American Horticultural Society
Davey Tree has partnered with the American Horticultural Society to maintain the trees on River Farm, the home of the society’s headquarters formerly owned by George Washington.
River Farm in Alexandria, VA is rich with history. Originally named Piscataway Neck and located next to Mount Vernon, George Washington’s estate, the 1,800-acre property was sold to George Washington in 1760. He renamed the site River Farm. Since George Washington’s ownership, the 1,800-acre property was split into several parts.
The American Horticultural Society (AHS) purchased 27 acres of the property, including the farmhouse, and in 1973, moved its headquarters to River Farm. Since then, AHS has committed to investing time and resources into transforming River Farm’s grounds into “the home of horticultural excellence.” Thousands of visitors from all over the country visit River Farm’s unique flora, manicured grounds, and Potomac River views every year.
Davey Tree is on-site regularly to keep the ground’s trees in top shape. The partnership between Davey Tree and AHS began in 2012 when Davey became an educational sponsor and corporate member of AHS. Crews donate their efforts to conduct routine maintenance and pruning according to a priority worklist and plan, treat for pests and diseases, and perform any emergency tree work when needed.
Crew members also volunteer to participate in educational activities at River Farm, such as giving presentations on pests and insects, proper tree care, and more.
Davey Tree also conducted a tree inventory on River Farm. The inventory data was used by the Davey Institute to calculate the environmental benefits of the trees on-site and by Davey Resource Group, Inc. to upload to Davey’s proprietary inventory software, TreeKeeper. The data in TreeKeeper will help AHS keep track of the locations and species of trees on-site in one central location accessible through mobile devices.
Caring for the trees on River Farm and the partnership with AHS shows Davey Tree’s commitment to the organization's mission. Together, Davey and AHS share the critical role in educating the public on how plants, gardens, and green spaces contribute to creating healthy, livable communities and a sustainable planet.