Home Tree Care 101 ready
to launch fall 2022 classes

Conservation Montgomery finished a busy spring schedule of Home Tree Care 101 classes in June, with classes held in North Chevy Chase, Silver Spring and Carderock Springs communities. We thank each of our class coordinators for gathering their neighbors to hold successful and informative classes.

Our arborists are gearing up again to teach a series of classes this fall. If you are interested in getting your community on our fall schedule, please visit this link to make a request. One of our volunteers will follow up with you. This program is possible through a grant from the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection. Because of the importance of tree canopy as a climate change mitigation measure, Home Tree Care 101 is a strategy in the Mongomery County Climate Action Plan.

Find out more about Home Tree Care 101 at this link. Keep in mind that we are able to teach classes in Spanish, as well as English. Let us know if you would like a Spanish language class.

Meet our arborists:


Pictured below: L to R: Jack Pond, Andres Ovalle

Welcome our new Board members

We are grateful to add three new board members to the CM Board of Directors: Luis Gonzalez, Vanesa Pinto and Cornelius Kuteesa. These three bring a wealth of outstanding professional and community service experience to our board. We look forward to the contributions they will make to the CM board in the years ahead.

Read about each new board member here:


At right from top: Luiz Gonzalez,
Vanesa Pinto and Cornelius Kuteesa
Advocacy Updates

What to know and action to take on the proposed Thrive 2050 general land use plan...

Action needed from the Council: Pause
Thrive 2050

Montgomery County's comprehensive plan, a.k.a. our General Plan, entitled On Wedges and Corridors, was last updated in 1993. The Montgomery County Planning Board is proposing to update the General Plan with “Thrive Montgomery 2050.” Last October 2021, a Council committee approved a version of Thrive that is now under review by the full Montgomery County Council, including a fast-track process for Racial Equity and Social Justice review and input. Residents countywide are encouraged to review and comment to the Council now on this draft of Thrive.

The short story is that Thrive 2050 needs more work. Environmental sections of the original plan were removed. There are other serious concerns with the plan that warrant the Council hitting a "pause" button on this proposed new General Plan before it is approved. While Thrive has some laudable goals, including housing for all, many of the current draft's proposed policies will create barriers to affordable housing, and cause urban sprawl to accelerate. We need public hearings on the plan that will allow all communities affected by Thrive 2050 to weigh in. This Council did not create Thrive 2050. It was simply handed a poor product, born of a flawed process that did not allow adequate public vetting. Read more here and use this Action Alert to find out how you can help. A new comprehensive plan like Thrive is much too important to have been moved through the process, by the Planning Department, during a pandemic when public attention and participation were adversely affected. This current draft should be scrapped and the process should start anew. At the very least, the Council should have a heavy hand in a rewrite that will be based more on public participation. Email County.Council@montgomerycountymd.gov and elected officials know.


What to know and action to take on the Montgomery County Forest Coalition and proposal to update the Forest Conservation Law...

Action needed from the Council: Strengthen the Montgomery County Forest Conservation Law.

It's a well-established fact that forest preservation,reforestation and a healthy tree canopy are among the best mitigation measures in dealing with the urgency of climate change, as well as providing public health and economic benefits. To this end, some of the top environmental organizations in Montgomery County have developed a proposal to update the existing county Forest Conservation Law. You can take part in urging the County Council to further strengthen this important law that has had minimal updates since 1993. Consider how much has changed in our county since the early 1990s. Also consider the fact that our adjacent counties have updated their forestry laws, leaving Montgomery County behind. Email the entire Council at County.Council@montgomerycountymd.gov

forest_landscape_tree.jpg
Volunteers needed
for our Finance Committee

Conservation Montgomery needs a few volunteers to join our Finance Committee, chaired by our experienced and dynamic Treasurer, Helen Wood. Members of the Finance Committee would help Helen with financial planning, tracking finances, and supporting fundraising efforts.

If you enjoy working with budgets and have creative ideas for raising money for a nonprofit, this is the committee for you! Contact us at info@conservationmontgomery.org and let us know of your interest.
Save these dates

  • Fall Big Tree Tour -- October, date TBD

  • Conservation Montgomery Annual Meeting November 4th at 6:00 pm. Reception at 6 pm, program at 7 pm.

Watch for upcoming notices about both events. Email us at info@conservationmontgomery.org with questions.
Visit us at ConservationMontgomery.org