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Here is a press release from the American Recreation Coalition.

 Forest Service Deputy Chief and Park Service Director Announce
D.C.'s First Urban Tree House
 To: National Desk, Environment Writer
 Contact: Mary Suchenski of the American Recreation Coalition,
          202-662-7420

   WASHINGTON, May 13   -- Forest Service Deputy Chief 
Allan West and Acting Director of the National Park
Service Herb Cables announced today the site for the next Urban
Tree House, a community based program designed to bring an
understanding of environmental ethics and forestry concepts to
inner-city youth.
   Several other federal and local officials, partners of the
D.C. Urban Tree House, were also present to join in the event,
including Acting Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Pete Culp and Community Services Administrator Keith Andrew
Perry from the Office of D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly.
   The first Urban Tree House project was launched in Atlanta and
helped revitalize an inner-city park and community there.  The new
Tree House will be located at Anacostia Park in southeast
Washington, an urban park frequented by tens of thousands of D.C
residents.  The program consists of an outdoor structure -- a tree
house -- where professionals from government agencies,
universities, non-profit groups and industry conduct year-round
lessons on forestry, ecology and natural resources for local youth.

The Tree House includes a 12 foot square shelter surrounded by a
70-by-40 foot deck which is in the shape of the United States and
depicts various geographical features such as forests, trails, and
rivers.
   West, deputy chief for State and Private Forestry, and Cables
announced the new site before local government and community
officials, representatives of the D.C. Urban Tree House's partners,
and leaders from the recreation and conservation community who
gathered at Anacostia Park.  Many of those present spent the
morning at a volunteer workday in the park sponsored by the
American Recreation Coalition (ARC).  The volunteers' activities
ranged from litter pick-up to recreational equipment repair, and
underscored the importance of stewardship for our nation's urban
park lands.
   "This Urban Tree House will link community members to our public
lands in a meaningful way and provide scores of D.C. youth with
constructive outdoor activities," noted Deputy Chief West.  "We are
proud to join the Forest Service, BLM, D.C. Mayor's Office and ARC
as one of many partners in this important environmental education
initiative," added Cables.
   For further information on the Urban Tree House, contact the
American Recreation Coalition, or Barbara McDonald at the USDA
Forest Service, Outdoor Recreation and Wilderness Research,
Forestry Science Laboratory, Carlton/Green Street, Athens, Ga.
30602, 404-546-2451, or Robert Stanton, regional director, National
Capital Region, National Park Service, 1100 Ohio Drive, S.W.,
Washington D.C. 20242, 202-690-7005.
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