Our Green Community Grows

July 2013

RMA welcomes to its green community three Embassy Row owners in the 2000 block of Mass Ave, who have taken over the care of young, at-risk street trees.  Our Treekeepers are helping these owners, such as by loaning green water bags. By actively caring for trees, these owners beautify their space. A healthy line of maturing trees will help this whole block, where thousands of people daily use the Georgetown U and MetroBus stops and popular Embassy Row hotel.

You may learn more about our new "green" friends below the photos.

Neighbors in the 2000 block of Mass Ave work together to nourish at-risk city street trees. Clockwise from upper left: (a) The garden planted by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung shows how shady gardens can thrive next to busy bus stops. (b) Lars Haensel,  Resident Represetative of KAS, Rob Nevitt, RMA Treekeeper, and  Zhanar Altieva of KAS with the one of the bags KAS refills weekly;  (c) William C. Paley Foundation and Kuwait-America Foundation; (d) in early June RMA Treekeepers Sarah Randolph and Katie Macdonald cleared the tree box and filled the bag to kick-start care which was taken over by the two foundations.

Who/what

Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) 2005 Massachusetts Avenue NW (20036) The foundation fosters a transatlantic network of contacts particularly offering young leaders the chance to interact with decision makers; the Washington, DC office manages KAS programs in the US and Canada.  http://www.kas.de/usa/en/about/  

 

Kuwait-America Foundation  2021 Massachusetts Avenue NW (20036) was founded after the 1991 Gulf War to help children internationally. It also sponsors the National Campaign Against Violence to reduce youth violence in communities across the United States. www.kuwaitamerica.org

William C. Paley Foundation 2023 Massachusetts Avenue NW (20036)
The foundation, sponsored by William C. Paley (son of the late William S. Paley, president of CBS), offers counseling regarding addiction and other behaviors.

Thanks also to John Crotts http://www.finegardenspecialists.com for historic yard landscape and tree care.

Deep-watering prepares trees for summer

JUNE 2013 

Surprisingly, experts say spring is the time to prepare sidewalk trees for summer.  They advise watering them early and deep.

During DC's hot summers, city trees can bake two ways:

1) by the sun's radiation from above; and
2) by the sun's heat reflected up from the pavement, heating leaves and trunk from below.

Another problem: near the tree, the ground becomes hard and dry--a barricade against water flow. So when we're lucky enough to get rain, less rain of it reaches the important roots underground.

Enter deep-watering.

A professional water truck carries 1,000 gallons and a 100-foot hose. The hose has a "needle" that the operator pokes in the ground several times around the tree. He can turn on the high pressure water flow and change the pressure by turning the needle's handlebar, like changing speeds on a motorcycle.

Deep-watering can moisten soil  3 - 4 feet below the surface, near the big roots the tree needs to grow.

Our deep-watering project assists a tulip poplar we planted by the Embassy of Romania on Sheridan Circle.

Restore Mass Ave hired Arborcare of Rockville, Maryland to water several hundred trees along Embassy Row on June 1. (Trees to be deep-watered were marked with blue tape.) Most were sidewalk street trees; others were trees inside the sidewalk that we planted or otherwise keep an eye on. 

James Urban of Urban Tree Associates recommended deep-watering in spring as a good investment for our trees this summer. He said that though we've had much rain, the trees face hard times ahead.

Still,  EVERYONE near city trees should top-water them, 25 gallons per tree each week, all summer. And pull away grass and weeds from the tree base so hose water, rainwater and air can start their journey towards the tree's deep roots, as Nature intended.

Reminder: Only mulch LIGHTLY around trees -- experts recommend a 3-inch layer kept away from the tree base. DO NOT pile mulch against trees! "Mulch volcanoes" block air and water from reaching the deeper roots which must be nourished to grow a strong tree.

Thanks to donations, Restore Mass Ave could provide this special care. We would like to thank -- in advance -- embassies and owners who engage in follow-up care around city trees, with watering and weeding. We must work together to raise the odds that all the trees here grow big and shady.

Special thanks to RMA Board member Robert Tarasovich for managing the project.
Learn more about Jim Urban at http://www.restoremassave.org/experts.shtml and his Linked In page.
More about Arborcare is here. Volunteer with RMA here. Donate to RMA here.

Our visit to Casey Tree Farm nursery

May 2013
On a sunny Saturday morning, two carloads of "RMAers" tooled into the Virginia countryside through fields and budding woodlands to a lovely property near Berryville: Casey Tree Farm. Our aim was to learn how little trees are grown before they're hauled to the city for planting.

Farm manager Brian Mayell started us at the pretty white farmhouse - now a serious HQ for maps and computerized record keeping. The 730-acre property was donated by Betty Brown Casey to the Casey Trees foundation in 2008.  Much of the open land is still farmed. Six acres of Casey Trees' most advanced tree-growing is next to the farmhouse; more nursery acreage lies beyond.

Mayell showed us two experimental beds. At right he's pointing to young bare-root trees growing in gravel; in front of him bare-root trees are growing in wood chips. In the gravel technique, called Missouri Gravel Bed (MGB), the trees are irrigated and fertilized from above, so the roots spread freely. He said that when scooped from the gravel bed "they look like mops." Growing bare-root trees in wood chips could be an important new technique, as wood chips are easily available and are cheaper than gravel. 

Trees grown in these loose mediums would weigh far less when removed and transported for planting.  Most young trees are grown in soil and dug out by a machine - which cuts through a high percentage of their roots. And a balled and burlapped tree of 2.5" caliper, with soil root ball, weighs "hundreds of pounds," Mayell said, so transporting it to a city is energy- and labor-intensive. 

If trees can be grown and moved bare-root, more can be loaded and transported to their planting sites, saving energy and labor. (Bottom line: If the trees are cheaper, maybe cities could plant more.)

In another experiment, young trees are grown in fabric bags. In the bag the roots do not girdle; whereas young trees that are grown in containers suffer from twisted, encircled roots.*

We loved strolling among rows of trees growing the normal way in tidy soil strips on the hillside.  We could see the different shapes of different species down the rows. Mayell was a fountain of information, especially about the native species which Casey Trees specializes in planting. 

Most farms have a cat and Casey Tree Farm is no exception. Since it dwells in
fields of low-hanging branches, this cat can climb up a tree, turn and hop gracefully down.

We're grateful to RMA Board member Robert Tarasovich for arranging this outing and to Mayell for his expertise and patience with our questions.

So far Casey Trees has added 12,000 trees to Washington DC. The Foundation's expertise and classes are a huge asset to the city.
Restore Mass Ave is especially grateful that Casey Trees provided ~100 of the 133 trees Restore Mass Ave has added to lawns and yards, in seven  Community Plantings. For more see our Events page.

* More on Casey Tree Farm's innovative techniques here.

Record turnout for RMA at Costa Rica Residence

April 2013

Our fundraising reception drew nearly 100 supporters of RMA to the Residence of H.E. Muni Figueres, Ambassador of Costa Rica, on April 23. This mansion, at 2324 Mass Ave next to Sheridan Circle, is famous as the home of S. Dillon Ripley, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution (1964-84) and a noted ornithologist.  Guests gathered in the conservatory and patio overlooking the forest of Rock Creek Park - a lovely, natural venue in the early evening sun.

RMA President Deborah Shapley described some RMA achievements: 271 trees arranged so far, (more to come), and our forthcoming book, "A Grand Avenue Revival," supported by the National Trust and others. A.M. Oduber of the Embassy described Costa Rica's successful reforestation as a model for other countries.

Guests committed  dollars and good cheer to re-forest Embassy Row. They got more: Our signature "No Mulch Volcano" lapel buttons which spread this key advice about tree care: piles of mulch at the bases of trees weakens them by hindering growth of strong root systems. 

RMA Treekeeper volunteers Jon Gossens (Northern Trust) and Chris Reynolds.

 
Thanks to the record turnout, the net from the party exceeded expectations! We owe very special thanks to event sponsors: Alex Venditti/TTR Sotheby's International Real Estate and - new sponsor - The Northern Trust Company.


Washington Life magazine posted photos. See Restore Mass Ave's Events page for our own exciting slideshow.  Who says tree-huggers don't enjoy a good party?

Alex Venditti, Bobbie Brewster, John Peters Irelan (Photos: WL)

Early Spring Trees: Pretty in Pink Yet So Much More

By Gary Chappell
March 2013

Spring is just around the corner, and soon the world’s eyes will gaze upon the clouds of pink blossoms of Washington’s famous cherry trees encircling the Tidal Basin.  The trees from Japan, planted in 1912 and now numbering 3,750, are predicted to peak in their glory at the end of March.

That’s when the blossoms of some other signature trees of the city will appear. Look for the pinkish-white blooms 3-4 inches across of the star magnolia, another Asian import.  Also look for the saucer magnolia’s even bigger white (or pink or maroon) blooms.

Trees that grow flowers before they grow leaves are spectacular. But now I’m looking closely at the buds of other trees, not yet with flowers or leaves. As a Restore Mass Ave Treekeeper, I and my dedicated colleagues help to care for the signature trees of Embassy Row.  I love looking close-up at the distinctive buds of different types of trees.

Just now the lindens (or basswoods) show only their buds, which are dark red. These will separate at the tips to grow new shoots and leaves; the linden’s fragrant blossoms only come later, in June. 

Massachusetts Avenue is lucky to be planted with American elms of the disease-resistant varieties ‘Princeton’ and ‘Valley Forge.’  In coming weeks, from their buds will emerge 1/8 inch wide greenish flowers and elliptical ‘keys’ bearing seeds; still other buds will grow the new shoots that become branches.

American elm flowers emerging in early spring.

 The buds we see now formed inside the branches months ago. They were dormant all winter. Now as temperatures rise they break out to grow new shoots and leaves. 

Red maple trees are among the earliest to strut their stuff. They produce tiny red flowers in nearly stalkless clusters before producing leaves.  Red maples are already prolific, with the largest distribution of any tree species on the East Coast.  In a sign of our changing climate, a 2001 study found that, since 1970, this tree is blossoming on average at least 19 days earlier in Washington, D.C.

In summary, Washington ranks very highly in the magnificence of its spring foliage among American, and maybe global, cities. Do you have a favorite spring-blooming or spring-budding tree? Tell us about it by posting a comment in the space below.

Left: Buds on a young ginkgo tree on Sheridan Circle.
Right: I update RMA's log of sites needing trees along Embassy Row.

 

Supporters Gather to Push Greening Project Ahead

November 2012

The beautiful Wendell Mansions apartment house at 2339 Mass Ave drew about 70 guests to a reception honoring the work of Restore Mass Ave on October 16.

Mark J. Scott was the host; we all admired his recent renovation of one of the most amazing Beaux Arts interiors in Washington. Did we mention that Mark's row of large windows give wide-angle views of Mass Ave - including the trees?

The sunset was almost as beautiful as Mark's table, which was loaded with goodies as fine wine was poured.

President Deborah Shapley spoke, noting that  RMA has arranged for 245 new trees in the past 6 years, from Dupont Circle west to 34th Street. She said RMA has a very active volunteer Treekeeper program most weekends in spring and summer. We plan to make Embassy Row a 'living classroom' by having more volunteers from other neighborhoods participating here - to how to help trees on their streets. By our volunteer program, model help for city trees, and social media outreach - like this blog - Restore Mass Ave shares its know-how broadly.

The party included guests from neighboring embassies, including the embassies of Haiti and Ireland.

Thanks to generous underwriting by the Alex and Paul Group TTR Sotheby's International Realty, donations from guests and from those who could not attend - go 100% to our cause.

Restore Mass Ave Treekeeper's Diary

September 2012 

By Lina Cortas

What’s that group of people wearing florescent yellow jackets hunched over under a tree during rush hour doing?

We’re the RMA Treekeepers. 

Restore Mass Ave. 
Yes, we’re volunteers. 
 

We work in two-hour sessions, sometimes on weekend mornings, or on weekday evenings, whenever we can. We’re re-greening Massachusetts Avenue.  

We want to re-establish a tree canopy by planting two rows of shade trees on each side of the avenue and making sure they are cared for so they survive and grow tall and big and beautiful.

Our assignment is simple:   Weed, loosen-up compacted dirt around the base of the tree to allow water and air to penetrate deeper into the ground, remove mulch volcanoes, sometimes water, clean-up, and call it a day. 

And we chat as we go about our work.

Sarah, Chris, Gary and the famous RMA red wagon.

What do we talk about?  Trees. 

What kind of tree­­—Oak, Linden, Elm.  Yes, there are varieties of elm that are resistant to Dutch elm disease.   Different tree species are planted to avoid the problems of monoculture.  We’re learning tree names as we go. 

OK, we start weeding.  A lot of crab grass.  Dandelion, too.  We create a weed-free box around the tree. 

Then there’s the mulch volcano that someone who thought they were helping the tree piled up around its base.  We rake that away only to find dirt piled around the base. 

So we dig the dirt (which we call soil) to get to the flare—the point where the roots start to spread away from the trunk.  As we dig, we discuss the properties of soil:  is it too clayey, too sandy, does it have enough organic matter, how do we improve it.  And why are the tree roots so close to the surface. 

Some trees are planted way too low.  More digging and the opportunity to try the various tools­—spade, digging fork, garden rake, pick axe, mini pick axe, trowel.  Everyone has a favorite. 

Time to water or place a 25 gal watering bag around the tree.Why 25 gal—because that’s what a young newly planted tree needs per week for the first few years to get established in the ground. 

Working in the evenings, 6-8 PM, we witness the bumper-to-bumper traffic on Mass Ave—cars and buses and their fumes.Pedestrians and people at bus stops breathing those fumes.If only there were a few more trees to clean the air.And a little more shade.
 

I show how far we had to dig to expose the flare of this black gum tree.

On weekends it’s a different crowd.Many joggers. Bikers. Tourists and locals promenading and enjoying this historic site, some strolling to or from the farmer’s market.The air may be cleaner but a little more shade, a little more green would make it so much more pleasant.  






We cared for around 50 trees so far this season.  We dragged our sturdy little red cart piled with tools up and down the avenue.  We proudly placed our Restore Mass Ave sign on the sidewalk and attacked the weeds.

We got to know the trees.