Canopy Case Study: Emery Recreation Center

The District's canopy cover is increasing because of tree planting and tree care events that are happening throughout D.C. year in and year out. One such planting site is Emery Recreation Center, where Casey Trees has helped add 1,573 square meters of canopy cover by planting 76 trees between 2005 and 2017. Additional street and park trees contributed by the Urban Forestry Division and the Department of Parks and Recreation also helped to increase Emery's canopy cover. In fact, despite the removal of some large but unhealthy trees, the tree canopy at Emery increased by roughly 4 percent. Below are some photos from our fall 2017 planting season.

Urban forests are living structures and over time the overall canopy, species variability and health of Emery will continue to increase. Of the 76 trees planted at Emery Recreation Center, 15 are oaks, 10 are elms, 8 are pines, 6 are cyprus, 5 are maples, 5 are serviceberry, 5 are hollys, 5 are lindens, 3 are hackberries, 3 are tuliptrees, 3 are black Locusts, 2 are Kentucky coffee trees, 2 are blackgums, 2 are plane trees, 1 is an American yellowwood, and 1 is a walnut tree.

Emery Recreation Center is just one example of how our collective efforts are re-treeing D.C. Multiplied across the District, these projects have led to a two percent increase in D.C.’s overall tree canopy — which represents an area about twice the size of the National Mall, or 700 football fields.