The Leaflet — August 2012

theleafletAUGUST 2012

PlantingPrep

With summer winding down, now is the time to start thinking about fall planting season

CASEY TREES NEWS IN BRIEF

2 August 2012 | theleaflet

CASEY TREES NEWS

EARLY-BIRD REGISTRATION OPEN FOR CASEY TREES’ TREE CANOPY SYMPOSIUM IN OCTOBER | Registration is now open for the 2012 Tree Canopy Symposium on Thursday, Oct. 18. Join regional and federal agency representatives, elected officials and community leaders in discussing tree benefits, assessments and regional horizons. The early-bird rate of $35 per person ends Sept. 3, after which registration will be $55 per person.

25 TO STAY ALIVE PLEDGES SEE INCREASE THIS SUMMER | Since Casey Trees began issuing weekly watering alerts in May, 60 D.C.-area residents have signed the 25 to Stay Alive watering pledge. Individuals who pledge to water their trees the recommended 25 gallons per week receive a complimentary rain gauge to help monitor rainfall amounts. Watering alerts will continue to be issued until September.

TREEWISE PROGRAM LEADS MORE THAN 50 LESSONS AT D.C.-AREA SUMMER CAMPS | Over the past few weeks, counselors from Casey Trees’ summer youth enrichment

Attention shopaholics and Casey Trees fans alike: on Aug. 15 Casey Trees will debut The ColleCTion, its new online marketplace! From signature T-Shirts to limited-edition tote bags, The ColleCTion will be the place to find all your favorite Casey Trees merchandise.

The shop will feature some brand new items that are sure to come in handy whether you are planting a tree or just strolling around town. And the best part? All proceeds from your purchase will go towards Casey Trees and its efforts to restore the tree canopy of our nation’s capital. Get ready to shop till you drop!

Casey Trees to launch new online marketplace

program, TreeWise, have educated nearly 500 children ages 6 to 13. Students have watered trees, made leaf and bark rubbings and learned about the benefits of the District’s trees.

BRIAN MAYELL NAMED GENERAL MANAGER OF CASEY TREE FARM | Brian Mayell has been named General Manager of Casey Tree Farm in Berryville, Va. Formerly the manager of the Farm’s six-acre nursery, Mayell now manages all Farm operations.

CASEY TREES HOSTS INTERNATIONAL FORESTRY ORGANIZATIONS | Casey Trees hosted two Middle Eastern forestry organizations last month to discuss youth education programs. Representatives from the International Palestinian Youth League and the Lebanon Reforestation Initiative — which received grant funding from the U.S. Forest Service and USAID, respectively — came to Casey Trees’ headquarters to discuss TreeWise and High School Summer Crew, programs that educate youth about the value of trees and . Both organizations are looking to enhance how they engage youth in forestry operations.

theleaflet | August 2012 3

COUNCILMEMBER CHEH INTRODUCES LAW REQUIRING UNDERGROUNDING D.C. POWER LINES | Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh has recently introduced a proposal to the D.C. Council that will require Pepco to bury power lines in the future. Several councilmembers have come out in support Cheh’s proposal, which would create a commission to identify parts of the city where power lines could be undergrounded. Pepco reports the cost of burying wires in D.C. will cost upwards of $5 billion, which, under Cheh’s proposal, would be paid for through a four-percent assessment on residents’ electricity bills. Casey Trees encourages individuals interested in the powerline situation to register for the Stand Up for Trees class on Aug 25.

DROUGHT-STICKEN CITIES STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN TREE CANOPY | This summer’s drought, which has affected more than half

of the U.S., has taken its toll on urban trees. The summer’s dry, hot conditions stress young trees, which make them susceptible to disease and, in some cases, death. Help young trees on and surrounding your property by signing the 25 to Stay Alive pledge and giving trees the recommended 25 gallons of water per week.

ARLINGTON COUNTY’S OLDEST TREE COMES DOWN | A victim of the June 29 derecho, Arlington Country’s oldest tree, a 250-year-old post oak, was removed on July 9. Crews, including Arlington County urban forester and Casey Trees ally Vincent Verweij, fully took down the tree, which had lived more than a century longer than other post oaks. Portions of the tree were saved for research and display purposes.

IN THIS ISSUE...

SPOTLIGHT: WANGARI GARDENS MAKES IMMEDIATE IMPACT IN COMMUNITY ............................ 4

GIVING: A REFLECTION OF THE PAST YEAR’S SUCCESS ....................................................................... 5

TREE CARE: TEST YOUR SOIL BEFORE FALL PLANTING SEASON ........................................................ 6

CASEY TREES’ MORTALITY STUDY TO HELP ANALYZE TREE PLANTING PRACTICES ........................ 7

2012 HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER CREW RECAP .......................................................................................... 8

CASEY TREE FARM SELECTS FINAL FOUR IN MASTER PLAN DESIGN COMPETITION ..................... 9

TWO CASEY TREES STAFF TO RIDE IN STIHL TOUR DES TREES IN OREGON .................................. 10

WHAT IT COULD BE: USDA BUILDING ..................................................................................................... 11

ARBOR KIDS: SUMMER LEAF SUDOKU .................................................................................................. 12

URBAN FORESTRY NEWS

4 August 2012 | theleaflet

New community garden looks to connect a neighborhoodThis past spring, more than 50 community members, gardeners and Casey Trees volunteers gathered to plant an orchard of 40 fruit trees at Wangari Gardens, a new community garden located in Ward 5 adjacent to the Washington Hospital Center.

“Wangari Gardens was created to benefit the surrounding community by providing sustainable and

healthy food, educational opportunities and a place for neighbors to come together,” said Josh Singer, a Casey Trees urban forestry crew member and the co-founder of Wangari Gardens. “Trees were always a strong aspect of the project because of their environmental and psychological benefits.”

The orchard compliments 60 garden plots, tended to by nearly 100 community gardeners, and recent plantings of berry bushes and smaller vegetation.

There will be two tree plantings at Wangari Gardens this fall. The garden will first partner with Casey Trees and the Kenyan Embassy on Sept. 29 to plant a small ornamental grove commemorating Wangari Maathai, a Nobel Laureate and the namesake for the garden. Maathai started the Green Belt Movement, a grassroots which inspired

Spotlight

and organized women to plant more than 40 million trees across Africa. She passed away last September.

On Dec. 8, volunteers will plant 15 large flowering trees to attract more beneficial bugs and pollinators to the garden, along with a small medicinal tree grove. Several rain garden trees will be added to help mitigate stormwater runoff.

“Neighbors who came to last season’s planting were happy and excited about the addition of the trees,” Singer said. “Many wanted to learn about the trees and how to help maintain them. We have noticed the same level of excitement for this fall’s plantings.”

Trees were always a strong aspect of the project because of their environmental and psychological benefits.

The fall 2012 Community Tree Planting season is set, but if your neighborhood, religious center, school or community garden has space, consider applying for the spring 2013 season!

Casey Trees volunteers and Wangari Gardens members installed an orchard this past spring.

theleaflet | August 2012 5

Giving

It is not hard to see that the past several years have been more than a little busy for Casey Trees. Since the organization’s founding in 2002, demand for programs has continued to grow exponentially, and this year has been no different. Just this past spring, Casey Trees worked with nearly 1,300 unique volunteers, advocated for increased tree protections in D.C. and planted 816 trees — the most ever — at 27 sites across the District.

And while this growth has done wonders for D.C.’s urban forest, it also meant that Casey Trees would be working some serious overtime to get the necessary work done. In order to meet the needs of this growing interest and continue expanding offerings, Casey Trees committed itself to actively seeking external funding as a means to further its mission and leverage the impact of its current work.

This time last year, Casey Trees unveiled its Development Department, charged with engaging new constituents and welcoming new opportunities for growth with local and national partners. Almost a year later, the department is happy to report that Casey Trees has seen some incredible progress.

Thanks to the efforts of the development team, Casey Trees has tripled donations from individuals across the District — a fantastic achievement to say the least. The added staff have also been able to forge stronger and more lasting partnerships with D.C.-area organizations and businesses looking to make a difference in the tree canopy of the nation’s capital. Check out some of our incredible sponsors, partners and contributors to the right!

Casey Trees marks one year of fundraising success

Donations are accepted securely online or via mail. Make your donation today.

THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS FROM THE PAST YEARThanks to the efforts of our development team and the entire Casey Trees staff, this year has seen a bevy of new partners and sponsors come through the doors. Thank you to all of Casey Trees’ fantastic supporters for their help in restoring the city’s tree canopy:

ACTreesAlliance for Community TreesTree by Tree • Street by Street

®

TheNebraska

Society

THE NEBRASKA SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON, D.C., INC.

SINCE 1876

POST OFFICE BOX 65243WASHINGTON, D.C. 20035-5243

www.nebraskasociety.org

2009 HONORARY CHAIRMAN

The Honorable Lee Terry

U.S. House of Representatives

OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

Charlie Ellsworth

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

Cory J. Colhouer

VICE PRESIDENT

Ali Tinkham

SECRETARY

Jennifer Myers

TREASURER

Pete Berlowitz

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR

Ansley Mick

GENERAL COUNSEL

Kyle Gilster

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Pete BerlowitzJoe BrittonCharlie EllsworthKatie Juhl TelligmanJeff KratzMax LarsenJennifer MyersJill Sloup NoltonAli Tinkham

Enclosures: Membership card and return envelope.

March 2009 Dear Friends: On behalf of The Nebraska Society of Washington, D.C., Inc., I would like to invite you to renew your membership or join the Society for 2009. Many of our members gathered on January 19th for our wonderful brunch reception to honor the inauguration of our nation’s 44th President, Barack Obama. More than 300 Nebraskans watched and listened to performances by Broadway star and Omaha native Q. Smith, the Adams Central High School Band, and speeches from Senator Ben Nelson, Congressman Adrian Smith, Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler and Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey. The inaugural brunch reception was just one of the many events The Nebraska Society has planned this year to continue our mission to strengthen the cultural and patriotic ties among Nebraskans living in our nation’s capital and to promote the welfare of Nebraska, its citizens and institutions. With your 2009 Society membership, you will receive discounts on our annual events and invitations to other Society gatherings. In keeping with tradition, 2009 events include:

• Cherry Blossom Princess Reception – Honoring Michelle Wiedel, Nebraska’s 2009 Cherry Blossom Princess;

• Congressional Reception – To honor the Nebraska Congressional Delegation Members and their staffs for their leadership and service to Nebraska;

• States of the Big XII Softball Tournament – Local Big XII teams compete for the States of the Big XII softball trophy;

• Taste of Nebraska – A celebration of Nebraska food, football and hospitality; • Distinguished Nebraskan Award Reception – An annual recognition of Nebraska’s most

distinguished citizens for their accomplishments and contributions. Please read about last year’s winner, Walter Scott, Jr., and other past recipients online.

Most important, with your membership and your attendance at our events, you help the Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, raise funds for our summer scholarship program for Nebraska students interning with the federal government in Washington, D.C. The need for Nebraska Society scholarships has never been greater. Many student internships are unpaid, and temporary housing costs in the D.C. area remain high, so what the Society provides is especially important. Lastly, if you have an interest in assisting the Society with organizing or helping at any of our events, know any businesses who might like to offer their support, or have questions, please contact me at [email protected] or through our group page on Facebook™ (www.facebook.com). I look forward to welcoming you as a Nebraska Society member and seeing you at our events! Sincerely, Charlie Ellsworth, President The Honorable Lee Terry, Honorary Chairman

6 August 2012 | theleaflet

Tree Care

Soil testing helps gauge options for fall planting season

Check out Aug. 9’s session of Tree Talk Thursdays to learn more about soil types, testing and other related issues as you prepare for fall planting season.

Most problems found in trees are not the result of pesky bugs or diseases, as one might think, but rather stem from somewhere far more basic and

unsuspecting: the soil.

Urban soils are notoriously tough on trees. Soil compaction, containments, nutrient deficiencies and unbalanced pH levels are just some of the problems trees face in urban environments. But often times the hardest part of dealing with soil problems is diagnosing them in the

first place. That is why Casey Trees recommends performing a soil test both before and after you plant a tree.

To get an accurate reading from a soil test, follow these simple steps:

1. Dig about six to 12 holes, six to eight inches deep, in each unique area.

2. Scrape the side of each hole to get a sliver, six to eight inches long.

3. Put all the slivers together in a bucket and mix thoroughly, making sure to remove any grass, rocks or debris.

4. Scoop out a cup of soil and dry it out in the sun.

5. Place the dried soil in a labeled plastic bag, mail it in a box to a soil testing facility* and wait for the results.

When the soil test results come back, they will have a series of recommendations. For example, if your soil’s pH level is too high — alkaline — or too low — acidic — it means the roots of your tree will not be able to properly absorb nutrients. Adding lime can increase the pH level while adding sulfur can decrease it. However, if your soil has high levels of heavy metals, you may have to replace it or add sufficient amendment to dilute the containments.

If your soil reads low on nutrients, you can either add fertilizers or organic matter, like compost. Organic matter improves nutrient levels, helps with the soil’s water retention capacity, increases soil structure aggregation — which increases water infiltration and prevents soil compaction — balances pH levels and can help prevent soil erosion.

While protecting your trees from pests and disease are always important, remember that often times the root of the problem starts in the ground. By following these easy steps you can save yourself (and your tree) a lot of hard work and effort down the line.

Casey Trees staff and volunteers have encountered a range of soil types over the years.

theleaflet | August 2012 7

Casey Trees team wraps up tree mortality study data collectionBy Jessica Sanders, Director of Technical Services and Research, Casey Trees | Established with the purpose of stabilizing and increasing Washington, D.C.’s declining tree canopy, Casey Trees uses important tools such as research and assessment to evaluate past performance and strive for ways to improve.

Tree plantings achieve one of Casey Trees’ goals — to connect people to trees. However, if no data is collected on whether these trees survive into the future, then no evaluation of the program’s success in the long term can be determined. A common misconception of tree establishment in urban areas is that a goal of 100 percent survival is realistic and ideal. Urban foresters have an expectation of trees dying each year, but a baseline should be determined to manage expectations.

Casey Trees designed its morality study to track cohorts of trees to determine an establishment period and the conditions that affect tree survival and mortality. By determining these factors, better management recommendations replicating the

favorable factors to increase the survival of the trees and decrease tree mortality.

The long-term study will track a 50 percent sample of Casey Trees trees planted from 2003 to present.

The goal is to each year add more trees to continually evaluate and assess tree planting practices.

A total of 2,653 trees will be visited in 2012 and various data will be collected to determine tree health, tree size and socioeconomic factors. Using the Urban Forest Effects Model (UFORE), Casey Trees will assess ecological benefits, including carbon sequestration, pollution abatement and value associated with urban trees. This study will not only help

advance the knowledge of urban tree mortality and establishment periods, but also provide a means to emphasize the value of urban trees with empirical data while lending insight to future planting decisions.

Technology & Research

Stay tuned this fall for the preliminary analysis of the Technical Services and Research Department’s Tree Mortality Study.

Surveyors classified this yellowwood — whose seed pods are browning and leaves are turning yellow (called chlorosis) or dropping altogether — in poor condition.

8 August 2012 | theleaflet

Education

2012 High School Summer Crew logs more than 6,000 tree touchesBy Priscilla Plumb, Education Coordinator, Casey Trees | In 30 days of work, members of the 2012 High School Summer Crew program logged 6,050 tree touches — a near record by this year’s group of ten D.C.-area students.

The crew, which was made up of two truck crews of six students and two Water By-Cycle crews with two students each, performed critical summer tree care: watering, weeding and mulching Casey Trees-planted trees. They endured grueling heat and traveled hundreds of miles throughout D.C. to help keep trees alive and healthy.

Not only were staff pleased with Summer Crew’s success and work ethic, but their dedication to improving their

communities was really impressive.

“I want to make a difference in D.C. and everyday it is rewarding to go out and water the trees and see your work actually make a difference,” said

Benjamin Carleton, a senior at Woodrow Wilson Senior High School. “It’s nice to come home and know you’re helping to make your city greener.”

Newly planted trees need 25 gallons of water a week — equal to roughly 1.5 inches of rain — a week. Over the course of the Summer Crew program, only one week had a rainfall amount that came close to the 1.5-inch requirement, proving just how critical the Summer Crew’s efforts are in maintaining the District’s lush tree canopy cover.

In addition to all their hard work caring for trees around the city, Summer Crew members had the chance to work with some experts in the field. They teamed with the National Park Service’s Barry Stahl to learn about elm propagation and planting, joined Steve Nagy of Davey Trees to learn the job of an arborist and how the professionals climb trees, and got a taste of landscape architecture and urban planner from Maisie Hughes and Lisa Morris, staff from Casey Trees’ Planning and Design Department.

Overall, it was a great year and the crew members accomplished quite a lot in a short time. On behalf of everyone at Casey Trees, thank you Summer Crew 2012!

Summer Crew member Christine Khoury, senior at Maret School, waters street trees in Capitol Hill.

theleaflet | August 2012 9

Casey Tree Farm selects final four in Master Plan design competitionBy Barbara Shea, Board of Directors Member, Casey Trees | In the three years since Casey Tree Farm in Berryville, Va. was founded and personnel started actively managing the farm, a lot of ground has been covered.

There are more than 4,000 trees in production at the nursery and staff will harvest 300 to 400 of them to use in Casey Trees planting programs — Community Tree Planting and RiverSmart Homes — this fall. Most of the existing buildings on the farm have been stabilized or renovated and the grounds and infrastructure have been improved.

Those associated with the Farm continue to ask themselves how it can help Casey Trees with its urban forestry mission while respecting the rural character of the agricultural community where it is located.

And to help answer that, Casey Trees contacted roughly three dozen universities from across the country last fall to see if they would like to participate in a design competition for the land and structures on the Farm. After reviewing proposals from the entrants, a final four were selected: Clemson University, The University of Maryland at College Park, Virginia Tech University and a partnership between University of Illinois at Urbana-

Casey Tree Farm

Champaign and Syracuse University. Each one of these groups has put together an impressive multi-disciplinary team of professors and students from the fields of landscape architecture, architecture, forestry, agriculture, economics, business and related fields.

Over the next year, these university-led design teams will be visiting the Farm, studying its unique heritage, pouring over soil and topography maps and coming up with a list of ideas that Casey Trees will be able to consider to make the highest and best use of the farm set within the agricultural and historic backdrop of Clarke County. It’s an exciting time and we eagerly await the results of the each of the teams and their ideas for the Farm’s future.

Keep checking The Leaflet and Casey Trees blog Tree Speak for information on activities at Casey Tree Farm.

Casey Tree Farm sits on 730 acres of land along the Shenandoah River in

Berryville, Va.

10 August 2012 | theleaflet

Tree Planting

Two Casey Trees staffers to ride in 2012 STIHL Tour des Trees

Help contribute to Sara Turner and Neil Irvin’s fundraising efforts today!

On Aug. 5, two Casey Trees staff will embark on the week-long, 585-mile STIHL Tour des Trees in Oregon. Proceeds from the tour will benefit the Tree Research and Education Endowment (TREE) Fund.

“The STIHL Tour des Trees will be my greatest ride yet,” said Sara Turner, Urban Forestry Manager at Casey Trees. “I have always wanted to bike a long distance with other people passionate about riding. Now I get to do it with people also passionate about trees.”

Turner and Neil Irvin, a member of Casey Trees’ urban forestry crew, will represent Casey Trees in the cycling event as part of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter, International Society of Arboriculture (MAC-ISA) team.

“I’m excited to participate in the STIHL Tour des Trees because planting trees, interacting with the public and educating others about their environment are all passions of mine,” Irvin said.

Turner and Irvin have already raised a portion of the $3,500 each required to participate in the tour.

Both riders are still accepting online donations through Sept. 30.

Readers can follow Turner and Irvin on Tree Speak, which will feature daily accounts of the week-long ride, and via Casey Trees’ Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Casey Trees co-sponsored last year’s STIHL Tour des Trees, which went from Virginia Beach, Va., to Washington, D.C. Riders stopped at Casey Trees’ headquarters in Brookland for lunch and a presentation on trees in urban settings.

I have always wanted to bike a long distance with other people passionate about riding. Now I get to do it with people also passionate about trees.

theleaflet | August 2012 11

Casey Trees recently partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to conceptualize a few streetscape designs, including the one on the right along Independence Avenue SW in front of the U.S. Department of Agriculture building.

The current sidewalk features average-sized tree boxes and quite a bit of impervious surface.

There are several ways to design a sidewalk — notably using Silva Cells or structural soils, the two most popular techniques today — that provide additional rooting space for street trees. These techniques were utilized in the after drawings at the bottom right.

Planning & Design

What It Could Be: U.S. Department of Agriculture streetscape

Register for a First Fridays presentation or check out the Tree Space Design report to learn more about bioretention and other low-impact development features.

BEFORE

AFTER

12 August 2012 | theleaflet

In the spirit of the London Olympics, work with your siblings or friends to build leaf and grass boats and see whose watercraft goes the distance.

• Find some tree leaves, bark, twigs, seeds on the ground.

• Use the leaves and twigs to make a sail for the boat and attach it to the bottom of your boat, made from a large leaf or piece of fallen bark or large seed shell.

• Place your boat in the water: a pond, stream, creek or your bathtub, sink, kiddy pool, or fill a tub with water to create a little pond!

• Which types of leaves work better for your sail? How many leaves should you use for your sail?

You can even use a strong piece of grass or cattail to make your boat — check out the instructions below from Woodland Trust naturedetectives. You can even award the winner with an Olympic leaf crown. Just gather fallen leaves and stitch them together!

Arbor Kids

Leafy racing boats