Urban Forestry Brings Trees and Advice to Southwest

As their recently planted trees come to life on the streets of Southwest, the District Department of Transportation's (DDOT's) Urban Forestry Administration (UFA) is looking to work with neighborhoods across the city to preserve the city's tree canopy.

Simoun Banua, official with the District administration, recently presented this idea to our Advisory Neighborhood Commission, ANC6D, at their April business meeting. Urban Forestry is responsible for trees in sidewalk-to-curb planting, medians, and, as of last year, D.C. Parks. It is a daunting task, which Banua admits is tough to cover with their limited staff. The recent addition of a landscape architect to the Administration personnel is intended to help alleviate this problem.

In developing neighborhoods, Urban Forestry seeks to preserve existing trees and aid in the planting of new ones. Developers who remove mature trees must pay fines and replacement costs into the Administration's tree fund if they do not replace the trees. Since Urban Forestry's involvement in tree removal permit applications comes well after ANC involvement in project planning, Banua stressed the need for the ANC to try to preserve mature trees when developers first present their projects. When Commissioners expressed disappointment concerning the lack of communication with the Administration in the past, Banua promised much more effort on his part to collaborate with our neighborhood in these efforts.

In answer to a specific question concerning the Waterfront Station Project, Banua stated that Urban Forestry has been in contact with the developers and have approved the permit for tree removal to facilitate the extension of 4th Street at I Street. He also said that they are talking to the developers about the stretch of 4th Street to M Street and the tree planting that will happen there.

Photo: Redbud tree at the corner of 6th and I Streets, planted a few months ago by Urban Forestry.