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Get Involved
All our programs work together to provide greater shade, cooler air, cleaner water, citizen engagement and sustainable growth to the neighborhoods where we live and work.
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Volunteer & Events
See all of our upcoming events to find the one right for you. From tree care, to community plantings, to major conferences and more.
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Youth Education
We connect youth to trees through school curriculum aligned programming, tree plantings, and environmental camp-style programs. We strive to help youth understand what our tree canopy does and to build stewards for the future. Learn more about our programs below.
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Advocacy
Through advocacy, we share our voice and push for better policies to support and protect trees.
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Conservation
Our Conservation Easement program aims to conserve land for existing and future trees to thrive, for the benefit of all for generations to come.
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Get Involved
As stewards of DC’s urban forest, Casey Trees has served as a community resource for educational programs and volunteer opportunities since 2002. We pursue our mission to restore, enhance and protect the tree canopy through a variety of programs including tree planting, tree care, inventories, adult and youth education, and conservation easements. While the activities vary, all our programs work together to provide greater shade, cooler air, cleaner water, citizen engagement and sustainable growth to the neighborhoods where we live and work. Our opportunities are seasonal, so if you want to stay in the know, sign up for The Leaflet, our weekly newsletter.
Volunteer & Events
See all of our upcoming events to find the one right for you. From tree care, to community plantings, to major conferences and more.
School Programs/Curriculum Aligned
We provide programming to DC students that targets environmental literacy in order to meet Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and DC Public Schools Scope and Sequence. Our outdoor learning curricula are available for DCPS and DCPCS teachers, specifically 5th grade teachers.
School Tree Plantings
If you are a school in DC Wards 5, 7 and 8 with space for trees, we want to partner with you! We are channeling our efforts into these wards to increase canopy there, and to provide students with environmental educational experiences. Trees provide innumerable benefits to our city. Schools with plantable space are eligible for free trees. Fill out our application if you would like to plant trees with your students.
TreeWise: Jr. Urban Forester Program
Did you know there are over 2.5 million trees in Washington, D.C.? We need your help to take care of them all! Become a Junior Urban Forester through our TreeWise environmental camp-style youth program.
We currently can offer programs in D.C. proper, for your youth aged 5-12.
Contact an Educator
Our educators are funded through grants or programs. Our educators have limited capacity to teach our signature programs at schools, camps, churches and more. Contact one of our educators for a high quality urban forest educational experience.
We currently can offer programs in D.C. proper, for your youth aged 5-12.
Advocacy
Conserve forest patches & wildlife habitat
Preserve ecosystem services
Strengthen communities
Mitigate climate change
Advocacy is at the heart of our planning. Through advocacy, we share our voice and push for better policies to support and protect trees. We foster strong relationships with the Mayor and District agencies, the Council, Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, and with you to expand and protect DC’s canopy.
Since Casey Trees inception over two decades ago, we have been able to reverse tree canopy loss in the District by advocating for more planting and preservation. DC now has one of the most ambitious canopy goals in the nation – 40% coverage by 2032 – and some of the best protections for trees. DC residents recognize the value of the trees that keep our air and water cleaner, cool our city, and create communal spaces for people and animals alike.
There is always work to be done to spread the word about how important trees are to our cities today and our sustainable future. We rely on our diverse, passionate, and engaged volunteers to add their voices to ours. Together, we show that a greener DC is a healthier and stronger DC. Take a look at the resources on this page to learn a little bit of the history of Casey Trees’ advocacy and how to be an advocate for the trees yourself.
ADVOCATE WITH CASEY TREES
Take Advocacy in the District Training
We choose to advocate because we believe in the idea that trees are more than the obvious benefits they provide and, because of this, they need someone to be their voice in government. At the very soul of our advocacy efforts lies the belief that our city is better because of trees and that all who live, work or visit the District need access to nature. Simply put, we speak for the trees, because they don’t have the voice to speak for themselves.
Conserving remaining green spaces so we can plan for future residents and for future trees.
Washington, DC is developing at a rapid pace with a growing population expected to close in on 1 million people by the year 2045. Our changing urban landscape means accommodating for developments, but often comes at the cost of mature trees and open green space. Sustainable development not only requires creative energy and material use, but also creative design to incorporate existing green infrastructure. For more information, read our FAQ.
For the first time since 2006, DC saw a net 1% canopy cover decline 1 .[1] This decline is equal to 565 acres, an area roughly the size of the National Mall, and is a setback to reaching the City’s goal of 40% tree canopy by 2032.
Geographically, the greatest declines happened in Wards 5, 7, and 8 – DC’s most vulnerable areas.
Canopy Change by Ward 2015-2020
Canopy Change
Increase
Decrease
Current Canopy
Least
Most
| Ward | Canopy Change 2015-2020 (%) | Current Canopy 2020 (%) | Potential Canopy (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +1.1 | 24.4 | 31.4 |
| 2 | -1.0 | 27.3 | 36.9 |
| 3 | -1.2 | 59.0 | 70.8 |
| 4 | +0.2 | 49.5 | 62.9 |
| 5 | -2.6 | 29.4 | 49.4 |
| 6 | -1.8 | 18.8 | 27.2 |
| 7 | -2.1 | 38.5 | 58.9 |
| 8 | -2.2 | 29.9 | 52.0 |
Green spaces work as protective buffers to slow down and retain stormwater runoff, reduce ambient air temperatures, improve air quality, provide habitat for wildlife and reduce heating and cooling costs. In addition, they provide gathering places for communities to recreate and connect with one another.
Casey Trees’ land conservation program aims to restore fragmented patches of urban forest, enhance urban ecosystems and public health, and protect green space for trees to grow and neighbors to connect with nature. We work with local landowners to steward natural areas and improve the conditions of those sites.