N° 65 — August 18, 2021
Stay in touch as we celebrate Washington Youth Garden's 50th Anniversary. Enjoy our updates and insights from FONA, the U.S. National Arboretum, and WYG.
We've harvested 3,650 pounds of fresh food from Washington Youth Garden so far this year — that's over 1,300 pounds more than we harvested this time last year!

All this produce is distributed to students and families throughout our community to fight food insecurity in DC.
How have we increased our harvest in a 1-acre organic garden? Our garden team has implemented new strategies this year, including:

  • No-till soil management, which preserves the soil's carbon and nutrient content while maintaining a strong microbiome

  • Companion planting multiple types of crops in one bed, which utilizes all available space to maximize production

  • Succession planting of the same crop, which takes full advantage of a season's growing potential and creates redundancy in case of damage from weather, pests, or disease
These strategies are on display in the garden so WYG visitors can see them in action and try them in their own garden. Stop by Washington Youth Garden next time you're at the Arboretum and see for yourself!

While there's many months left in the growing season, we are extremely grateful for the hard work of our volunteers, Green Ambassador Farm Crew, and Garden Team so far this year growing this food for our community.
Our Impact Moment
Craven Rand, FONA's Executive Director, recently shared with DCTV's Alvin Jones the extent of FONA's impact across DC.

FONA's partnerships and programs impact not only the U.S. National Arboretum's future, but also connect DC residents and tourists from around the world to this 450-acre public green space and horticulture research facility.
Forest Bathing
Join us for a forest bathing experience at the Arboretum and discover something new on every twisting trail, curated collection, and changing season.

Tickets are now live for events from August 22nd through December 31st. Join us on Halloween, New Year’s Eve, and many days in between!

Our suggested ticket price is $35, but please pay what you can to attend. We believe everyone in our DC community should have access to mindfulness nature experiences such as this at the National Arboretum.
Arboretum App
State trees offer a unique look into a state's land, people, and history. "Stately Treasures" is the Arboretum's newest tour on their free mobile app. This tour guides you throughout the Arboretum, introduces you to each state tree, and shares its unique history and significance.

Signs on the grounds point the way, but the tour's content is found exclusively on the Arboretum's map. You can access the entire 4-mile long tour either by car or on foot.
In addition to a large variety of tours throughout the Arboretum, this app also features suggestions of what to see based on the seasons and what's in bloom, as well as a plant finder and interactive map of the Arboretum.

Download the Arboretum's mobile app for iOS or Android platforms.
The Arboretum is open every day from 8 AM - 5 PM except December 25th. Some buildings and collections remain closed to ensure visitor and staff safety.
Friends of the National Arboretum
3501 New York Ave NE
Washington, DC 20002
202.544.8733
FONA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization with the mission to preserve and enhance a vibrant public space and support experiential programming that instills a love of plants, nature and the outdoors in all who visit, while promoting the overarching research and education mission of the U.S. National Arboretum.

Since its inception, FONA has helped support the Washington Youth Garden, Capitol Columns, Flowering Tree Walk, horticultural and research internships, restoration of Springhouse Run, and much more.
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