Lakewood Gets $50,000 Grant To Address Tree Canopy

LAKEWOOD, OH — The city of Lakewood will receive a $50,000 grant for its Forestry Initiative. The grant comes through Cuyahoga County's Urban Tree Canopy program, which is awarding $1 million to cities and organizations in its first year.

Chris Perry, in Lakewood's division of streets and forestry, said the grant money will be used to offset the cost of purchasing and planting 360 trees across the city, with priority focus on Clifton Boulevard.

"Some of the plantings are for trees that had to be removed for one reason or another and to fill in vacant sites throughout the city," Perry told Patch.

“Preliminary results for the most recent update of the Cuyahoga County Tree Canopy study show a slight decline in the County’s overall tree canopy,” said Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Interim Director Susan Infeld. “The new Healthy Urban Tree Canopy Grant Program, which is funding tree projects to combat this trend, is a timely and necessary intervention.”

Lakewood is one of 26 cities, villages and organizations receiving funding through the Urban Tree Canopy program. The city is one of the few grant recipients that will begin implementation of a tree canopy plan this year.

Perry said Lakewood is focusing on diversifying its tree species variety. That tactic, he said, prevents pests or diseases from ravaging Lakewood's canopy.

Other communities said they had a need to plant additional trees, but had little in the way of plans for developing the canopy. The county said it wants the grant funding to lay the groundwork for sustainable planting. For instance, the Cleveland Progress foundation will be identifying five groves suitable for large plantings of trees in 2020.

A total of 1,165 trees will be planted through the first phase of the county's program. For some municipalities, this will be the first time they've addressed their tree canopy issues.

“Our first round of tree grants will set the stage for hundreds of thousands of trees to be planted in the future,” said Mike Foley, director of the Cuyahoga County Department of Sustainability. “This process was fascinating in understanding the needs local governments have for their urban forests. Most of these first-year grants will go toward helping communities hire foresters and arborists to figure out concretely where and what types of trees need to be grown and really start planning for the long haul of developing a healthy urban tree canopy.”

Lakewood officials are also looking into the creation of a tree advisory committee. The new group would work with the city on its forestry practices and educate residents on how to take care of trees. Officials hope the Tree Advisory & Education Board will serve the city's trees for years to come.