Bureau of Land Management Environmental Education Homepage

Students participate in an outdoor environmental education session at DCUTH.

he Washington, D.C., Urban Tree House (DCUTH) is a community-based environmental education center, which officially opened in Anacostia Park in the Southeast section of Washington, D.C., in 1996. The DCUTH organizing body is a novel partnership comprised of Federal and local government agencies and non-profit community organizations. The partners in addition to BLM-Eastern States are: The Anacostia/Congress Heights Partnership; Earth Conservation Corps; Student Conservation Association; National Forest Foundation; the D.C. Health Administration; U.S. Forest Service; Environmental Protection Agency; National Park Service (National Capital Parks-East); U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; and the Naval District of Washington. Although DCUTH is the second of six Tree Houses to be built around the country, it is the only one with such a diverse array of partners. Since the conception of DCUTH several years ago, the Bureau of Land Management's Eastern States Office has been a leading proponent and active participant.

For each of the past two years, DCUTH has hosted more than 1,000 Washington-area school children at Earth Day environmental festivals,

Students participate in "Caterpillar Capers" at the DCUTH.

featuring Vice-President Gore, Bill "The Science Guy" Nye, tree-plantings, environmental exhibits, ecological tours of the Anacostia River (courtesy of the Sea Farers Yacht Club), "Pathways to Fishing," rowing demonstrations (courtesy of the Capitol Rowing Club), and "Scales to Tails" live animal displays.

During the summer of 1997, a wide variety of audiences attended DCUTH activities, such as an "Environmental Fun-Day" (U.S. Forest Service College Interns); a "Plant & Tree" workshop (U.S. Forest Service), "Galloping Geography" (BLM), a "Geology Scavenger Hunt" (National Geographic Society), the "Underground Railroad" (National Park Service), a bald eagle release (Earth Conservation Corps), and a "Resource Ecology" workshop (Student Conservation Association).

The highlight of DCUTH's fall 1997 schedule was the BLM-sponsored "Urban Environmental Campout," which invited single-parent families from the Anacostia community for a fun-filled introduction to overnight camping and environmental ethics. After a kick-off at the Tree House, adventurous kids and their parents were transported by bus to Watkins Park in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, for a night of learning and new experiences.

In addition, under the aegis of DCUTH and BLM-Eastern States, two

BLM's Geoff Walsh teaches "Leave No Trace" principles at the inaugural Eastern States/DCUTH Urban Environmental Campout.

students from Miner Elementary School in Washington, D.C., recently attended the Environmental Education Camp on the campus of Piney Woods Country Life School, just outside of Jackson, Mississippi. BLM's Jackson District Office, part of BLM-Eastern States, has a long history of involvement with this Camp. The Miner students are now prepared to conduct peer instruction on behalf of DCUTH.

The success of the Urban Tree House partnership concept is reflected in plans to develop new Tree Houses in Portland, Oregon; Los Angeles; New York City; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

For more information on BLM programs and activities at DCUTH, please contact Charles Bush at telephone (703) 440-1745 or e-mail cbush@es.blm.gov, or Marcella Davis, BLM's DCUTH Executive Liaison, at telephone (703) 440-1738 or e-mail m55davis@es.blm.gov. They can also be contacted in writing at BLM Eastern States, 7450 Boston Blvd., Springfield, Virginia 22153.

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Please also visit the following websites:

U.S. Department of Agriculture - News Release on DCUTH's Opening

National Forest Foundation

Leave No Trace

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