THE LEAFLET
DDOT to Plant 8,000+ Trees this Year
Our city is known as the “City of Trees” in part due to the abundance of tree canopy that stretches over our streets. Compared to other urban areas, DC is fortunate to be a city that was planned to have corridors of trees line our roadways. All trees have several environmental, ecological, and social benefits – but our street trees are especially important as they shade much of the asphalt and concrete that contributes to urban heat island effects. DC’s street trees are some of our hardest-working trees.
It is DDOT’s Urban Forestry Division (UFD) that is the primary steward of Washington DC’s approximate 175,000 public trees. UFD is responsible for planting and caring for DC’s street trees, as well as managing tree permits and tree preservation through public and private development projects.
Earl Eutsler, Associate Director for DDOT’s Urban Forestry Division.
Last week, the Bowser Administration and DDOT announced their 2023-2024 tree planting season, which includes plans to plant more than 8,000 trees. These trees will go a long way in helping the city to reach our 40% tree canopy goal by 2032.
“Our Urban Foresters are hard at work planting trees across all eight wards,” said DDOT’s Associate Director of Urban Forestry Earl Eutsler. “Installing these new trees greatly benefits our city by not only protecting our air and water resources but also creating a more livable environment for our city residents and visitors.”
This announcement to plant 8,000 trees this year also comes on the heels of DDOT being awarded $750,000 in funding by the USDA Forest Service to promote urban and community forestry as part of funding through the Inflation Reduction Act.
Eutsler continued, “More tree coverage means lower summer temperatures, better local air quality, and reduced flooding on sidewalks and streets. We look forward to using this grant to facilitate healthier and more enjoyable spaces in our great city.”
How does DDOT recommend citizens get involved?
- Request a new tree on your street using the 311 website portal or calling 311.
- Any DC resident can have free trees planted on their property. Request a free tree consultation with a Casey Trees arborist to get started.