We went nuts for clean water during the 2024 acorn collection season
/Lower acorn yields than usual? Our volunteers still got their hands dirty for clean water
Volunteer holding acorns he collected
Acorns, seeds, and more, oh my! We’re re-foresting the Potomac River region!
This year, we enjoyed a busy Tomorrow's Trees collection season despite the trend of low acorn yields. Our incredible group of local volunteers gathered tree seeds in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, and gifted them to state foresters and nursery farms to be nurtured and transplanted for use in tree planting projects.
Why do we love trees?
We're nutty for trees at Potomac Conservancy because healthy forests are a big solution for big stressors to the Potomac River: the climate crisis and polluted runoff.
Trees naturally improve water quality in regional waterways with their extensive root systems, filtering out pollutants including excess nutrients and sediment. During extreme storms, trees slow heavy rainfall by helping soil absorb the excess rainwater. So, how did we do save seeds for Tomorrow’s Trees?
The wait for our 2024 results is over!
percentage of tree seeds collected
Drumroll, please 🥁...
This fall, with the help of our volunteer squirrels, we collected 625 pounds of tree seeds that will turn into Tomorrow’s Trees! That is the weight of a Pygmy Hippopotamus!
The most popular tree seeds were black walnuts and northern red oak, which made up 77% of the collected seeds.
455 volunteers joined us at events across the Potomac River region or collected acorns in their neighborhood. The most popular event was at Arlington Cemetery, where volunteers scouted the grounds on a scavenger hunt for acorns- they were not to be found in the usual places!
This year's special discovery was a grove of Overcup Oaks with acorns all around. In other events around the region, school groups joined us in the search for seeds and practiced tree identification to get ready for next season. We hope all of our volunteers learn to recognize and appreciate their local native trees!
Acorns aplenty… or not in 2024?
What's with the acorn scarcity? It's true that some of our collection bins didn't see much action this season. This summer, DC received 1.23 inches less rain than the 30-year average and 1.72 inches less than the year before, 2023. DC also experienced its third hottest summer on record.
On average, young trees need a minimum of 25 gallons of water per week, which is equivalent to 1.5" of rain, to survive and remain resilient. Without consistent water, trees in the Potomac River region become dehydrated and can go into survival mode. When trees are stressed, they can't produce as many acorns.
“The majority of Maryland experienced an extended drought that affected most of the growing season in 2024. The scarcity of water was an extra pressure for many plant and animal species. In our parks, we noticed many native wildflowers and trees had less blooms or bloomed for a much shorter period. This was followed by these same plants producing little to no fruits or nuts. Other trees produced small fruit that contained nearly no seeds. ”
What's the next step for the tree seeds?
Acorns and tree seeds collected in Maryland were donated to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and those from Virginia were delivered to the Virginia Department of Forestry. These community-sourced acorns provide a huge boost to regional forestry programs.
The donated acorns and seeds will be used to support a variety of state-sponsored planting initiatives, like community programs that provide low-cost indigenous trees to residents.
Both Maryland and Virginia have state-wide goals to plant more trees. Maryland's goal is to plant 5 million trees by 2031. Virginia's aim is to meet these ambitious goals, but the states need millions of acorns because not every acorn will germinate into a tree.
Teamwork makes the dream work!
Thank you to our amazing partners, who joined Potomac Conservancy for a cleaner Potomac River! And a special thank you to our Master Naturalist helpers who checked on our bins weekly and transported nuts to cooler storage units helping them stay viable on their journey.
This year, the various park partners joined forces to lead trainings, organize collection events and sites, host our cooler unit, and connect us with additional parks and master naturalists.
Our 2024 partners
Arlington Cemetery
City Chic Real Estate
DC Master Naturalists
Ecotone, Inc. Nursery
Fairfax Master Naturalists
Fairfax Tree Stewards
Friends of the Rappahannock
Glenstone Museum
Hidden Oaks Nature Center
Holton-Arms School
Joe's Movement Emporium
Kensington Parkwood Elementary School
Locust Grove Nature Center
MAEOE (Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education)
Maret School
Maryland Master Naturalists
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens
Mount Rainier Nature Center
Mount Vernon Governmental Center
Potomac Overlook Park
Seneca Creek State Park
Virginia Department of Forestry
Winkler Botanical Preserve
