A view of current tree plantings – how will increased population affect future plantings?

As the population in the Northeast increases to 65 million people over the next few decades, how will this growth affect our ecosystem and our tree canopy?

Join us for an interesting and unsettling peep at the future by two presenters who will explain the ramifications on our tree canopy of this fast growth — and have thoughts on what our role as stewards of trees could be.

Ray Smith is the past President of the Northern Virginia Builders Association and has over 40 years of experience in the real estate development business. Ray, now a Master Naturalist and graduate of the LEAPP program with the Fairfax Audubon Society, will speak to us about “Urban Redevelopment and the Tree Canopy” and the importance of native trees to wildlife and our future environment.  

Craig Highfield is a Program Manager with Forestry for the Bay, an education and outreach program for private woodland owners. Craig holds a master’s degree in Environmental Services from Johns Hopkins University and is an ISA Certified Arborist. Based on his work on the “State of the Chesapeake Bay Forests Report”, Craig will speak to us about “Urban Forests: The forests where we live” and highlight some of the findings and developments that impact our environment now and in the future.

This is continuing education for TreeStewards, but all who are concerned about the impact of future development on our environment are encouraged to attend.