THE LEAFLET

December boasted much to celebrate — including the launch of Canopy 3,000, a short-term public-private partnership aimed at expanding the number of trees planted by on private property and public spaces across D.C., at the District’s first-ever Tree Summit.

Hosted by the District’s Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) and Department of Transportation (DDOT), the Tree Summit convened local and regional leaders at American University, to help identify ways to remove barriers to planting trees and better exchange ideas and best practices.

Key takeaways:

• Canopy 3,000, announced by Mayor Bowser, will help to plant 3,000 more trees across the District bringing the total of trees planted collectively by businesses, groups and individuals to approximately 15,000 trees.

• D.C. will Contribute $400,000 in seed funding, enough to plant 1,300 trees. The National Park Service (NPS) will also plant 1,000 trees to celebrate its centennial anniversary in 2016.

• Mayor Bowser also announced the establishment of the Urban Forestry Advisory Committee (UFAC) to expand coordination and assist the District in meeting its 40 percent canopy goal by 2032.

• The 11 UFAC members include DOEE, DDOT, NPS, District Department of Parks and Recreation, Casey Trees, Washington Parks and People, AECOM, AU, American Society of Landscape Architects, DC Baptist Convention and the U.S. Forest Service.

Interested in further information on the Tree Summit? All Summit materials, including expert presentations, video feeds of the event and the Mayor’s Order establishing the UFC can be found here on the DDOT website.

Want to play a greater role in protecting and growing our urban forest? You can register for our free, one-day advocacy workshop — Stand Up for Trees on Saturday, January 30 and sign our petition.