Urban Forestry
Trees are an essential part of our lives, contributing to the health, beauty, and enjoyment of our communities. Learn about the history of urban forestry on Capitol Campus and our current tree planting, care, and maintenance practices.
History
Our campus urban forestry work dates back to 1929, when the Olmsted Brothers developed their master landscape plan.
The Olmsted plan focused on having an urban forest with diverse trees, a woodland edge, and planting designs that complemented the government buildings' layout and the surrounding views.
Our grounds staff follow urban forestry best practices to maintain the Olmsted's urban forestry legacy.
Our urban forestry work
We plant new trees and maintain existing trees for as long as possible. In urban landscapes, this benefits humans, wildlife, and the environment.
We care for our urban trees from the moment they are planted, throughout their lifetime, and even after they die. Many trees on the Capitol Campus live on in the form of benches and other repurposed woodwork across campus.
The trees planted on Capitol Campus were thoughtfully chosen to build an impressive range of tree species. There are currently 105 types of trees represented on campus, and our goal is to have 125 different tree types represented.
We maintain tree diversity not just in tree species, but also in the age and size of trees. The Capitol Campus is an internationally accredited arboretum that showcases high quality urban forest planning, maintenance, and development.
Learn more about the trees on Capitol Campus.