Spring is a time for new growth, but before we look forward toward reaching our 40 percent tree canopy goal, we must look back. The Casey Trees annual Tree Report Card reviews and highlights the successes of our previous year and calls attention to where we can do more. I am happy to report that our tree canopy has continued to improve; we exceeded our tree planting goals and a majority of the trees in the District are still in good or excellent health. However, many of our trees are still at risk for removal and we continue to see impervious surfaces dominate our landscape.

The theme for this year’s Tree Report Card is Empowering Future Generations Through Trees. To grow a greater, greener city, we must work together, not just today or tomorrow, but day after day and year after year. When we teach younger generations about the value of trees and green space now, we will ensure that our city’s lush tree filled legacy continues.

I want to thank everyone who has been involved in restoring, enhancing and protecting the District’s tree canopy over the past year. It is through your involvement, donations and hard work that we are, and will continue to be, the “City of Trees”.

Thanks as always for your support!

Connecting with the environment provides all of us, but particularly youngsters, with many benefits – education, physical activity, social connections – the list is endless. And especially in the urban environment where recreational space is at a premium, trees can create these spaces to experience this nature – all the while creating lifelong connections to it.

Trees are one of our city’s most valuable resources, and their existence depends on our care. It can take generations for a tree to grow to maturity, but only a moment for it to be cut down. And when a large tree is removed, it doesn’t just negatively impact the property where it was located, but rather the entire neighborhood. To successfully protect the city’s trees from illegal removal, we must make sure that younger generations interact with and experience them in a way that provides them an appreciation of their aesthetic, social and health benefits first-hand.

Click here to learn more about about the intersection of housing and trees in D.C.

When children are taken outdoors, they are given a chance to explore the natural world and learn about the value of their local environment. Environmental education is an important part of a child’s education and kids who are given the opportunity to go outside and have hands on learning experiences, whether it is with a class or with a friend, in a city or a small town, are more likely to be self-motivated, creative and critical thinkers and confident in their abilities. Together, these skills create strong leaders. When we empower kids to go outside and learn, we are also teaching them the skills necessary to become well rounded future leaders that will understand the value of their environment.