Tree News

Spring 2021

From the Forester

Welcome to Tree News for Spring 2021. We hope you enjoy learning about the work of the City's Tree Advisory Board and Forestry Department, in addition to finding helpful information about planting and caring for trees this season.

Spring is a great time to plant trees! We're grateful for our partnership with The Heights Tree People, a not-for-profit that this spring has planted more than 100 trees in our community. Later this year, the City will plant more than 140 trees in the Van Aken Blvd. median, thanks to a grant from the Cuyahoga County Healthy Urban Tree Canopy Grant Program.

As you can see, we're off to a great start with our tree planting program this year, a sustainable activity we're proud to support as we continue to do our part to restore and maintain our beautiful tree canopy in Shaker Heights.

Charles Orlowski
City Forester

Call for Nominations

2021 Heritage Tree Award Nominations Now Being Accepted

Do you know of or have a special tree on your property that is remarkable either to you or to our community because it is

Associated with a famous person, a significant event, or an historical landmark, or
Unusual in size, form, age or other quality, or
Associated with an interesting history connected to a family, a home or a business?

The Tree Advisory Board would like you to nominate that tree for the 2021 Heritage Tree Award. You can do so by completing the online nomination form and submitting it TODAY! For the history of this award and information about the past winners, visit the Tree Advisory Board's website and scroll down to the Heritage Tree Award section.

One of two Moses Cleaveland White Oaks selected for the 2020 Heritage Tree Awards.

Spring Tips from the Tree Advisory Board

Try this checklist to rate yourself as an informed Shaker tree steward.

1. Mulch correctly around trees in the spring with a two-to-three inch deep layer of organic mulch that does not physically touch the tree trunk. Never pile mulch against the trunk of a tree (volcano mulch), because the mulch traps moisture and heat that can damage the tree. Always keep mulch clear around the root flare where the trunk meets the roots. The width of your fist is a good measurement tool to ensure mulch is not too close to the tree trunk.

2. Water your new trees during dry periods. Young trees need extra water during summer. The City contractor fills Gator Bags periodically when a tree lawn tree is planted, but young trees need that slow-drip bag to be refilled by residents during dry spells. Another method to water new trees is to fill a five-gallon bucket that has several holes drilled in the bottom and let the water slowly drip into the soil around the base of the new tree.

3. Do not attach signs, screws, nails or other constrictions to your trees. Doing this may break the integrity of the bark, allowing insects and diseases to enter the tree.

4. Remove any vine growing up your trees, because it can damage or kill your tree. The effective way to do this is to cut the vine at the base of the tree and leave it to die and rot in place. This will not damage the tree by attempting to remove the vine.

5. Pruning young or older trees is important, because it protects the health of a tree by training it to grow properly and by removing dead limbs before they fall in a storm or interfere with its health. Never prune or remove a tree on the tree lawn. This is the City’s responsibility.

This spring, The Heights Tree People planted 27 new trees in Southerly Park, including this one.

When is the Best Time to Plant a Tree?

Answer: 30 Years Ago or Right Now!

A widely-publicized 2012 study and 2019 update by the Cuyahoga County Planning Department reported that the County continues to lose tree canopy. This is important because as climate change continues to impact our region, stormwater runoff with less trees to absorb it will continue to overload our aging infrastructure. Trees also have a mitigating effect on extreme temperatures, while they increase home values by beautifying properties.

As we lose canopy due to our mature urban forest and severe storms, it is more important than ever to replant those areas of our community. Below are two new programs that the City’s Tree Advisory Board has undertaken in 2021 in a collaboration with The Heights Tree People, a not-for-profit volunteer organization dedicated to planting trees in front yards and parklands in the Heights area.

The Free Front Yard Tree Program

The Heights Tree People planted 76 trees in the front yards of Shaker residents this spring. Residents were able to select “the right tree for the right spot." The residents then arranged to have the utility lines marked. The Heights Tree People ordered, planted, mulched and caged the new tree for deer protection. Additionally, residents received watering instructions. Due to the high demand in Shaker for this new program, it will be offered again this fall with modified parameters.

Southerly Park

The Heights Tree People planted 27 trees in Southerly Park between South and West Park boulevards on April 10 with the help of numerous volunteers and the City of Shaker Heights. The goal of this project was to increase tree canopy in areas in our parklands. The planting was funded by a $1000 grant by the Cuyahoga Soil & Water District and $800 from the Hermes Foundation LGBTQ Fund. The Doan Brook Watershed Partnership and the City’s Tree Advisory Board provided technical assistance.

The City will plant trees in open areas along the Van Aken Blvd. median.

City to Plant 143 Trees in Van Aken Median

Many residents know that the current tree assessment on our property tax bill does not cover the cost of reforestation of the median strips throughout the City. Many who ride the RTA or drive down Van Aken Blvd. also know that this median strip in particular has lost a significant number of trees over the past several years due to storms. To address this loss of tree canopy, the Public Works and its Forestry Department applied for and received an award of $50,000 from the Cuyahoga County Planning Department through its Healthy Urban Tree Canopy Grant. The grant will fund the planting of 143 trees in the Van Aken median with a concentration between Avalon to Ingleside roads and from S. Woodland to Ashby roads.

Arbor Day Children's Scavenger Hunt

When the Covid-19 quarantine shut down the 2020 Arbor Day activities in our community, we knew 2021 would have to be a creative year!

Our ninth Arbor Day collaboration between the Tree Advisory Board and the Shaker Heights Public Library produced a Children’s Scavenger Hunt during the month of April for any child in grades K-6 to promote their understanding of the value of trees. Our City Forester, Chuck Orlowski, purchased prizes from the Arbor Day Foundation and both Main Branch and Bertram Woods children’s librarians encouraged families to go outdoors and celebrate trees. 125 hunt entry forms were distributed and prizes were given to every child who participated.

Why to Avoid Planting Invasives

Many invasive plants, especially vining ones, can damage or kill trees by growing up their trunks, weighing down the limbs and serving as hosts for fungii like Oak Wilt.

English Ivy is such an invasive. To eradicate this Ivy, cut/sever it at the base of the tree. Do NOT attempt to rip the Ivy down from the tree, because that will damage the bark and branches. Let it rot in place. If you have Euonymous (Wintercreeper) or Celastrus (Oriental Bittersweet) climbing your trees, follow this same procedure.

If you have bamboo planted in or adjacent to your yard, you may have another problem. Bamboo comes in two varieties- clumping and running. Running bamboo causes problems when it spreads invasively (runners can grow up to 3 feet per day!) and is extremely difficult to control across property lines. As an invasive, varieties of running bamboo crowd out native plants and reduce biodiversity. Containing this plant is expensive, complicated, can take years and may involve chemical herbicides that can impact water quality and human health. There are challenges with even identifying which species of bamboo are less invasive. Please think very carefully BEFORE planting bamboo in your yard.

A beautiful spring view of the tree lawn on Grenway Rd.

Fun (Tree) Facts!

Healthy mature trees add an average of 10 percent to a property’s value. (US Forest Service)
America’s urban forests contribute an annual ecological value of $4 billion in clean air and water. (American Forests)
Trees intercept up to 36 percent of the rainfall that hits them. Research shows that that trees and vegetation help reduce stormwater management loads by decreasing stormwater runoff volumes. (US EPA)
Community trees reduce pollution by absorbing gaseous pollutants, binding soluble pollutants to their surfaces, intercepting larger particulates on bark and sequestering carbon dioxide in woody tissue. (Center for Urban Forest Research)
Shoppers pay an average of 11 percent more for goods and services in business districts with shade trees than in areas without trees. (US Dept. of Agriculture)
The net cooling effect of a young healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-sized air conditioners operating 20 hours a day. (US Dept. of Agriculture)

Advice from a Tree

By Ilan Shamir

Stand tall and proud
Sink your roots into the Earth
Be content with your natural beauty
Go out on a limb
Drink plenty of water
Think long term
Enjoy the view!