October 3, 2016

Markku McGlynn, Environmental Protection Specialist
Department of Energy and the Environment
1200 First Street, NE #5th Floor    
Washington DC 20002

RE: Draft Green Area Ratio Guidebook

Dear Mr. McGlynn, 

The staff and volunteers at Casey Trees believe deeply in our mission “to restore, enhance, and protect the tree canopy of the nation’s capital.” Since we started in 2002, we have planted over 23,000 trees, helped to raise awareness about the importance of tree canopy, trained and deployed thousands of volunteers, and have worked with communities to ensure that every neighborhood in the District has a healthy and robust tree canopy.

We are excited to comment on your Draft Green Area Ratio (GAR) Guidebook because regulations like the GAR and the associated guidance the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) provides, not only help move us toward a greener and more sustainable city for all residents, but also ensure that trees remain a vital part of DC’s landscape for future generations.

We appreciate the improvements the District has made to the GAR regarding tree canopy landscape elements and corresponding multipliers. Valuing trees at the size of maturity is the best way to encourage the planting of large canopy trees, which maximizes their amazing environmental benefits.

We do have some recommended changes based on the “Markup Draft” of the Guidebook available on your website. Our recommendations are below:

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