THE LEAFLET
Getting Ready for the Tree Report Card
Each year for Arbor Day, Casey Trees releases our Tree Report Card where we analyze the state of DC’s urban forest and grade its progress towards our 40 percent tree canopy goal. At its heart, the Tree Report Card is a benchmark to measure the previous year’s efforts and see what areas we and others working to re-tree DC can improve upon.
There’s still one week left until we drop the grades for 2022, but while we’re waiting let’s take a stroll down memory lane and reflect on the Tree Report Cards of years past. Since 2008, we’ve been grading the District based on four metrics: coverage, health, planting, and protection. We determine grades based on where our successes have been over the past year and provide insight and highlights on where improvements can be made.
Ultimately the Tree Report Card is a celebration of our efforts and a call to action for our future. In the past year, we’ve seen illegal tree removals become more and more common, and while DC has protections in place that are meant to prevent the removal of large healthy trees – the unethical practice is still happening, not just in DC but all across the DMV. Whether this calls for harsher fines and more stipulation, one thing remains clear – our surrounding jurisdictions need to work together, because trees don’t care about city and state boundaries, and a healthy regional tree canopy would benefit us all.
Of course, there are so many partners that play a part in DC’s canopy. We thank all our partners, from government agencies to fellow nonprofits, to schools and organizations, for making trees a priority in the city by planting, caring and protecting trees in the District as well as sharing their data to track the collective efforts.
Stay tuned for the 2022 Tree Report Card coming out next week – and until then, feel free to peruse reports of the past and see how far we’ve come!