Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards

Tree Basics Talk: History of the American Chestnut
Have you ever wondered what happened to the American Chestnut?
Join Kaitlyn Harless, The American Chestnut Foundation’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Science Coordinator, for this informative talk about the fascinating history of this species and how it went from covering the Appalachian Mountain Range to almost going extinct.
Wednesday, July 22 from 3:00 to 4:00 a.m. Limited to 40 participants
Please register for the walk here:

Tree Basics Talk: History of the American Chestnut Learn about the fascinating history of the American Chestnut!

Kay has organized many workdays in Northeast Park and recently noticed "mile-a-minute" vines and a significant amount of additional invasive plants near the Rivanna Trail on Meadow Creek. She and Kathy organized a workday to pull them up before they crossed St. Charles Creek, a feeder stream, or escaped to the opposite streambank.

Over many years, Phil Stokes has led CATS members in restoring the forest on this entrance to the Rivanna Trail. The work has made the CATS Barracks Road Woodland an excellent example of forest restoration and a lovely site to visit throughout the year. On Thursday we provided basic tree care to the site including pruning of younger trees, invasive control and other basic care.

With the Master Gardeners, we installed numerous shrubs and ball-and-burlap trees at Habitat for Humanity's Southwood Village 2 last week. photos by Bill Sublette

Following our successful spring sale we needed to replenish our nursery! Last weekend during our "potting parties" about twenty CATS volunteers prepared bare root plants that we will be selling at the next CATS Tree Sales either this fall or next spring. It was a fun activity that included refreshments and cheerful conversation.

Registration is Now Open for the 2026 Tree Steward Training Class!
View information at the link below:

https://charlottesvilleareatreestewards.org/registration-is-now-open-for-the-2026-tree-steward-training-class/

Join Charlottesville Area Tree Steward Scott Syverud for an informational and enjoyable springtime walk in the forest at the beautiful Ivy Creek Natural Area.

Scott will begin our walk with a conversation about the area's trees and landscapes, exploring how they reflect both cultural and natural history. Spring is a wonderful time to see flowering trees in full display, along with bud break and leaf out.

This will be an easy to moderate walk on established trails that are well maintained with some inclines and declines. Our walk will be in the open and in wooded areas, so we recommend wearing sturdy shoes or boots, dress in layers and bring water.

Please meet at the Ivy Creek Natural Area kiosk as you go from the parking lot towards the barn. Minors must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

REGISTER ON EVENTBRITE:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/guided-walk-springtime-in-the-forest-at-ivy-creek-tickets-1988175594724?aff=oddtdtcreator

This walk is free, but donations are always appreciated. Thanks!

Exciting news! 870 acres of land have been acquired in Suffolk, Virginia by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation in partnership with the The Nature Conservancy Virginia as part of "the first step in a multiphase effort to protect a global biodiversity hotspot and restore native longleaf pine savannas". Several other organizations are partnering together to preserve even more land that surrounds this area and, "once complete, the nearly 1900-acre project will form the first major link in a conservation corridor identified in Virginia's Wildlife Corridor Action Plan." What an amazing step towards conservation!

New natural area in Suffolk protected DCR acquired 870 acres of forests and wetlands in the City of Suffolk from The Nature Conservancy  last week as the first step of a multi-phase project to protect a global hotspot for biodiversity and restore native longleaf pine savannas.  With support from Virginia Coastal Zone Ma...

Rivanna RiverFest is an annual event that will be held this Saturday, May 9th at the Rivanna River Company in Charlottesville, Virginia from 2:30-9 PM (rain date is Sunday, May 10th). This festival celebrates the Rivanna River and the importance of water in our lives and features family-friendly activities like tubing on the river, musical performances, and environmentally themed demonstrations from community organizations (like us!).

This event is free and open to the public, making it a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and engage with the community. We hope to see you there!

The City of Charlottesville, Va - Government in collaboration with Eocene Environmental Group is in the process of updating the city's Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP), a strategic, actionable document used to maintain and enhance the city's tree canopy. The updates focus on assessing tree health, prioritizing planting locations, and managing invasive species through community feedback and scientific data with the goal of creating a resilient urban ecosystem. We encourage you to take a few minutes to fill out one of their surveys to have your voice heard!

Not just any survey! Help Shape Charlottesville’s Green Future! 🌳✨ The City of Charlottesville is developing a new Urban Forest Management Plan, and we need YOUR input to decide where to plant, how to preserve, and how to grow our canopy.

💰 Charlottesville residents can enter to win a $50 Parks & Recreation gift certificate or City swag (water bottles, mugs, etc.) upon completion!

⏱️ Time: Choose the 2, 5, or 10-minute version of the survey. Take the survey here: https://connect.charlottesville.gov/urbanforest-managementplan