Join Casey Trees and DC naturalist Melanie Choukas-Bradley, author of City of Trees and several other nature books, for an early spring tree tour of the historic and botanically diverse trees of the Capitol Grounds and Arboretum (the new official name of the site).

During this tree walk we will circumnavigate the Capitol, admiring and studying the trees in earliest springtime splendor including several species of maple and magnolia, century-old oaks, pecans, giant sequoias, and the intriguing jujube. In addition to the earliest blooms at the Capitol, we’ll get a last look at many winter buds just before budbreak.

Learn about the many official state trees on the grounds and get an overview of Frederick Law Olmsted’s design for the Capitol landscape, which shares elements of his plan for Central Park. Stop at notable sections of the grounds to see the five crabapple trees planted to honor the five Sullivan brothers who died when their naval ship went down during World War II; a horse-chestnut propagated from Anne Frank’s tree in Amsterdam; and a white oak planted by House Speaker Sam Rayburn.

Melanie is intimately acquainted with the Capitol’s trees, having studied them for over 40 years beginning with research for the first edition of her local nature classic, City of Trees.

In addition to City of Trees: The Complete Field Guide to the Trees of Washington, DC; Melanie is the award-winning author of six other regional nature titles, including: A Year in Rock Creek Park, Finding Solace at Theodore Roosevelt Island, and The Joy of Forest Bathing.

Where to meet: We will meet in front of the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory.

Time: We will be onsite for check-in starting at 10:00am. Restrooms will be open at that time.

What to bring: Comfortable clothes and shoes, and a filled, reusable water bottle. No food will be provided.

Getting there

Public Transportation:

The closest metro stop is Federal Center SW, on the blue, orange, and silver lines. Additionally, the L'Enfant Plaza metro stop on the green line is nearby.

The closest Metrobus stop is Independence Ave SW & Washington Ave SW, served by buses 32 and 36.

Parking: Very limited parking is available in this part of town. We encourage public transportation, ride share, biking, etc.

Biking: Bikes can be locked to nearby signs and structures.

COVID-19 Policy: Casey Trees is now requiring all attendees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend our events. One of the following options will demonstrate proof of vaccination:

- A physical Center for Disease Control (CDC) Vaccination Card

- A digital copy/photo of a CDC Vaccination Card

- A COVID-19 Verification App such as VaxYes or CLEAR

Please bring a photo ID and one of the above listed options to provide proof of vaccination. You may not be asked to show proof of vaccination during our outdoor event, however, you may need to show proof of vaccination to use any indoor facilities.

Cancellation and refunds

In the event of attendee or event cancellation, the ticket cost will be automatically absorbed by Casey Trees as a donation. If you cannot make the event and would like to request a refund, please reach out to us at friends@caseytrees.org

Support Casey Trees

Donate to Casey Trees to Restore, Enhance and Protect D.C.’s Tree Canopy! Casey Trees relies on the support of friends, neighbors, and volunteers like you to make our work possible.

And consider becoming a Casey Trees Member today and receive some incredible perks and benefits – all while doing your part to help build a greener place to live for us all.

Questions?

Reach out to friends@caseytrees.org with any questions

US Capitol Grounds Tree Walk with Melanie Choukas-Bradley