(Washington, DC) As part of an ongoing effort to expand the urban tree canopy in the District of Columbia, the District Department of Transportation’s Urban Forestry Administration (UFA) is planting more than 3,500 new street trees across all eight wards. UFA plants during tree dormancy from late fall to spring. The locations are largely based on requests residents make to the Mayor’s 311 Citywide Call Center before June 15 of each year. Staff arborists inspect each proposed location to determine viability and the best species for planting.

This year the planting locations are plotted on an online map which not only shows where the new trees are going but also which species are being planted.*
Research has shown that trees provide critical benefits to cities far beyond aesthetics, air quality and storm water control.

“Our quality of life is deeply tied to the tree canopy in the District. One of the most effective ways to improve the social, ecological and economic value of a neighborhood is to help ensure new trees get established in their first two years,” said John Thomas, DDOT’s Chief Forester. “We ask residents to share that responsibility by adopting young trees through our Canopy Keepers program.”

Residents who agree to sign a partnership agreement to water and monitor the well-being of specific street trees in the first two years after planting will receive a free slow-drip watering tub for every tree adopted. The final planting locations and Canopy Keeper adoption form can be found at http://ddot.dc.gov/trees or by calling 202-671-1533.

UFA has planted a total of 35,875 trees on public space in all 8 wards since FY 2005 and UFA's planting in public space accounts for nearly half of all trees planted in the District each year.

*Note: The web browser optimized for viewing the Tree Planting Map is Mozilla Firefox.