City Gets Grant to Plant Trees

The city has been awarded an $8,750 matching grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for trees to be planted here.

Jennifer Milbrandt, coordinator of natural resources for the city, said Strongsville plans to follow up a project it started in 2006, when it planted three species of trees on Pearl Road north of Royalton Road, by continuing the planting on the south end of Pearl.

The trees will be Ivory Silk Japanese Tree Lilac, Pacific Sunset Maple and Imperial Honeylocust, she said.

"These species were chosen because of their height, salt tolerance and overall ability to tolerate urban stress, like pavement, winds and extremes in weather," Milbrandt said.

Because they grow no more than 30 feet tall, they are utility-line compatible.

The grant is part of the state's Emerald Ash Borer Restoration Program, which aims at replacing the ash trees being decimated by the tiny insect.

Last year, the city to replace ash trees stricken by the deadly Emerald Ash Borer on Misty Lake Drive and Winding Trail with Blackgum and Princeton Elm, respectively.

Milbrandt said a citywide survey showed that Misty Lake and Winding Trail had the most ash trees on their tree lawns. 

Milbrandt said this year's effort will not involve removing infected ash trees, but instead adding to the city's treescape with specimens not subject to the ash borer.