theleaflet | November 2014 1

TRANSFORMATION

theleafletNOVEMBER 2014

2 November 2014 | theleaflet

CASEY TREES NEWS IN BRIEF

CASEY TREES NEWS

Casey Trees staff dig in and plant trees at Michigan Park

NEW ADDITION TO THE CASEY TREES STAFF | Jason Galliger joins the Communications and Development department as the Digital Strategist. A recent graduate of Virginia Tech, he brings a wealth of digital marketing know-how to the Casey Trees team

CASEY TREES HANDBOOK WINS MERIT AWARD | The National Capital Area American

Planning Association will award Casey Trees the

Benjamin Banneker Award for Outstanding Social

Commitment and Community Initiative for the Citizen Advocate Handbook, compiled by the Planning and

Design Department. The award will be presented

during a ceremony on November 20.

TREE ADVOCATES MEETING ON NOV. 6 |The last Tree Advocates meeting of the year will be

held on November 6 at the Casey Trees headquarters

from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Benjamin Tauber, RLA, LEED

Green Assoc., Senior Associate with Lee and Associates,

Inc. will discuss his landscape designs for CityCenterDC.

This LEED ND Gold project features multi-level garden

terraces and stormwater capture using trees. The

meeting will also discuss what the election results mean

for D.C.’s trees. Registration is required.

DC PLUG | Need answers about the District’s and Pepco’s proposed plan to bury the worst-performing power lines in the city? On November 12, join Casey Trees, Pepco and the Urban Forestry Administration for the DC PLUG: Burying Lines, Raising Questions webinar from noon to 1:00 p.m. and have your questions answered.

Thanks to a camera set up around the clock to capture wildlife on the Casey Tree Farm in Berryville, Va., this bear made his big screen debut.

Photo by Zelena Williams

On October 21, Casey Trees staff took a break from the Brookland office to plant seven trees at nearby Michigan Park in Northeast D.C. as part of the Sustainable DC Budget Challenge Grant.

theleaflet | November 2014 3

IN THIS ISSUE...

WHY TREE D.C.? ........................................................................................................................................... 6

DIGGING UP HISTORY ................................................................................................................................ 11

TREET YOURSELF ................................................................................................................................. 12-13

VISITING ARBORIST SHARES HIS CASEY TREES EXPERIENCE .......................................................... 15

UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND EVENTS .............................................................................................. 16-17

ARBOR KIDS: KID-FRIENDLY KITCHEN PROJECTS! .............................................................................. 18

URBAN FORESTRY NEWSSTUDIES FIND INTERACTION WITH TREES HELPS US BETTER RESPOND TO STRESS | Landscape architects Bin Jiang, Chun-Yen Chang and

William C. Sullivan explored the relationship between

increasing tree density and responses to stress in a

new study published in Environment and Behavior. The study showed increased stress response ability

with increasing tree density. In a second phase of the

study, Jiang, Chang and Sullivan looked at the difference

between male and female responses to stress in an

applied performance stress test coupled with three

different treatments of tree densities — low, medium,

and high. Results showed that males responded better

to stress when encountering a medium amount of tree

density while women showed no significant results.

There is not sufficient evidence from the study, however,

to conclude that tree density has no effect on stress

response in women.

DPW BEGINS LEAF COLLECTION | The Department of Public Works has begun collecting leaves across the District. More information, including a schedule of neighborhood pick-up dates, is available on their website.

UFA KICKS OFF LARGEST TREE PLANTING SEASON TO DATE | The Urban Forestry Administration will plant 8,000 trees across the District this fall — their highest season planting total to date.

NATIVE TREES OF D.C. POSTER PRINTAVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE SHOP

NOW ON SALE

4 November 2014 | theleaflet

TRANSFORMATION

theleaflet | November 2014 5

This fall, Casey Trees will plant more than 500 trees across D.C. with the help of more than 400 volunteers. These volunteers are first-hand

witnesses to the transformation that’s happening across the District and provide critical support as we work to reach the District’s 40 percent

canopy goal by 2032.The Park at LeDroit is a Sustainable DC Budget Challenge Grant site.

6 November 2014 | theleaflet

WHYTREEDC?

“I think there’s something about having an increased number of trees in a park that makes it more inviting, it gives it that idea especially in the summer of a nice shady place you can go and read a book.”

-EMILY HENKELMAN

“The community alone, without community you don’t have this! [Motions to field of volunteers.] Look at it, it’s beautiful!”

-PERRY MORGAN

On October 25, 46 trees were planted at the Park at LeDroit in Northwest D.C. with the help of more than 80 volunteers. We asked them:

WHY DO YOU THINK TREES ARE IMPORTANT TO THE LEDROIT PARK NEIGHBORHOOD?

Here are a few of their answers.

-ADRIANE THEIS

“I recently moved to the neighborhood and really want to start investing in the neighborhood.”

“I really want this neighborhood to continue to grow and to continue to become a place where people want to raise families. The work that we’re doing here is one important step in making it a place that’s more inviting for people to be.”

-OWEN WILLIS

theleaflet | November 2014 7

OF THE MONTHQ

WHAT’S EATING MY TREE?“

-Dawn, W D.C.

AThis looks to be the result of a buck deer rubbing its antlers on your trees. Though the tree looks bad now, you should give it some time and see how it recovers. Installing deer guards on your tree trunks should prevent this from happening in the future.

“What’s green, shaped like amango, tastes like a banana, and can be found locally?”

OUR MOST SHARED FACEBOOK POST

Thanks 2 @CaseyTrees & the more than 100 neighbors & supporters that came out Sat 2 improve our park @LeDroitParkDC. -@bdfooter

OUR MOST ‘D INSTAGRAM

Submitted to: friends@caseytrees.org

8 November 2014 | theleaflet

VOTEGET A GIFT!

VOTE

AND RECEIVE A FREE GIFT!

VOTE FOR THE TREE WITH THE BEST FALL COLOR

DECISION 2014

YOUR GIFT PLANTS TREES AT SCHOOLS, PARKS AND RECREATION CENTERS IN D.C.

theleaflet | November 2014 9

Spotlight

Oliver Pattison on his daily reads, best memories and next stepsBy Casey Manning, Communications & Marketing Associate | It’s a good thing Oliver

Pattison looks good in hats because he

wore many at Casey Trees over his four-

year tenure. Though he’s moving on to

new ventures, his mark on Casey Trees will

remain.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING AT CASEY TREES AND HOW DID YOU FIND YOURSELF HERE?OLIVER PATTISON: I’ve been here exactly

four years. I got interested in working on

web and data projects while working at a

couple of other D.C. nonprofits, and Casey

Trees offered a multi-disciplinary role that fit

my skills quite well. Like many people who

make their career on the web, I studied the

unrelated field of government in college

WHAT’S YOUR FONDEST MEMORY OF CASEY TREES?OP: I really enjoyed holiday parties with

Jared, Tim, Mark and Chris (my original

Communications and Development team

from 2010 to 2014). Great food and friends

who I might not have met without working

here.

HOW HAS WORKING AT CASEY TREES CHANGED YOU?OP: Casey Trees and the Communications

and Development team have been a place for

me to explore and grow tremendously. Prior

to coming here, I’d never picked up a camera

before – now I have a life-long hobby. I didn’t

know there were outlets for my creativity that

I could use toward a purpose or goal.

IF YOU WEREN’T WORKING ON WEBSITES, YOU’D BE: OP: If I weren’t working on the web I might be

an educator, although I haven’t ruled out that

career path yet.

WEBSITES THAT YOU CHECK DAILY:OP: My daily reads on the web are The Verge, Ars Technica and Greater Greater Washington.

THING YOU’LL MISS MOST ABOUT CASEY TREES:OP: I will miss the current and (almost)

completely new Communications and

Development staff who’ve joined this year. I

have only had the chance to work with the

current team for a few months, but I think

they’re going to do great things with the

website, design, fundraising and events over

the next few years. I am proud to have helped

hire such a capable and creative team.

WHAT’S YOUR NEXT MOVE?OP: Nonprofit web consulting. For hire!

10 November 2014 | theleaflet

BEAUTIFYYOUR HOME WITH TREES

THIS FALL,

OR2 With RiverSmart Homes, your $50 per tree co-pay

includes a home consult, tree and labor.

WAYS TO ADD A TREE

TO YOUR PROPERTY!

Use our Tree Rebate and get up to $100 back per tree.

WE PLANT

YOU PLANT

theleaflet | November 2014 11

By Ellyse Stauffer, Communications and Marketing Intern | During a Community Tree Planting on October 11, Casey Trees volunteers found a cannonball dating back to the Civil War.

Vicky Rajca, Director of Finance and Operations at the Stuart Center, was present at the time of the discovery.

“Fort Totten was not too far from here, so it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility to find three, even four cannonballs,” said Rajca.

Jon Psotka, a Civil War aficionado and Casey

Trees Member, is from Rockville, Maryland, which he defines as “Civil War Central.”

Of the cannonball, Psotka said, “It’s unlikely it was fired during battle, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t fired ‘shot.’ The artillery in the forts would fire shots for practice every so often. That area during the Civil War was either empty or farmland so they would have had lots of room to test fire their cannons every so often as drills.”

Psotka explained that Fort Stevens, which took place in 1864, was the only battle that was fought in D.C., very far from the planting

site. On a battle site, it is possible to find thousands of cannonballs, but the discovery of an individual cannonball is definitely not typical in other areas of D.C.

Though it is very unlikely for dormant cannonballs to pose danger, there is a slight chance that they may still contain active explosives, so it is necessary to clear them with authorities before they are displayed. Once it’s cleared, Rajca said, “we do plan to display it with a plaque.”

The Stuart Center is located on Varnum St. NE, Washington, D.C.

Photo courtesy of the Stuart Center

DIGGING UPHISTORY

COW FEMURSMITHSONIAN

NATIONAL ZOO

PROHIBITION-ERAWHISKEY BOTTLES

MULTIPLE SITES

BELT BUCKLEOXON RUN

OTHER INTERESTING THINGS WE’VE DUG UP AT PLANTINGS

WE PLANT

YOU PLANT

12 November 2014 | theleaflet

TREET YOURSELFWe asked Casey Trees staff and volunteers to share their closely guarded recipes – all featuring ingre-dients from trees – so that you too can treat your family this holiday season.

BAKED SPICED PEARSBY STEPHANIE JUCHS, COMMUNITY EDUCATION COORDINATOR

Adapted from SkinnyTaste. Gluten-free and low on sugar, this is a healthy dessert that’s sure to please everyone at your dinner table. Makes four servings.

2 large ripe pears1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice2 tsp honey1/4 cup crushed walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 2. Cut the pears in half, scoop out seeds and place cut-side up on a baking sheet.3. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice, top with walnuts and drizzle ½ teaspoon honey over each one.4. Bake in the oven 25-30 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

GRAPEFRUIT GIN FIZZBY CASEY MANNING, COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING ASSOCIATE

This recipe is easily scaleable and the perfect pre-dinner drink to please a crowd. Makes two cocktails.

3 oz gin1 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice1 cup ginger aleCucumber slicesIce

1. Combine gin, grapefruit juice and ice in a cocktail shaker, then split between two glasses.2. Carefully top off each glass with ginger ale and cumcumber slices just before serving.

SWEET & SPICY NUT MIXBY JARED POWELL, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT

Sweet, savory and so simple to put together, this nut mix makes a great holiday gift.

1/3 cup dark-brown sugar2/3 cup white granulated sugar1 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp cayenne1 tsp cinnamon1/2 lb walnuts1/2 lb pecan halves1 egg white, room temperature1 tbsp water

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.2. Beat egg white and water until frothy and toss with nuts to coat.3. Stir in sugar mixture, making sure to break up any lumps.4. Spread nuts in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.5. Cool completely before storing.

Photo courtesy of SkinnyTaste

theleaflet | November 2014 13

TREET YOURSELF

PUMPKIN SOUP WITH CINNAMON CRUTONSby ARIELLE CONTI, TECHNICAL SERVICES AND RESEARCH INTERN

Arielle’s mother made this soup for her when she was growing up. The cinnamon crutons truly steal the show, so don’t skimp on the sweet and smoky spice.

FOR THE SOUP2 tablespoons butter1 large onion, chopped (1 cup) 2 (13 3/4 ounce) cans vegetable broth1 (1 lb) can solid-pack pumpkin (2 cups) 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/8 tsp ground ginger 1/8 tsp pepper 3 cups milk or almond milk

FOR THE CROUTONS3 tablespoons softened butter1 tablespoon brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 4 slices whole grain bread

1. Heat butter in large saucepan; add onion and sauté until tender but not brown, about 10 minutes.2. Add all soup ingredients and bring to a boil, cover and lower heat. 3. Simmer 15 minutes.4. Blend with an immersion blender until mixture is smooth.5. Simmer for 15 minutes more.6. Preheat oven to 400°F.7. Blend first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Spread on bread slices; place on a cookie sheet in a single layer.8. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until toast is crisp and topping is bubbly.9. Cut into small triangles or squares.10. Serve soup garnished with cinnamon croutons

SERVICEBERRY MUFFINSby VICTOR CASTILLO, CASEY TREES VOLUNTEER & LEAD CITIZEN FORESTER

These muffins are famous at plantings that Victor leads, and luckily, we were able to convince him to share the secret recipe.

FOR THE MUFFINS½ cup rolled oats½ cup orange juice½ cup plain yogurt½ cup vegetable oil1 egg, beaten1½ cups flour½ cup sugar½ tsp salt½ tsp baking soda½ tsp baking powder1½ cups serviceberries

FOR THE TOPPING2 tbsp sugar ¼ tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.2. Soak rolled oats in orange juice for a couple of minutes. Add yogurt and mix. Stir in egg and oil to the oats, orange juice and yogurt mixture. 3. Mix dry ingredients (but not berries) together in a large bowl. Add berries to dry mixture; stir to coat. 4. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients. Pour in the rolled oats mixture. Gently fold together, being careful not to over-mix. 5. Spray mini-muffin or standard muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Evenly spoon mixture into the pan and top with the cinnamon / sugar mixture. 6. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick comes out clean; about 12 to 14 minutes for the mini-muffins or 18 to 20 minutes for standard muffins.7. Cool muffins in pan. Serve warm or cool completely on a wire rack.

Haven’t seen serviceberries on your grocery store shelves? The berry, which grows on a tree native to the D.C. region, is pleasantly sweet but not overly so. Learn more about the serviceberry in our TREE SPECIES GUIDE.

14 November 2014 | theleaflet

On October 23, Casey Trees planted seven trees with 18 students on a sloping hill besides Paul Public Charter School’s campus in Northwest.

While the middle and high school students were tackling the tough dirt, Paul PCS Director of Development Takita Mason was already planning for the future. “When they grow up, they can come back to their alma mater and see the same tree they planted back in the 8th, 9th, 10th, or 11th grade.”

FEATURED SCHOOL PLANTING

PAUL PCS

theleaflet | November 2014 15

By Matthew Stephens, Director of Tree Planting at NYC Parks & Recreation | A few months ago, both NYC Parks and Casey Trees successfully applied

for an urban forester exchange organized

through the Society of Municipal Arborists.

The goal of the exchange was simple –

enable urban foresters to share expertise,

management practices and technology

through an on-site and immersive experience.

To that end, I was welcomed for a few days

into the Casey Trees family with open arms!

During my time, I visited the Casey Tree

Farm, participated in tree planting events and

met with the leadership to discuss the day-

to-day management as well as the long-term

vision of the organization. I was also able to

witness Casey Trees’ innovative tree-growing

practices at the Farm and take in tree

plantings completed throughout the District.

With everyone I talked to, rode along with,

or learned from, I noticed one commonality

– passion. Passion to inspire the young,

maximize tree survival, add canopy to

backyards, but perhaps most importantly,

true passion for the people and trees of

D.C. The city is lucky to have Casey Trees

as a stakeholder in their urban forest, and I

can attest that Casey Trees is an expert and

trustworthy steward.

I want to thank the staff of Casey Trees for

allowing me to take part in this exchange and

want them to know I am sincerely grateful

for their time and generosity. Casey Trees is

an amazing organization working on amazing

projects and I’m certain they will continue

to be at the forefront of urban forestry for

decades to come.

As part of the Society of Municipal Arborists Exchange, NYC Parks and Recreation Director of Tree Planting Matthew Stephens spent three days in October with

Casey Trees digging in the dirt, exploring the Casey Tree Farm in Berryville, Va. and planting trees alongside staff. We gave him a chance to reflect on his experience below.[ ]

VISITING ARBORIST REFLECTS ON HIS CASEY TREES EXPERIENCE

16 November 2014 | theleaflet

EventsEvents

TREE CARE EVENTS AND PROGRAMS TO KICK OFF THE WINTER SEASON

November and December are filled with classes and events to get you excited about

the winter season. Become a Casey Trees Member to receive exclusive benefits,

including advanced registration to events like the ones below.

NOVEMBER 6ADVOCATE: TREE ADVOCATES MEETING

6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.Casey Trees Headquarters

Speak with Benjamin Tauber, a local

landscape architect who helped

design the sustainable elements at

CityCenterDC.

NOVEMBER 7 FAMILY PROGRAMBUDS STORY TIME

10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.Hill Center921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE

Come to the Hill Center for our Buds

family program, a tree-focused story

time aimed toward an audience of

toddlers and preschoolers.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12

LIVE WEBINARDC PLUG: BURYING LINES, RAISING QUESTIONS

12:00 p.m to 1:00 p.m.Your Computer

Got questions about DC PLUG, the District and Pepco’s proposed plan to bury

the worst-performing overhead power lines in the city? Get answers during our

live webinar!

theleaflet | November 2014 17

NOVEMBER 8FAMILY PROGRAMBUDS STORY TIME

10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.mRock Creek Park Nature Center5200 Glover Rd NW

Come to Rock Creek Park for our

Buds family program, a tree-focused

story time aimed toward an audience

of toddlers and preschoolers.

NOVEMBER 12SOCIALBRANCH OUT HAPPY HOUR

6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.Right Proper Brewing Company624 T Street NW

Join us at Right Proper for our

monthly social happy hour. Free and

open to all.

NOVEMBER 14TREE TOUR: UNIQUE TREE SPECIES AT SMITHSONIAN GARDENS

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.Enid A. Haupt Garden950 Indepencence Avenue SW

Learn about trees not often found on the

streets or within parks of the District with

this guided tour of some of the unique

species found in the Smithsonian gardens.

*Event is filled, waitlist available.

DECEMBER 5FAMILY PROGRAMBUDS STORY TIME

10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.Hill Center921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE

Come to the Hill Center for our Buds

family program, a tree-focused story

time aimed toward an audience of

toddlers and preschoolers.

DECEMBER 6CLASSTREES 301 AT CASEY TREE FARM

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.Casey Tree Farm

Join us at the Casey Tree Farm to

learn advanced winter tree ID concepts

and tricks of the trade.

DECEMBER 9SOCIALBRANCH OUT HAPPY HOUR

6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.Jack Rose Dining Saloon2007 18th St NW

Join us at Jack Rose for our

monthly social happy hour. Free and

open to all.

DECEMBER 13FAMILY PROGRAMBUDS STORY TIME

10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.mRock Creek Park Nature Center5200 Glover Rd NW

Come to Rock Creek Park for our

Buds family program, a tree-focused

story time aimed toward an audience

of toddlers and preschoolers.

Yu Ying PCS

Banneker Recreation Center Community Tree Planting

Fort Dupont Park Community Tree Planting

Battery Kemble Park Community Tree Planting

Takoma Recreation Center Community Tree Planting

11/6

11/8

11/15

11/22

12/13

FALL COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING SCHEDULE

18 November 2014 | theleaflet

Arbor Kids

Kid-friendly kitchen projects!Fall is a great time to cook with tree fruit! Here are some delicious recipes to try at school or at home with fruit from you fruit trees.

Courtesy of Sweet Beet and Green Bean

Persimmons can transform into muffins or chips

Courtesy of The Kitchn

Asian pears are delicious on their own or sliced and

served with nut butter