Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards

05/23/2026

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

05/11/2026

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.

05/11/2026

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/

05/09/2026

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!

05/08/2026

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!

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...

05/07/2026

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!

05/06/2026

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

05/05/2026

Urban Tree Walk-2 in Belmont
Friday, May 8 | 9 AM-11 AM

Join us on a walk through the oldest area in Belmont featuring about 20 mature trees. Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards, Steve Huff and Scott Syverud will lead this urban environment walk with a focus on tree identification and noteworthy information. We will meet in front of the old Belmont mansion at 759 Belmont Avenue.

REGISTER ON EVENTBRITE:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/urban-tree-walks-in-belmont-2-tickets-1987549013603?aff=erellivmlt

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

04/29/2026

Urban Tree Walk-1 in Belmont
Thursday, May 7 | 9-11 am
Meet at 759 Belmont Avenue

Join us on a walk through the oldest area in Belmont featuring about 20 mature trees. Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards, Steve Huff and Scott Syverud will lead this urban environment walk with a focus on tree identification and noteworthy information.

REGISTER ON EVENTBRITE:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/urban-tree-walks-in-belmont-1-tickets-1987548791940?aff=oddtdtcreator

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

04/27/2026

On Saturday CATS volunteers and students from the UVA Forestry Club came out to w**d and mulch the trees around the VDoF Building on Natural Resources Drive in the Fontaine Park Area. Another Tree Steward monitored the nestingboxes on the campus (9 out of 10 are occupied)