Attachment_A2_-_DPR_Tree_Design_and_Planting_Guidelines.pdf
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- Solicitation number
- DCAM-26-CS-RFP-0005
- Issued by
- District of Columbia
About this file
This file is an attachment to a Request for Proposals from the District of Columbia Department of General Services for design-build services for pool replacement at Anacostia Recreation Center in Ward 8. The DPR Tree Design and Planting Guidelines document establishes specifications for tree selection, placement, and landscaping that must be incorporated into the design of the recreation center project. The guidelines emphasize plant selection based on adaptability, water conservation, and native species preference for Zone 7A&B hardy plants. Trees must be positioned with safety considerations, including minimum distances of 20 feet from playing fields, 10 feet from courts, and 5 feet behind the nearest fence, with absolute prohibitions on obstacles within 12 feet of endzones and 6 feet from sidelines. The document specifies trees to be avoided near courts and playgrounds due to maintenance challenges and safety hazards, trees that are completely prohibited due to invasive or non-native status, and an extensive list of encouraged native canopy, understory, and shrub species appropriate for District properties.
Offerors responding to the Anacostia Recreation Center Pool Replacement design-build opportunity must comply with the DPR Tree Design and Planting Guidelines in any proposed landscape design components. The guidelines reflect the District's commitment to native plantings, water conservation, and creating safe recreational environments. Trees such as Callery Pear, Norway Maple, Tree of Heaven, and various mulberry species are prohibited due to invasiveness, while encouraged species include River Birch, American Hornbeam, Hackberry, Tulip Tree, Redbud, and Dogwood. Adherence to these guidelines will be evaluated as part of the design-build proposal review process.
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1250 U Street, NW | Washington, D.C. 20009 | P: (202) 673-7647 | F: (202) 673-2087 www.DPR.DC.gov |
@DCDPR
GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Department of Parks and Recreation
Planning and Capital Projects Division
DPR Tree Design and Planting Guidelines:
Species Selection Plant selection should be based on the plant’s adaptability to the landscape area, desired effect, color, texture and ultimate plant size. Maximum water conservation can be achieved by selecting appropriate plants that require minimal amounts of supplemental water with a focus on native trees. Messy Trees with large fruits or nuts should be avoided in areas of play or high traffic.
Hardiness and Availability. Plants must be hardy in Zone 7 A&B
Demanding Plants. Plants requiring meticulous soil preparation, fertilization and spraying shall be avoided.
Growth Habits. Plants need to be chosen with their mature size and growth habit in mind to avoid over planting and conflict with other plants, structures or utility lines.
Placement Landscape design should be closely coordinated with the architectural characteristics of the building and the community where the building is located. Trees ideally should not be within 20’ of playing fields and 10’ of courts or behind the nearest fence by at least 5’ for safe playing zones. Absolutely no obstacles should be within 12’ of an endzone and 6’ from a sideline. Care should be taken when planting in playgrounds to create shade mostly to the southwest all the while considering safe play fall zones.
Trees to Avoid Below is a sample of commonly proposed trees that should be avoided near courts, playing fields, playgrounds or areas of high traffic. The following trees may still be used on DPR properties, but not within 30’ of fields, courts and playgrounds. Our maintenance teams are not equipped to keep up with the messes these trees pose, which thus creates the risk of a hazardous area. The location of these trees and other trees to refrain from will be at the discretion of the Landscape Architect, Arborist or other DPR personnel reviewing the proposed tree plantings.
Muriel E. Bowser Mayor
Keith A. Anderson Director
Trees to Avoid* (depending on location only):
- Beech (Fagus) – shallow roots, kill grass underneath
- Catalpa (Catalpa) – weak wood, many long seed pods, difficult to clean
- Maple (Acer) – shallow roots; do not plant within 20’ of hardscapes
- Oaks (Quercus) – acorns pose difficult cleanup and dangerous walking
- SweetGum (Liquidambar)* – large seeds are dangerous (*unless seedless)
- Walnut – (Juglans) – Drops very large nuts and kill grass underneath
Trees Not to be Planted:
- Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana) - not native to DC and invasive and weak wood
- Catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides) - not native to DC and invasive and weak wood
- Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) – not native to DC and repopulates and takes over areas, shading out understory plantings
- Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera) – not native to DC and has fruit so large that they can be extremely dangerous when they fall
- Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) – not native to DC and repopulates and takes over areas, shading out understory plantings
- Princess Tree (Paulownia tomentosa) - not native to DC and invasive
- Silk Tree (Akbizia julibrissin) – not native to DC and invasive
- Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) – not native to DC and invasive
- White Mulberry (Morus alba) – not native to DC and invasive and outcompetes the native mulberries
Encouraged Trees:
Native Canopy:
- Betula nigra – River Birch
- Carpinus caroliniana – American Hornbeam
- Celtis occidentalis - Hackberry
- Liquidambar styraciflua – Sweetgum* (*only seedless)
- Liriodendron tulipifera – Tulip Tree
- Nyssa sylvatica – Black Tupelo
- Ostrya virginiana – American Hop Hornbeam
- Sassafras albidum – Sassafras
- Ulmus americana – American Elm** (** Must be disease-resistant varieties)
Native Understory:
- Amelanchier arborea - Downy Serviceberry
- Amelanchier canadensis – Juneberry
- Cercis canadensis – Redbud
- Chionanthus virginicus – White Fringetree
- Cornus alternifolia – Alternate-Leaf Dogwood
- Cornus florida – Dogwood
- Halesia tetraptera – Carolina Silverbell
- Magnolia virginiana – Sweetbay Magnolia
- Oxydendrum arboretum - Sourwood
- Prunus virginiana – Choke Cherry
Native Shrubs:
- Calicarpa americana – Beautyberry
- Ceanothus americanus – New Jersey Tea
- Clethra alnifolia – Sweetpepper Bush
- Cornus amomum – Silky Dogwood
- Cornus stolonifera – Red Twigged Dogwood
- Gaultheria procumbens - Wintergreen
- Hydrangea arborescens – Hydrangea
- Itea virginica - Sweetspire
- Lindera benzoin - Spicebush
- Rhododendron calendulacena – Azalea
- Vaccinium corymbosum – Highbush Blueberry
- Viburnum dentatum – Viburnum
- Viburnum nudum – Swamphaw Viburnum
- Viburnum prunifolium – Blackhaw Viburnum
- Tree Planting Details adopted from the Urban Forestry Division of DDOT
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