While RTEC Treecare provides a variety of tree and plant care services, there is one mission that underlies each project: doing the right thing for people and planet.
Our mission motivates us each day we walk into our office and onto your landscape. We work diligently to leave a place better than we found it and believe in doing what’s right for people and the environment around us.
Naturally, our mission led to starting our nonprofit organization, EJA (Environmental Justice Alliance) and our most recent project, a tree trimming job for a local World War II veteran.
What is EJA?
EJA is a nonprofit environmental solutions organization dedicated to working toward environmental justice for disadvantaged and marginalized communities. Our green assets hold significant value and provide a surplus of benefits.
Together, we can provide access to environmental positives like community gardens, well-tended parks, and clean water, and minimize negatives like hazardous waste, dangerous trees, and toxins.
By bringing these efforts to disadvantaged communities, we can spread positivity and health throughout the country.
Since its inception in 2019, our non-profit has created three community programs to help promote environmental justice in the DC Metro area.
- At Ease Military & Veteran Family Assistance Program: providing complimentary tree care support to military and veteran families. **NOTE: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, EJA has extended this program to other heroes, including: healthcare workers, first responders, and teachers
- JustEarth Community Improvement Program: total grounds improvement in disadvantaged or marginalized communities (including tree care, hazardous tree removal, stormwater management, and grounds beautification.)
- Grow! Community Garden Program: installation of organic vegetable gardens in disadvantaged or marginalized communities.
Tree Maintenance for our Heroes
Tree pruning is one of the most important aspects of tree maintenance and general tree care. Tree trimming provides safety, aesthetic, health, and visual access benefits. Proper and safe tree pruning, however, can often be out of budget or inconvenient for some families..
In addition to facing unique challenges during their service, many military members or veterans experience further challenges upon returning home. Spending long periods of time away from home and moving around frequently also takes its toll on the whole family.
Additionally, despite having sacrificed so much for our country, many veterans return home to find that our society is less than welcoming of the unique and valuable contributions they can make as civilians.
Common challenges veterans experience include:
- Poverty: Even with government support, a large number of veterans find themselves struggling financially, especially those over 65-years-old.
- Discrepancy between skill set and civilian employer expectations: This is especially true for individuals who joined the military right out of high school.
- Mental illness & physical injuries: – Many veterans return home with new injuries which can prevent them from working certain jobs. Also prevalent are mental illnesses such as clinical depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which impact every aspect of the veteran’s life.
EJA’s co-founders both grew up in military or veteran families and understand what hardships many service members may face. By providing tree services for members of our armed forces, we’re able to fulfill the mission that means the most to us: doing the right thing for people and nature.
Whether you contact us for your landscape, a government facility, or for one of EJA’s community service programs, you can count on RTEC Treecare to do the right thing in every project we undertake.
Are you or a loved one a Veteran or Service Member?
Yes! – You can apply for the At Ease program today! Here are a few things to expect:
- Tree maintenance serves to improve the health of trees, reduce tree-related hazards, and maintain the appearance of trees on the property.
- EJA will arrange an initial site visit to perform a tree survey, inspect for hazards, and map the property for planning purposes.
- If your application or nomination is selected, we will provide an official proposal of the work to be completed on the property so you know what to expect.
EJA strives to provide environmental solutions for people or areas in need. You can nominate yourself or a loved one by filling out an application online and emailing it to us at JustEarthDC@gmail.com.
No – You can still help make a difference today!
