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Tour de Forest
 Murch has the greenest school yard in Washington, according to Jim Woodworth, director of Tree Planting at Casey Trees, who led a two-hour tour on September 11 of the 100+ trees the non-profit has planted in partnership with the Murch community over the past five years. Woodworth said that Murch has the greatest variety of trees and largest tree canopy of any DC school.
Casey Trees began working with Murch in 2005, after a neighbor on Davenport Street complained about the stark view he had of the school and the metal fence along the parking lot. Twenty trees were planted, inaugurating a project that has brought oaks, redbuds, beech, birch and other trees – increasingly incorporating species native to our region – to the school and surrounding streets.
The tour confirmed that most of the Casey-Murch trees are thriving, but a few trees showed more than average wear-and-tear. A couple have fallen victim to vandalism, with branches torn off! Remember that Murch’s trees bring our community shade, fresh air and habitat for birds, squirrels and other animals that cohabit with us, and they need protection by all of us. -- Judy Ingram
Murch Joins Mission to Restore District's Tree Canopy
   Murch has been involved with the Casey Trees Community Tree Planting since the nonprofit program's inception in 2005. As part of Casey Trees's mission is to restore the District’s tree canopy, which has decreased rapidly as the city has been developed, more than 100 trees have been planted on or around the Murch grounds. Casey Trees provides the trees and instructional information; our citizen foresters assist in the planting and ongoing watering. The program benefits Murch and the community in a variety of ways: beautifying school grounds, providing shade from native trees, helping to clean the air, and educating children and adults about the important role of trees in urban environments to combat climate change.
To fulfill this mission Casey Trees plants trees, engages thousands of volunteers of all ages in tree planting and care, provides year-round continuing education courses, monitors the city's tree canopy, develops interactive online tree tools and works with elected officials, developers, community groups to protect and care for existing trees and to encourage them to add new ones.
To volunteer or learn more, contact Judith Ingram.
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