The GCA Zone VI Fellowship in Urban Forestry
Founded in 1913, the Garden Club of America (GCA) is a nonprofit organization comprising 199 member clubs with over 18,000 club members throughout the United States. To promote greater understanding of the interdependence of horticulture, environmental protection, and community involvement, GCA offers 29 different merit-based scholarships across 12 areas of study and annually awards over $500,000.
In 2004, the 12 clubs of GCA Zone VI from Maryland and the District of Columbia voted to create a fellowship in urban forestry. The first fellowship was awarded in 2006. Casey Trees partners with the Garden Club of America to administer the GCA Zone VI Fellowship in Urban Forestry. The fellowship funds students annually, up to $7,500, for study and research that will advance knowledge of urban forestry and increase the number of scientists in the field.
In 2026, two special designations were added to the award: The Barbara Shea and Mark Buscaino Fellowship Awards in Urban Forestry. Both Mark and Barbara attribute the organization’s long-term success and future environmental successes in the capital region to prioritizing the education of industry scholars and guiding them to become the urban forestry leaders of tomorrow.
Barbara Shea, a founding Board Member of Casey Trees, volunteered her time, energy, and expertise to the organization for 25 years. She held various roles prior to her departure in 2025, including the Founding President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Garden Club of America (GCA) Representative. In addition, she has been a GCA member for over 35 years and has served on the boards of the Friends of the National Arboretum and the Irvine Nature Center, and was among the founding board members of the Baltimore Tree Trust.
Barbara’s passion for trees and the environment, coupled with her knowledge of finance and organizational management, has enabled her to play key roles in guiding nonprofit environmental organizations to success. Her contributions exemplify the impact of committed leadership and volunteer service in advancing environmental stewardship and nonprofit excellence.
Mark Buscaino has pursued a passion in trees and forestry since he served as a forestry program Peace Corps volunteer in Benin, West Africa. His work since that time has largely focused on urban forestry practices at the local, national, and international levels. Prior to Casey Trees, Mark served as the national director for all 50 states and 9 federated states, islands, and territories in the US Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program. He also served in local government leadership roles, fostering local and regional forestry programs in Takoma Park, MD; Washington, DC; Fairfax County, Virginia; and New York City, NY.
From 2006-2025, Mark served as the Executive Director of Casey Trees, before retiring and continuing to serve as a senior advisor to the organization. Under Mark’s leadership, Casey Trees planted more than 70,000 trees and grew from 10 employees to more than 60 employees. His legacy is defined by transformative growth at Casey Trees, a sustained commitment to expanding urban tree canopy, strengthening communities, and advancing the field of urban forestry nationwide.
Application INFORMATION:
Eligibility: Open to graduate or advanced undergraduate students who are studying urban forestry, environmental studies, horticulture, forestry, or related courses of study with a special interest in the urban forest. Students must be enrolled during the academic year following the award decision. Eligibility is open to U.S. Citizens and permanent residents who are enrolled in a U.S. – based institution.
Selection: Selection is by a panel of people knowledgeable about research in the field of urban forestry, appointed by Casey Trees, and is approved by the GCA Scholarship Committee.
Application Process:
- Applicants should complete the electronic application form. Be prepared to upload a curriculum vitae (CV) at the time of your electronic application form submission. Preview the application questions here. At minimum, include:
- Relevant Education, work, and volunteer experience
- Publications and presentations
- Career goals
- A letter of endorsement directly emailed from applicant’s major professor/advisor and signed by the student’s faculty advisor and submitted to: gcaurbanforestry@caseytrees.org by the application deadline with the name of the student in the subject line. The letter should:
- Identify the student
- Indicate the status of the student in the program
- Evaluate the students ability as an independent researcher.
Application Deadline: January 15th – Application is not considered complete until the letter of endorsement is received. Final award decisions are made in late March. Fellowship recipients will receive official notification from the Garden Club of America. If you have any questions concerning the award application or eligibility requirements, please contact us at gcaurbanforestry@caseytrees.org.