THE LEAFLET
Love at Casey Trees
Research has always been near and dear to our hearts here at Casey Trees. When we were first founded one of the immediate tasks we set out to was to perform an on the ground inventory of street trees in the District. After all, you can’t protect it if you don’t know it’s there. We continue our tradition of research through citizen science, volunteer events and educational workshops.
Greg (far right and pre-Team Leader red vest!) at a planting in spring 2005
Research is not just near and dear to our hearts though. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we’re highlighting a well known Casey Trees romance: 2017 Canopy Award winners Greg and Kerrin Nishimura!
Both have been involved with Casey Trees from its infancy – Greg first joined our ranks in 2004 and has been lending a hand at plantings ever since.
Kerrin (right), meanwhile, got her start at Casey Trees during a summer Dutch Elm Inventory.
Kerrin got involved in 2005 during our Dutch Elm Disease Inventory (told you research was integral). They met that summer thanks to their mutual love of trees and a Tree ID Training we held. The rest they say is history.
Together they’ve attended over 200 Casey Trees events, planted over 500 trees, and, as Team Leaders, have trained countless volunteers on the ins and outs of proper tree planting and care.
Their latest team effort is probably their best – raising their daughter!
“The most rewarding part about the hours and years I’ve dedicated to Casey Trees is knowing that in 20 years I can bring my daughter back to all those places that her father and I have planted trees and she’ll be able to see the good work that we’ve done. She’ll be able to put her hands on a living symbol of our love for the environment and for the city itself,” Kerrin says.
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- Greg, second from right, takes a moment as he leads a team at McKinley Tech.
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- Environmental stewardship is a family affair! Kerrin shows her daughter the ropes at our recent MLK Memorial Planting.
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- Kerrin, second from left, shows off her team’s hard work at a Columbia Island planting.
And if that doesn’t make your heart melt, we don’t know what will. So you never know – you might meet your future spouse, best friend, or newest fellow tree nerd at one of our events. Be sure you hear of them first -spring event sign ups are coming! Make sure you’re signed up for the Leaflet, our weekly newsletter and if you want priority access before the public consider becoming a Casey Trees member to receive advanced registration.