May 2023 Quarterly Update

Quarterly Update

While our furry friends may have hibernated this winter, Capital Trees continued to build a greener, more livable Richmond through project development and advising, sustainable management, and educational programming. I hope you will enjoy this update that highlights our winter quarter work!

Sincerely,
Shelly Barrick Parsons
Executive Director

BUILD

PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENT

We’re excited to announce that we’ve partnered with the City of Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities to create an urban landscape around Hotchkiss Community Center that will help better connect and beautify the existing space; as well as make a reality to complete an unfunded aspect of the master plan for this site. We’re planning to transform the space with the creation of walking trails, seating areas, lighting, and the addition of plants, trees, and shrubs. This project will bring much-needed green space to the Highland Park community, help reduce the urban heat island effect, and provide the opportunity for nearby residents to find respite in nature. We are moving into the planning and permitting phase of this project and hope to break ground in 2024.

MANAGE

A Tally Of Volunteer Hours

Despite cooler temperatures in January through March, our volunteers were still hard at work preparing the gardens for the beautiful spring season. Capital Trees logged 289 hours of sustainable management completed by private, weekly, and community workday volunteers this quarter. Thank you to all our volunteers who help make the management of the Low Line look effortless.

Thanks to…

Thank you CREW Richmond for joining us for a private workday in March. Thanks to in-kind volunteer hours from both True Timber Arborists and Cross Creek Nursery & Landscaping the canal bank along the Low Line was cleared of invasive trees and vines, opening up the view from the gardens to the canal and making space for native plants to grow and thrive.

Maintenance Updates

In February, thanks to recommendations from the VA Department of Forestry, we removed the declining nonnative trees in the parking median at Great Shiplock Park and replaced them with native trees — Nyssa sylvatica (Black Gum). The new trees are recommended for street tree plantings and more adaptable to the harsh conditions of the parking lot.

EDUCATE

What’s in bloom?

In early spring, we saw the spring ephemeral, Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells) in bloom (pictured above). Check out this blog on Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort) another early spring bloomer. In the coming weeks be on the lookout for Iris virginica (Blue Flag Iris) blooming. Blue Flag Iris thrives along the Low Line and was thinned and transplanted by our faithful volunteers in 2022 to help it continue to thrive in the gardens.

Sustainability Blog

As we continue to establish sustainable management practices, we are documenting our work and the research that inspires our work in our sustainable management blog. Here are blog highlights from the last quarter:

SUPPORT

Volunteer

Want to help make Richmond greener and more livable? We invite you to volunteer with us! Learn more about volunteering.

Donate

Your support to Capital Trees helps us

launch new projects
sustain current projects, or
raise awareness in the community about the value of public landscapes

Please consider making a donation to Capital Trees.

We are participating in Birdies for Charity presented by TowneBank to maximize charitable giving. Make your gift HERE now through October 22 and we will receive an additional 10%

Support Our Work

Our mailing address is:
200 South Third Street, Suite 101,Richmond, VA 23219

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Building public landscapes.
Enriching the community.

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