One of the most densely populated places in the nation, Arlington County is known for its educated citizenry, thriving business sector, and cultural and ethnic diversity. Yet it is also home to extensive green infrastructure and numerous natural resources management initiatives. In 2005, Arlington’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources, in concert with the Urban Forestry Commission under the direction of the Arlington County Board, released an Urban Forest Master Plan describing goals and objectives to enhance and preserve tree canopy cover.

The plan recommends, among other things, providing stakeholder education and outreach regarding urban forestry in Arlington. Preliminary work is ongoing to develop a LEAF classroom in Arlington to achieve this aim. Short-term objectives are to develop a LEAF classroom by tying into ongoing and future management and use resulting resources to offer Arlington’s property owners, urban planners, community leaders, and general citizens a series of hands-on workshops to learn about urban forestry and other critical ecosystem and green infrastructure initiatives. In fact, the first major meeting occurred in October 2008 to plan LEAF conference to highlight the urban forestry and urban stream water restoration along Donaldson Run. Long-term intentions are to host regional urban ecosystem management symposia and sustain and enhance localized educational initiatives.

Integrating multiple initiatives into one LEAF classroom will advance Arlington’s goals more specifically, while also generally strengthening connections between its citizens and the County’s myriad natural resources. On top of providing Arlington’s citizens with multi-faceted, hands-on educational opportunities, an integrated outdoor system would also vault the County to the forefront among Mid-Atlantic communities as a place-based venue for green infrastructure and urban ecosystem management learning. Arlington’s citizens, community leaders, and resource managers, along with like regional audiences, stand to benefit immensely from a LEAF classroom in one of America’s greener urban ecosystems.