Tree Advisory Board

The Tree Advisory Board builds community support for the City's tree programs and educates residents on issues related to the City's trees and urban forests.

The Tree Advisory Board (TAB) meets quarterly each year. Please check the community calendar for dates. The meetings are open to the public and held on the second Tuesday of the month at 4 p.m. in City Hall. For information about the next meeting, email Forestry Superintendent Charles Orlowski, or call at 219-491-3285.

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.

View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes

Members

The TAB is composed of the Director of Public Works or his/her designee; one member of City Council; and three or more citizen members, who shall be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council.

Term

Citizen members of the Tree Advisory Board shall serve two-year, calendar year terms. Appointments to fill vacancies or to add members shall be made by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council. The terms of citizen members shall end on December 31 of the year following the year that their term began.

Codified Ordinances

Chapter 161 of the Codified Ordinances for the City of Shaker Heights defines the TAB and its membership and terms. See Sections 161.01; 161.02; 161.03; Cross References- Trees and Shrubs - see GEN. OFF. Ch. 747

Arbor Day Tree Planting Celebration

A tree planting ceremony takes place each year in a public space of Shaker Heights. Students from each of the public schools in Shaker Heights, on a rotating basis, join Board members, the City Forester, the Mayor, and others to celebrate Arbor Day (PDF) at this event. Commemorative plaques mark each tree.

Heritage Tree Award

As part of the Arbor Day celebration, residents are invited to nominate trees to be honored with the Heritage Tree Award on Arbor Day.

Nominated trees are:

associated with a famous person, a significant event, or an historic landmark, or
unusual in size, form, age, or other quality, or
associated with an interesting history connected to a family, its home, or a business.

View recent winners:

Poster/Poetry Contest

Children of all ages are invited to participate in an annual poster and poetry contest in which drawings and poems expressing sentiments about a tree-related theme are judged. The winners receive National Arbor Day Foundation subscriptions, award certificates, and other prizes.

Tree City Awards

The City has been designated as a “Tree City” from the National Arbor Day Foundation for the last 31 years. To qualify for Tree City USA, the city must meet the following four standards established by The Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters:

A Tree Board or Department
A Tree Care Ordinance
A Community Forestry Program With an Annual Budget of at Least $2 Per Capita
An Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation

Tree City USA is supported by the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program.

Helpful Resources

To read more about trees in Shaker Heights:

Articles about Trees: Learn more by reading articles covering a range of topics related to trees in Shaker Heights.