Teens to water, mulch District's trees this summer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Jared Powell
              Director, Communications

              D  202.349.1894
              M  202.680.3553
              F  202.833.4092
              E  jpowell@caseytrees.org

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Teens to water, mulch District’s trees this summer
Annual high school jobs program helps newly planted trees survive brutal heat, rainfall shortages.

(Washington, D.C. — June 7, 2011) The District’s trees will receive a helping hand this summer. Ten high school students, part of Casey Trees’ annual High School Summer Crew jobs program, will water, weed, mulch and track the condition of Casey Trees-planted trees across D.C. between June 20 and August 12.

Since 2002, Casey Trees’ Summer Crew members have served as caretakers for the District’s trees for eight weeks in the summer. Newly planted trees — those that have been in the ground less than three years — require 25 gallons of water a week to survive. Crew members are charged with ensuring they receive the recommended 25 gallons when less than 1.5 inches of rain falls in a week.

To do so, crew members traverse the District by truck and street bikes with Casey Trees’ staff. Two truck teams carrying 500-gallon water bladders and 300-gallon pump tanks transport water to planting sites. Crew members fill donut-shaped slow-release watering bags circling the base of each tree using 5-gallon buckets and hoses. 

Two additional teams comprising the Water By-Cycle fleet reach trees using street bikes. The lead bikes, ridden by adult Bike Captains, are attached to custom-built trailers carrying hoses which connect to City hydrants with the permission of DC Water. The Water By-Cycle team focuses on trees in neighborhoods with limited street parking.

Crew members and Casey Trees staff will profile their experiences caring for D.C.’s trees on Casey Trees’ blog,Tree Speak, with posts and photo essays. Additionally, planned watering routes will be added weekly to the blog so residents can follow the crew and watch them in action.

More than 100 students enrolled in or graduating from Washington, D.C.-area high schools applied to serve on the Summer Crew. Selected students include:

Claire Carter Bethesda Chevy Chase High School - Senior	Amina Shannon Cardozo Senior High School – Senior
Zana Holden-Gatling Washington Latin PCS - Junior	Na’Quesha Taylor Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School - Senior
Mitchell Holmes McKinley Technology High School – Junior	Ann Trafford School Without Walls – Junior
Leviticus March Cesar Chavez DCPCS Capital Hill Campus - Junior	Sarah Turner St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School, VA – Senior
Grace Pooley Elizabeth Seton High School - Junior	Zakara Wardlow Massanutten Military Academy, VA – Sophomore

When not caring for D.C.’s trees, students will participate in professional development activities to gain valuable employment skills and learn more about green careers. 

For more information on the Summer Crew program, visit www.caseytrees.org./education. To request to participate in a ride along, contact Jared Powell at jpowell@caseytrees.org or 202.349.1894.