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 resources on this page are designed to help residents learn more and get involved.

Meetings

The Tree Advisory Board (TAB) meets quarterly each year. Please check the public meetings calendar for dates. For information about the next meeting, email Forestry Superintendent Charles Orlowski, or call at 219-491-3285.

Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval. View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes for the Tree Advisory Board.

Tree News

Published quarterly, this email newsletter provides an update on TAB's activities and ideas and resources for residents seeking to provide the best care for their property's trees. 

TAB 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. Click here if you are interested in volunteering to serve on TAB.

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

Events & Activities

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

Residents are invited to nominate trees to be honored with a Heritage Tree Award. Nominations are now being accepted for 2023.

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: 

Memorial Tree Planting Program

Individuals who wish to plant trees on public lands to honor the memory of a loved one or notable neighbor can now  "grow” this memory. The first step in the process is to complete the online application:

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 37 years and has also earned the Foundation's Growth Award for the last 11 years. To qualify for Tree City USA, the City must meet certain criteria established by The Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters. The Growth Award requires cities to go above and beyond these criteria. 

Additional Resources