Capital Trees

10/15/2026

You’re invited! Free tickets are now available for our upcoming speaker series. 👉bit.ly/capitaltreesspeakers

Dr. Glynn Percival, Senior Arboricultural Researcher for Bartlett Tree Laboratories, is coming to Richmond to give a talk on modern soil amendments for tree health. He’ll be focusing on improving soil health, supporting root development, and increasing tree resilience to drought, heat, pests, and disease. Attendees will gain a practical understanding of how soil amendments can make a meaningful difference in the longevity of our trees.

When: Wednesday, November 4th, 5:30 pm
Where: Studio Two Three
How: Thank you to our presenting sponsor Bartlett Tree Experts - Richmond, VA for making this event possible.

10/13/2026

The Rotary satellite club of Richmond joined us at the Low Line to help prepare a garden bed for renovation. They removed all of the existing perennials and divided iris versicolor plantings to help get the space ready for our next steps. Thank you for stepping off the pavement and into the gardens to help us take care of this shared public greenspace.

The Rotary Club of Richmond

10/12/2026

Richmond Tree Week is November 1 - 7 this year. Each year, it's a collective undertaking led by Reforest Richmond and made possible by more than 30 local community groups, including us here at Capital Trees.

All week long there will be opportunities to learn, plant trees, and get free trees to plant at home. We've included brief details on the events we'll be helping host below, but we encourage you to head to reforestrichmond.org/rtw-2026-schedule for all of the details on how to participate.

📅Tuesday, November 3 | 3pm - 6pm
▪️Volunteer Workday at the Hotchkiss Green & Free Tree Giveaway!🌳

📅Wednesday, November 4 | 8am - 12pm
▪️Volunteer Workday at Low Line / Great Shiplock Park & Free Tree Giveaway!🌳

📅Wednesday, November 4 | 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
▪️Speaking event held at Studio Two Three "Healthy Soil, Healthy Trees: Practical Soil Amendment Strategies for Urban Landscapes" & Free Tree Giveaway!🌳
👉Registration is required at bit.ly/capitaltreesspeakers

📅Friday, November 6th | 9am - 12 pm
🌳Tree Planting at Swansboro Playground with Richmond VA Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities
👉Registration required.

📅Saturday, November 7 | 5pm - 7pm
▪️Richmond Tree Week 2026 Wrap Party & Free Tree Giveaway!🌳
👉All are welcome but space is limited so be sure to register today!
James River Association City of Richmond, VA Government Rain Bird

10/08/2026

A couple of weeks ago, Timmons Group volunteered with us for two days at the Hotchkiss Green. They’re not new to Hotchkiss, in fact, Timmons partnered with us to design the project, from concept to plans, so we loved having them back on site. They helped with necessary tree maintenance for the newly planted trees, expanding mulch rings, weeding, and adding fresh mulch. In addition, Mary, our Horticulture Manager took them on a tour of the space now that it’s getting established to walk through what’s working well and what challenges we’re navigating — every project space is unique and provides us and our partners with learning opportunities. We’re grateful for partners that are invested in our greenspaces long after the initial work is complete. 💚🌳🤝

10/06/2026

In late September, a few of us from Capital Trees joined a delegation of Richmond partners for a field trip to Glenstone in Potomac, Maryland. Our Executive Director wrote a blog post on Glenstone, what the visit taught us about management, and how it applies to our work here in Richmond. Give it a read!
https://capitaltrees.org/what-a-field-trip-to-glenstone-taught-us-about-cultivating-meadows/

Marvel Architects Richmond VA Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities James River Park Science Museum of Virginia Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Glenstone Museum

In the News What a Field Trip to Glenstone Taught Us About Cultivating Meadows October 1, 2026 Written by Executive Director, Shelly Barrick Parsons On Thursday, September 25, 2026, three of us from Capital Trees (Executive Director Shelly Barrick Parsons, Co-Chair Board of Trustees Beth Gullette, a...

10/05/2026

It's the last week to boost your gift to Capital Trees by 10% when you make your donation through Birdies for Charity presented by TowneBank. This year, you can donate directly to us via check — simply write BIRDIES in the memo line and mail to us before October 11th or give online at p2p.onecause.com/kftcbfc/charity/capital-trees

If you choose to give via stock transfer, please designate Birdies for Charity in the broker notes.

10/02/2026

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat with us at the Active Adults Open House at the Hotchkiss Field Community Center. It was a great opportunity to connect with community members and neighbors of the center. Reminder that the Hotchkiss Green (located behind the center) is open to the public and has benches and a walking trail 👟

10/01/2026

This blog from Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council has valuable information on stormwater best management practices (BMPs) and is part of their series on the topic.

Our approach to the sustainable maintenance of our projects starts at the very beginning and we think proactive planning is absolutely critical for the longevity of these spaces. Long before construction begins, we plan for how the project (including rain gardens) will be maintained in the long run and how we'll handle training to ensure it's done properly.

🌱 What happens when we invest in green infrastructure but maintenance becomes an afterthought?

In this blog post, CCLC Executive Director Beth Ginter takes a closer look at a challenge she’s been thinking about for years: how do we make sure the green stormwater infrastructure we build continues to function — and look good — for the long haul?

After seeing some particularly challenging BMPs during a recent CBLP-CREWS training, Beth reflects on the larger systemic issues behind GSI maintenance, from missing maintenance plans and inadequate budgets to a lack of training for the crews and supervisors responsible for caring for these sites.

The good news? We know some of the solutions.

In this first installment of “A BMP Tale,” Beth shares lessons from CCLC’s recent work and highlights recommendations from our new white paper on green stormwater infrastructure maintenance.

👉 Read Part 1 on the CCLC blog: https://www.chesapeakelandscape.org/2026/09/a-bmp-tale-part-1/

📄 And take a deeper dive into the issue with our GSI Maintenance White Paper:https://www.chesapeakelandscape.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/White-Paper-web-version-reduced.pdf

09/29/2026

Anne Poarch, our Director of Advancement, attended the The Virginia Fund Raising Institute this summer. Read our latest blog post for the insights she gained and how they connect back to our work as we build a community of people who care about and want to participate in creating a greener, healthier, more beautiful Richmond.

Our Director of Advancement reflects on the Virginia Fund Raising Institute and how those lessons apply to our work at Capital Trees.

09/28/2026

You’re invited! Free tickets are now available for our upcoming speaker series. 👉bit.ly/capitaltreesspeakers

Dr. Glynn Percival, Senior Arboricultural Researcher for Bartlett Tree Laboratories, is coming to Richmond to give a talk on modern soil amendments for tree health. He’ll be focusing on improving soil health, supporting root development, and increasing tree resilience to drought, heat, pests, and disease. Attendees will gain a practical understanding of how soil amendments can make a meaningful difference in the longevity of our trees.

When: Wednesday, November 4th, 5:30 pm
Where: Studio Two Three
How: Thank you to our presenting sponsor Bartlett Tree Experts - Richmond, VA for making this event possible.