protected]; [email protected]; 202.349.1892
3030 12th Street NEWashington, DC 20017