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Morning Notes

Published August 9, 2012 at 9:15AM

VDOT Needs Residents to Check Trees — VDOT says it doesn’t have the resources to check all the trees along roads it maintains, so it sometimes relies on residents to tell them when a tree needs to be inspected or removed. VDOT-maintained roads in Arlington include Glebe Road, Lee Highway, Old Dominion Drive and parts of Washington Blvd. [Sun Gazette]

Art at Arlington National Cemetery — A new art exhibit at Arlington National Cemetery entitled “The Greatest Generation, A Visual Tribute,” is getting some help from amateur artists. About 500 people have contributed their own visual tributes to those who served in World War II on a “wall of thanks.” [WUSA 9]

News

Historic ‘George Washington Tree’ Damaged by Storm

By ARLnow.com

Published July 13, 2012 at 3:54PM

During the storm, a large limb was ripped off the George Washington Tree, a Southern Red Oak at the corner of S. Fern and 31st Streets, on the grounds of the Arlington Water Pollution Control Plant. The tree, which legend holds might have once been surveyed by George Washington, is designated by the Arlington County Board as a “Heritage Tree.”

Whereas Arlington’s historic Post Oak was totally removed earlier this week due to storm damage, the George Washington Tree is expected to survive — but it’s being severely cut back. Once a stately 130 feet tall, the tree has now been trimmed down to 30 feet.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 10, 2012 at 9:15AM

Undocumented W-L Valedictorian “Still Kind of Scared” — This year’s Washington-Lee High School valedictorian, 17-year-old Nataly Montano, is one of the young people impacted by President Obama’s recent policy decision to pull back on the deportation of undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. Montano, a 4.3 GPA student, says she is “still kind of scared sometimes because things could happen to get me deported.” [Sun Gazette]

New Washington Blvd Trail to Impact Trees — A new trail extension planned for Washington Boulevard between Columbia Pike and Route 50 will result in the removal of “about 350 trees.” The plan has, on some level, pitted bicycle advocates against tree huggers, according to a blog post. [Commuter Page Blog]

News

Historic Post Oak Cut Down Due to Storm Damage

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 9, 2012 at 1:35PM | Updated July 9, 2012 at 5:51PM

An oak tree that has, for centuries, towered over what is now the Westover neighborhood is being cut down today.

The derecho on June 29 irreparably damaged the historic Post Oak, a majestic 93-foot tall tree that likely dates back to the mid-to-late 1700s. The county decided that the tree, believed to be the oldest in Arlington, had to be removed for the safety of residents.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published April 25, 2012 at 8:31AM

Take a Walk at Lunch Today — Today, April 25, is National Walk @ Lunch Day. What’s National Walk @ Lunch Day, you ask? It’s a day that’s intended to convince Americans to get up and go on a brisk walk at lunch, as opposed to sitting around and just eating lunch at one’s desk. [CommuterPage Blog]

County Honors ‘Notable Trees’ — At the County Board meeting yesterday afternoon, Arlington County announced the nine trees that were chosen this year to be designated as “Notable Trees.” Applause greeted each announcement, which was accompanied by photos the notable trees. “Our commitment to trees is a very real sign of our care for the environment, and this program recognizes residents for being good stewards of these important natural resources,” County Board Chair Mary Hynes said in a statement. [Arlington County]

News

Homeowners Urged to Remove Destructive Ivy from Trees

By Katie Pyzyk

Published March 15, 2012 at 11:52AM

Although the ivy is often considered decorative, it can actually strangle the life from trees. It can steal nutrients and water from trees it wraps around, and can accelerate tree rot by holding moisture close to the tree trunk. It has been known to kill trees and add enough weight to cause trees to topple during storms.

“Our trees add financial value to our properties and quality to our lives,” said Nora Palmatier, President of TreeStewards of Arlington and Alexandria in a press release. “The investment is worth it. Unfortunately, English ivy is a threat to that investment.”

Weather

Pollen Spike Causing Allergy Misery

By Katie Pyzyk

Published March 8, 2012 at 1:30PM

The tree pollen level shot up to high today due to the warm and windy conditions.

Local doctors say typically the first couple weeks of April mark the start of heavy allergy season. That increases throughout the month as more trees release pollen spores, which can be seen blanketing the area.

Around Town

Photos: Signs of Spring Around Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published March 1, 2012 at 3:50PM

One could hardly have asked for a more beautiful start to March.

As the thermometer hit 70 degrees today — the first day of meteorological spring — trees, flowers and other plants were starting to bloom. From Shirlington to Ballston, from Waverly Hills to the Custis Trail, the colors of spring are beginning to emerge.

Around Town

Video: Christmas Tree Collection in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published January 6, 2012 at 10:50AM

Arlington’s Christmas annual tree collection and recycling program has begun, and the county has created a short video (above) to help residents understand how the program works.

Around Town

Christmas Tree Collection Begins Jan. 3

By ARLnow.com

Published December 27, 2011 at 1:00PM

Christmas trees will be collected from Jan. 3-17 on normal trash collection days. All stands, lights and decorations should be removed, since the trees will be ground into mulch.

“Residents are reminded to place the tree on the curb no later than 6 am on your regular trash collection day,” the county said on its trash collection website. “Residents that do not have curbside recycling service, such as those living in townhouses, apartments, or condominiums, may also bring their Christmas trees to the Solid Waste Bureau during the Christmas tree collection season. Please call 703.228.6570 to schedule an appointment between 8 am – 3 pm, Monday through Friday.”

Around Town

Christmas Tree Safety Tips from ACFD

By ARLnow.com

Published December 1, 2011 at 2:55PM

Every year, an average of 240 Christmas tree-related home fires in the United States result in an average of 13 deaths and 27 injuries, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Those fires are usually caused by electrical problems, heat sources placed too close to the tree, decorative lights or candles.

ACFD released the following safety tips this afternoon.

Events

T-Minus Two Weeks to Shirlington Tree Lighting

By ARLnow.com

Published November 15, 2011 at 3:13PM | Updated November 28, 2011 at 5:20PM

Ready or not, the holiday season is upon us. Case in point: Shirlington’s 9th annual holiday tree-lighting is only two weeks away.

The ‘Light Up the Village‘ event will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on ~~Tuesday, Nov. 29~~. In addition to the tree lighting, which will take place at 6:30 p.m., there will also be live music, strolling entertainment, local merchant specials, photos with Santa (inside the UPS Store), horse and carriage rides (cost: a canned food donation to the Arlington Food Assistance Center), face painting, balloon twisting and more.