THE LEAFLET

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a remarkable leader who dedicated his life to advocating for civil rights and justice. His selfless service and commitment to nonviolence and human dignity inspired people around the world. He was an unwavering champion of equality and a powerful voice for the voiceless. His legacy serves as a reminder to us all that we must continue to strive for justice and equality for all.

In 1994, Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, designating the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a National Day of Service. Taking place on Monday, January 16th this year, the MLK Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a National Day of Service – a “day on, not a day off.” The MLK Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems, and moves us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a “Beloved Community.”

Casey Trees is so glad we got to participate in Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service by hosting another Langdon Park Community Conservation Event!

Dedicated volunteers met us at Langdon Park this MLK Day to give back and combat climate change as part of a year-long climate resiliency program at Langdon Park. Supported by the District of Columbia Community Stormwater Solutions Grant.

Throughout the year, we’ve held several care events at Langdon Park. We have mulched and watered young trees, created a nearly 700-foot-long walking trail that allows for a forest bathing experience, and have worked endlessly to remove the invasive species that cover the park.

With our efforts yesterday focused on invasive plant removal, volunteers were hard at work pulling english ivy vines and chopping up honeysuckle shrubs. And although it was hard to see the forest from the weeds at the beginning of the day – by the time we left it didn’t even look like the same park. It’s amazing to see what can be accomplished with a little TLC!

Sending a huge thanks to all our volunteers who came out to help, the work in Langdon Park is instrumental to the health of the park and our local ecosystem. Invasive removal will improve the ecology, allow for better ecosystem services, and prepare the space for future tree planting. And continuing to care for our young trees will foster healthy canopy growth as the trees mature and provide us with countless benefits such as reduced energy costs, clean air, and controlled stormwater runoff.

Scroll down to see some of the fun volunteering moments we captured at the event!