Pollinator Forest

Paul Josey

Location: 750 Belmont Avenue

Description: Based on the 2015 Charlottesville Urban Tree Canopy report, over the past ten years, the city has lost between 4.5 – 8% of its urban canopy (300-550 acres). This is primarily due to new development as well as the removal of large trees and replacement with small, often tropical, flowering species (or no trees at all). While preserved places such as the Blue Ridge reflect the dynamic and evolved state of our region’s natural forest ecology, in rural and urban areas, we are planting less and less of those indigenous plants. While a few properties in Belmont have exceptional old canopy trees (such as the Tulip poplar across the street) and new canopy trees (such as the 10 year old American Elm over the project) they are a prized rarity. Belmont was listed as having the 2nd highest percentage of available planting area for canopy trees in the city and listed as below the city’s average canopy.

As stewards of our rural and urban ecology, native canopy trees provide a vital habitat for our pollinator and bird populations as well as for our community. Canopy trees lower blood pressure, rates of ADHD in children, utility bills, crime and traffic speeds in our neighborhoods. If you have room along your street, in your yard or know a place to plant a tree nearby, would you like to be a steward of your land and regional ecology? If so, please consider returning on Sunday afternoon to pick up one of these keystone habitat trees (and some mulch of this exhibit) to help guide and parent the future of our urban canopy.

Bio: Paul Josey is a principal and cofounder of Wolf|Josey Landscape Architects, a firm committed to the design of a diverse range of urban, public and campus projects. He has particular knowledge of soils, trees, native plants, urban and campus design, construction and rainwater reuse. Paul received his Bachelors degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Maryland and completed post-graduate work in Landscape Architecture at the University of Virginia. He is a registered landscape architect, Chair of the Charlottesville Tree Commission, member of the Charlottesville PLACE Design Task Force and an active member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and International Society of Arboriculture.

Website: 
www.wolfjosey.com

Drawing by Paul Josey