THE LEAFLET

Ladies and gentlemen, folks near and far, it’s here! Cherry blossom #PeakBloom, where the majority of Yoshino Cherry trees along the Tidal Basin have bloomed, engulfing downtown D.C. and the National Mall in a fluffy, Instagram worthy cloud of delicate pink and white blooms.

This is a quintessential part of D.C. and people come from not only all over the country, but the world to see magnificent pink cherry tree branches line the Tidal Basin and hang over walkways brushing the river.  We are often (over) characterized by two things in the District: our politicians and our cherry trees. While we don’t have control over who ends up in the Capitol Building (#StatehoodforDC), we all play a part in the longevity and vitality of not only D.C. itself, but also our iconic blooms.

Our 3,750 cherry trees have endured record-breaking heat, cold snaps, and even snow, but thanks to the efforts of tourists, arborists, nonprofits the collective research helps innovate and track maintenance like pruning and watering, to public awareness campaigns. We are proud to see how everyone contributes something in their own way to help the longevity of these urban treasures. Other natural urban treasures, like the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers and our large natural parks have similar communities of folks helping make them the best they can possibly be. Think about the role we all play in celebrating and protecting not only the cherry trees, but also the other 2.4 million urban trees and the miles of riverbanks and waterways in our city. Vital and robust natural spaces in our city make it a beautiful place to be, but also contribute to a more vibrant and stable future.

This is why the theme for our biggest fundraiser, the Sixth Annual Canopy Awards is Roots to Rivers. We’re throwing a celebration honoring five of D.C.’s tree heroes and celebrating the interdependence of trees, rivers, and people. Just as trees and rivers are connected, we too are deeply inspired by, thankful for, and championed by the efforts of our partners in crime – local nonprofits that are committed to making the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers they best they can be. As city dwellers, we are all in this together. Let’s celebrate all we can do together at the Sixth Annual Canopy Awards, held on Arbor Day Eve, Thursday, April 25!

The Canopy Awards is not the only way we’ll celebrate our collective work – and it’s not your only opportunity to get involved. Once #PeakBloom has calmed done, stay tuned for more information (including how to win big!) on our We All Play a Part campaign. In the meantime, you can immerse yourself in the magic of #PeakBloom by joining us to learn the best techniques to capture these beauties and entering those photos to win DPR’s cherry blossom photo contest.

AND don’t forget to grab your ticket for the biggest party in urban forestry, Roots to Rivers, the Sixth Annual Canopy Awards.