Urban Tree Canopy in the Nation's Capital

This is the story of tree cover in Washington, DC from the role of trees since the earliest planning, through current measures taken to ensure a green legacy for all that follow. Washington, DC stands apart from most other US cities when it comes to trees. Trees were considered so essential that they were included as an integral part of Pierre L'Enfant's original design. The L'Enfant Plan, drafted in 1791, reserved space in the public right-of-way exclusively for trees and DC remains the "City of Trees." Visit trees.dc.gov to learn more.