The County Board has 12 elements of the Comprehensive Plan for Arlington. The Comprehensive Plan guides development in Arlington. One of these elements is the Forestry and Natural Resources Plan (FNRP) which was adopted recently by the County Board. In it, the goal of 40% average tree canopy in Arlington County was adopted. 

The Ashton Heights tree canopy as of 2023 was 36%. That is 115 acres.

How many more trees does Ashton Heights need in order to get back to a 40% canopy? 

Ashton Heights would need an increase of 13 acres of canopy in order to meet the 40% average goal set by the County Board for the county. 

However, there are many developed areas in Arlington which would never be able to reach this 40% goal. Recognizing this, the low-density residential areas of Arlington (which is where most Arlington trees are) must carry a higher percentage in order for the county to meet its 40% goal overall. The Metropolitan Council of Governments (MW COG) publication “Conserving Trees and Forests in Metropolitan Washington” looked at the region and how to obtain the regional goals. To do that, they recommend that low density residential areas, like Ashton Heights, carry a canopy of 55%.

How many more trees would Ashton Heights need to get to 55% tree canopy ? 

Ashton Heights would need an increase of 61 acres of canopy in order to meet the 55% tree canopy goal that the MW COG says is needed to meet the regional canopy goals.

I hope that many of you will join me in the ambitious goal of adding one canopy tree to each household in Ashton Heights. That would be 1,200 trees. Please look at your property. Talk with your neighbors. Look at all the wonderful things trees do for us (opposite page) And sign up to help as you can! 

If you are not on the Ashton Heights listserv, and would like to be kept informed about our 2025 Tree Planting Blitz, please sign up for our weekly updates. Contact Brooke at brooke.alexander52@gmail.com.