Arlington’s tree canopy may be on a slight upswing, according to county officials.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean there are more trees in the community.
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A coalition of environmental advocacy groups is hoping recent controversy over tree-clearing along the Potomac River leads to creative thinking about the future.
Leaders of nine organizations dispatched a letter to Christine Smith, acting director of the National Park Service’s George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP). While much of the letter focused on the tree-clearing matter, there also was a call for ways to atone and move forward.
Members of the Falls Church City Council appear ready to jumpstart plans for the city’s newest park.
As they determine what to do with the city government’s $5.3 million fiscal 2024 surplus, Council members seem enthusiastic to allocate $1.5 million to complete design and move forward with construction on what they call the Fellows site.
As fall colors sweep across the D.C. area, Arlington leaf collection season begins in two weeks.
Crews are expected to begin passing through Arlington neighborhoods starting Monday, Nov. 11, according to a tentative schedule. Residents are encouraged to rake leaves to the curb the weekend before their civic association’s posted start date.
Arlington leaders believe people-power helped sway National Park Service officials to re-evaluate plans for clearing more trees and vegetation adjacent to the George Washington Memorial Parkway in the county.
The acting superintendent of the GW Parkway announced on Friday (Oct. 18) that a “full review” would be conducted before anything else happens in the verdant buffer area between the roadway and the Potomac River below it.
Arlington has released the final design for a proposed overhaul of Gateway Park, featuring expanded dog parks, more tree cover and a new bridge.
Other elements include two play areas, “social groves” surrounded by natural landscaping and a large lawn with an event pavilion.
A local environmental nonprofit is looking for 100 volunteers to collect acorns at Arlington National Cemetery this weekend.
The goal of the collection event, scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, is anything but nutty. It’s part of the Potomac Conservancy’s Tomorrow’s Trees program, which recruits volunteers to support reforestation projects throughout the D.C. area.
The Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation is accepting requests for up to 500 young native trees that will be provided free, one per household, next month.
“The trees you plant are part of our mission to expand and enhance Arlington’s urban-tree canopy,” county officials said. “This annual program is very popular and has yielded many beautiful trees and benefited our community.”
The D.C. area’s council of governments wants to get at least half of the region covered in trees.
After years of shrinking tree cover, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) adopted a goal earlier this month of maintaining a minimum canopy of at least 50% throughout the D.C. area. It is calling on local governments including Arlington to commit to a similar goal.
It’s the ARLnow Five and Five, where nonprofit Washington Consumers’ Checkbook provides five top-rated local businesses and five tips for getting great service and prices. ARLnow readers can access all of Checkbook’s ratings of local tree care services until May 5 at Checkbook.org/ARLnow/tree-care.
These tree care companies serve Arlington County and received Washington Consumers’ Checkbook’s top rating for quality (as reported by their customers in Checkbook’s surveys).
The Ballston “singing tree” is set to return for the holiday season.
Starting next week, the sparkling, voice-activated Christmas tree near the Ballston Metro station will brighten the neighborhood with lights and music through the new year.
Go to ‘Singing tree’ to bring festive cheer to Ballston with music, lights and local bites
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Trucks brimming with Christmas trees have started arriving in Arlington, signaling it is time to pull out those holiday ornaments.
Several Christmas tree markets across Arlington are set to open this Friday, after Thanksgiving. However, holiday shoppers are being cautioned not to wait too long due to a reported shortage of trees this year.