THE LEAFLET

How do you end an international conference that is in your city? You take participants on a tour to show off the District! We were lucky enough to be joined by our friends and partners at the Urban Forestry Division and the Nature Conservancy to showcase some of the lesser known hot D.C. green spots.

We started the day off in Canal Park with some introductory remarks and a bit of history from Earl Eutsler of the Urban Forestry Division. This bustling park was once a canal that led to the Anacostia! Participants were especially eager to hear about the green roof and the different rain gardens throughout the park. Jessica Sanders, our Director of Technical Services and Research, noted that a park is not only an “integration of community and environmental space” but that you should look at them as “habitats for people”.

Next up we walked to Garfield Park. The site of the Spring Community Planting, we were able to show off our watering bags and tree tags, and discuss some of the challenges of urban forestry and designing park space. One of the participants was impressed by the diversity and maturity of species throughout Garfield Park. Mark Buscaino, our executive director, mentioned this park was a part of Pierre L’Enfant’s original plan for D.C. – so it is pretty impressive that it’s still there!

We paused for lunch and enjoyed spectacular views from the Urban Forestry Division rooftop. Bellies full, we headed to Yards Park where we heard from Arielle Conti, our Urban Forestry Research Associate, who mentioned that parks are “at the nexus of citizen science, recreation, and planning”. Considering the park was finished in 2011, everyone was impressed at the size of the trees. Kahlil Kettering, the Urban Conservation Director at the Nature Conservancy, elaborated about the DMV’s efforts to management stormwater through D.C.’s unique Stormwater Credits system.

Ending the day with a bang, we headed out on the Anacostia River with Anacostia Watershed Society to learn more about trees and their role in helping to make the Anacostia River swimmable and fishable.

A huge thanks to our partners at the Urban Forestry Division, the Nature Conservancy, and the Anacostia Watershed Society for showing our guests such a terrific day in D.C.!