A Tree Tribute For Dc - endowment from Betty Brown Casey to evaluate trees in Washington, D.C - Brief Article

American Forests, Summer, 2001

Eugene B. Casey had seen cities around the world, but in his eyes, his hometown of Washington was the most beautiful--because of its trees. So his widow, Betty Brown Casey, thought it a fitting tribute to donate $50 million to restore the city's urban forest to the grandeur he loved.

This spring--months after a widely publicized study by AMERICAN FORESTS found a 64 percent decline in Washington's canopy coverage since 1973--she gave an endowment grant, which the Garden Club of America is administering. The goal, says Barbara B. Shea, president of the Casey Trees Endowment, is to create a sustainable urban forest. "We want to have trees planned as an integral part of the infrastructure, not just as decoration," says Shea. "We want to make DC a model for urban forest management. With this endowment, we have a chance."

The first step--after appointing Sheila Hogan, a DC resident, as executive director--involves assessment and planning rather than picks and shovels, says Shea. The city's most recent tree inventory was conducted 30 years ago. Since then, disease, neglect, and urbanization--pollution and soil compaction--have taken a dramatic toll. Once a new tree inventory is complete, the Casey Trees Endowment will know how to spend its money.

Says Shea: "We'd like to pick a model project, so we can say, 'This is how you do it.' And hopefully, people can see the difference it makes to a neighborhood."