Four Sustainable Practices from Our Grounds to Yours

Every year on April 22, Earth Day is celebrated all over the world as a day to learn and act to make the world greener and raise public awareness to protect the planet's natural resources for future generations.

Learn more about our efforts and how you can incorporate some of these practices in your own backyard throughout the year.

1. Go for a walk.

Take a walk around the U.S. Capitol Grounds and experience Frederick Law Olmsted's symmetrical landscape design with park-like edging, low walls, lamps, careful placement of trees and simple shrubs that highlight impressive views of the Capitol Building. The U.S. Capitol Grounds is a Level III Accredited Arboretum recognized by ArbNet; there are more than 4,800 trees and thousands of other plants located throughout the 274-acre campus that are carefully selected and maintained by the Capitol Grounds and Arboretum team. During your visit, learn about the many memorial and commemorative trees, statuary and historic fountains while reducing your carbon footprint.

The AOC's Capitol Grounds and Arboretum team showcases environmentally friendly options of gardening including an electric bike for efficient transportation and operations.

At home, try to use eco-friendly modes of transportation like walking, cycling, carpooling or public transit more often, doing so can reduce air pollution, save energy and contribute to a healthier lifestyle.

2. Plant native plants.

Stop by the tear drop garden on the corner of Northwest Drive and First Street, NW, (near Peace Monument) or the Summerhouse to see how the AOC's Capitol Grounds and Arboretum uses strategic native plant designs along with plant cultivars with advanced traits to increase landscape function, resiliency and sustainability. Native plants and their ecosystems are linked to the health of air, water and biological diversity. Over the years, research and evaluation has led to the development of advanced cultivars in both the horticultural and agricultural landscape. These advanced traits provide an aesthetic look or quality crop of vegetables and can help reduce the need for constant inputs of synthetic fertilizers and pesticide applications.

Spring blooming native woodland phlox and creeping phlox planted at the bottom of Northwest and Southwest drives of the U.S. Capitol.

In your garden, strive to plant native plants and improved plant cultivars to provide a habitat for pollinators and help produce flowers, fruits and vegetables. Native plants are acclimated to growing in the region and normally require less maintenance than non-native species. The result is a garden that supports the ecosystem and thrives with less care. In addition, try to invest in seed or transplants from nurseries that sell plant types with climate-resilient traits such as drought tolerance, disease resistance, and/or relatively pest-free. Cultivars with these advanced traits are usually listed on the plant label or advertised as such at your local plant nursery. For helpful resources to identify native plants that support pollinator conservation in our region, connect with your local native plant society or search online to find one of the numerous databases of native plants in North America that are maintained by various non-profit organizations.

3. Use beneficial insects.

Notice and protect friendly insects fighting plant pests in the trees and plants around campus. The Capitol Grounds and Arboretum team uses Conservation and Augmentative Biological Control practices, two innovative and ecologically minded solutions, to address campuswide plant health care challenges.

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Yusef Adams, Gardener, releases beneficial insect green lacewing (Chrysoperla rufilabris) adults to locate shelter within the newly installed native garden bed at the northwest corner of Capitol Square.

In Conservation Biological Control, the aim is to integrate landscapes designed for their aesthetic quality while also incorporating plant species that support populations of natural predators to plant pests. Augmentative Biological Control involves the release of additional populations of natural pest predators to control insect plant pests in the landscape. The AOC's Capitol Grounds and Arboretum uses beneficial insects as a targeted pest control to reduce pesticide reliance and maximize ecological benefits. Unlike broad-spectrum pesticides, which not only kill the insect pest but also their natural enemies, the release of beneficial insects only targets the pest that is causing damage to a desirable plant or plants.

In your garden, welcome ladybugs, lacewings and parasitic wasps which can serve as the first line of defense against destructive bugs without using broad-spectrum pesticides. Natural predators can also be purchased and released in any home garden suffering from a particular pest. Additional research and a consultation with an expert at your local garden center may be required to find out which species would work the best for the pest that is damaging the plant(s) of interest. In addition, your local county extension agent from the nearest land-grant university can provide information on pollinator-friendly plants that are readily available to the public and specific to your area.

4. Plant a tree.

The Capitol Grounds and Arboretum team cares for more than 4,800 trees. Olmsted designed the 56 acre-area surrounding the Capitol Building, and approximately 40 trees that remain on the grounds today are considered "Olmsted originals" — trees planted under the landscape architect's direction from 1874 to 1894. This curated canopy provides oxygen to everyone who works or visits the grounds, food for pollinators, habitats and shade for local wildlife, and mitigates damage from pollutants and water runoff. These benefits are particularly important in urban environments, such as Washington, D.C., that face heightened levels of environmental pollutants.

Trees are planted and cared for to bring benefits to future generations.

When planting new trees, the Capitol Grounds and Arboretum team considers how the species contribute to the overall plant collections and genetic diversity in addition to goals of plant conservation and sustainability. Careful tree selection is important to create an attractive and resilient landscape in the face of ongoing and emerging challenges. In addition, maintaining healthy trees and sustainable landscapes requires consideration of how the landscape can support pollinators and beneficial invertebrate communities.

In honor of Earth Day, plant a tree in your backyard to increase air quality, fight storm water runoff and provide shelter and food for a variety of wildlife such as birds, squirrels and insects.

Join Us to Learn More

In commemoration of Earth Day 2024 and in support of the Architect of the Capitol's commitment to environmental conservation, Capitol Grounds and Arboretum will host an event to celebrate Earth Day featuring native plant design for year-round interest in urban areas.

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View of the Summerhouse on U.S. Capitol Grounds.

WHEN: Wednesday, April 24, 2024 | 10 – 11 a.m.
WHERE: Summerhouse halfway down Northwest Drive on Capitol Square

Horticulture professionals from the AOC's Capitol Grounds and Arboretum gardening teams will provide an overview of their recent landscape design approaches on a historically significant landscape at the Summerhouse and north entrance of the U.S. Capitol. They will share information on the selection of native plants that provide year-round season interest and specimen plants that stand out in any garden.

The team will also discuss alternative plants to use instead of invasive species that will attract pollinators and beneficial insects into your garden. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions about their own landscapes and receive suggestions on plants to add to their garden this year.