February 13 is a big day in our world – it’s our birthday! All month long, we’re looking back on our past twenty-one years and dreaming big about the future. We couldn’t have gotten where we are without you, so remember to take advantage of our birthday gift to you, $10, to our online store using code ‘HBD2CT ‘.* Because we can’t do what we do without you.
While we often share the exciting things going on at our HQ and throughout the District, there is also a lot of excitement at the Casey Tree Farm in Berryville, VA.
For those unaware, the Casey Tree Farm, surveyed initially by our first president and avid horticulturalist George Washington, occupies 730 acres of land along the Shenandoah River in Berryville, VA. We have dedicated 100 acres of that land to sustainable tree production using techniques that prioritize long-term soil health and productivity while safeguarding the overall environment and ensuring that we don’t leave our land, property, and waterways worse off. We are not cultivating 730 acres right away though it has taken years of envisioning, careful planning, attentive planting, and year-round maintenance and management.
At the helm of this growth is our very own Nursery Manager Reid, who, over his seven years at the Casey Trees Farm, has helped us transition during the startup stages, planting only hundreds of trees to where we are today with over 30,000 trees!
While the vast majority of the trees at the Farm are destined to grow old in the city, thanks to our Community, School, and residential planting program, we’re also thankful to work with fantastic partners that see the value of locally grown trees. Other the year our trees have gone to the District Department Transportation’s Urban Forestry Division (which is why you see street trees with Casey Trees’ tags), our beloved friend and neighbor the Baltimore Tree Trust, the stately Architect of the Capitol, and many others. It’s a joy and pleasure to be able to sell our trees to friends and partners and spread the wealth. Reid said it best, “Growing is rewarding, it’s fun watching trees develop on the Farm and ultimately find their new place in DC. We have the opportunity to see our work create a difference and identify our little tree babies around the city”.
What types of trees do we plant? That answer is ever-changing, considering the climate is always changing. Our team researches and studies tree species’ climate adaptivity and resiliency regarding temperature and precipitation variance. Certain trees that have more Northern nativity are maybe starting to fade out while trees that have more Southern nativity are starting to phase in. This concept is well illustrated in the top planted species at the Farm:
One of the trees we have the most of at the Farm Bracken’s Brown Beauty Southern Magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora Bracken’s Brown Beauty, which is a powerhouse of a tree, especially in the South. This medium-sized cultivar of the evergreen tree is durable, pretty, and provides an impressive canopy, not just a cultural touchstone. The next most frequently planted tree at the Farm is the Dura Heat River Birch, Betula nigra ‘Dura Heat’, is a beautiful heat tolerant selection of River Birch that has better insect and disease resistance than the species. Appropriate to grow when destined for a city struggling with the impacts of the urban heat island effect. The third most planted tree at the Farm is the Bald Cypress, Taxodium distichum, known as the South East swamp king. It’s a unique specialist species – it evolved to succeed in its unusual swampy environment. Perfect for the more frequent, more intense rain we are getting due to climate change. Up next is the Red Maple, Acer rubrum, which is the most popular tree in the US. With its fiery red foliage, is that a surprise? Rounding out the top five top planted trees at the Farm is the Swamp White Oak, Quercus bicolor. This is a tall and wide shade tree that is low-maintenance and long-lived. An ideal match for urban areas looking for a mature tree to establish and flourish.
Twenty-one years ago caring for over 30,000 trees at our very own Farm while prepping an entirely new Field for planting was only a glimmer of a dream. While no one quite knows where we will be in the next twenty years it’s inspiring to know that we’ll have the trees and the team to make anything happen.
Want to give us a birthday present? Consider becoming a Casey Trees Member or making a one-time donation in celebration of our birthday. Stay tuned for more birthday content all month long.
*A few exceptions: $10 credit is applicable to all merchandise that has a full retail price of $15 or more. Offer valid until 2/28/2022 at 12:00am.
