Cleveland Tree Plan Making Cleveland the Forest City Once Again

October 27, 2016 Matt Gray

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The ForesT CiTy

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Cleveland has so few trees that city boundaries can be easily seen on Google Earth

33 Climate Actions

Focus Area # of Actions

Energy Efficiency & Green Building 7

Advanced & Renewable Energy 8

Sustainable Mobility 6

Waste Reduction & Resource Conser. 3

Land Use & Clean Water 6

Comm. Engagement & Public Health 3

13 5

Observed changes in Northeast Ohio

USDN Great Lakes Climate Adaptation Network

Rising average temps

Longer freeze-free season

2.4

20

26

22

More rain

More heavy rain

What’s the climate affect on Northeast Ohio?

• Public Health: urban heat island effect, decreased air quality, change in vector borne and allergy-related disease patterns

• Water Quality: algal blooms, combined sewer overflows, beach health

• Food Systems: increase crop yields in short term, decreased agricultural productivity in long term

• Forests: Tree species shifting northward

• Energy and Industry: increased energy prices, reduced building heating loads, increased A/C

• Transportation: lengthened commercial navigation season, but local infrastructure affected by freeze-thaw cycles, flooding and erosion, lake effect snow, heat waves

• Fish and Wildlife: ecosystem disturbances

Sustainable Cleveland Summits

Cleveland Tree Plan Collaborating to Rebuild Our Urban Forest

Thank You

▪ Broadway Slavic Village Development ▪ City - Capital Improvements ▪ City - Office of Sustainability ▪ City - Planning ▪ City - Urban Forestry ▪ City – Parks & Recreation ▪ Cleveland Foundation ▪ Cleveland Metroparks ▪ Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) ▪ Cleveland Neighborhood Progress ▪ Cuyahoga Board of Health ▪ Cuyahoga County Planning Commission ▪ Cuyahoga Landbank ▪ Cuyahoga River Restoration ▪ Dominion East Ohio Gas

This plan was funded by the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, Western Reserve Land Conservancy's Thriving Communities Institute, and LAND Studio. Special thanks to Holden Arboretum for in-kind technical assistance. Stakeholders involved in the development of this project:

▪ First Energy ▪ Forest Citizens Working Group of Sustainable Cleveland 2019 ▪ Forest City Working Group ▪ Holden Arboretum ▪ LAND Studio ▪ MetroHealth ▪ Northeast Ohio Area-wide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) ▪ Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District ▪ ODNR Division of Forestry ▪ Ohio City, Inc. ▪ Old Brooklyn Community Development ▪ St. Luke’s Foundation ▪ Western Reserve Land Conservancy

Overview ▪ Process

▪ State of the Urban Forest

▪ Vision & Goals

▪ Action

Overview ▪ A roadmap for implementing the vision for Cleveland’s urban forest

▪ A scope of work for dedicated partners to advance urban forest management

▪ A handy resource for anyone making decisions on tree planting

▪ Makes the case for trees as integral city infrastructure

▪ Emphasizes the need to improve equitable distribution of benefits

▪ Prioritizes the most urgent needs to turn things around

▪ Promotes deep collaboration

▪ Determines roles of community partners

Process

What Do We Have?

What Do We Want?

How Do We Get There?

How Are We Doing?

Our Trees (Vegetation Resource)

Our Players (Community Framework)

Our Approach (Management)

Miller, R. W. 1988. Urban Forestry: Planning and Managing Urban Greenspaces. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Kenney, W. A., et al. 2011. “Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Urban Forest Planning and Management.”

Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 37(3): 108 – 117.

Clark, J. R., et al. 1997. “A Model of Urban Forest Sustainability.” Journal of Arboriculture 23(1): 17 – 30.

Benefits

Benefits

State of the Urban Forest

State of the Urban Forest Our Trees

(Vegetation Resource)

Our Players (Community Framework)

Our Approach (Management)

Indicators of a Sustainable Urban Forest Assessed Performance Level

The Trees

Tree Canopy Low Size/Age Distribution Mod. Condition of Public Trees - Streets, Parks Low Condition of Public Trees - Natural Areas Low Species Diversity Mod. Species Suitability Low

The Players

Neighborhood Action Mod. Large Private Landholder Involvement Low Green Industry Involvement Mod. City Dept./Agency Cooperation Low Funder Engagement Mod. Utility Engagement Low Public Awareness Low Regional Collaboration Low

The Management

Approach

Tree Inventory Low Canopy Assessment Good Management Plan Low Risk Program Low Maintenance Program - Streets, Parks Low Maintenance Program - Natural Areas Low Planting Program Low Tree Protection Mod. City Staffing & Equipment Low Funding Low Equitable Distribution Low

Vision Cleveland’s vision for a healthy urban forest now and in the future:

▪ Increase tree canopy and the benefits it provides.

▪ Ensure those benefits are available to all residents.

▪ Leverage the economic advantages of urban trees.

▪ Use trees as an effective tool in neighborhood revitalization.

Only through partnership can Cleveland rebuild its urban forest

Goals ▪ Goal #1: A fundamental shift in thinking on the

subject of urban tree infrastructure

▪ Goal #2: A reversal of the ongoing canopy loss trend

▪ Goal #3: A full stewardship for the public tree infrastructure

Recommended Actions ▪ #1: Establish a Unified Voice, Formalize

Partnerships

▪ #2: Develop an Outreach and Education Strategy

▪ #3: Develop Funding Plan

▪ #4: Obtain a Tree Inventory

▪ #5: Develop and Implement a Management Plan

▪ #6: Develop an Operational Review

▪ #7: Establish a Canopy Goal

▪ #8: Institute Policy Changes

▪ #9: Plant with a Purpose

Action Sheets

What Do We Have?

What Do We Want?

How Do We Get There?

How Are We Doing?

Recommended Actions ▪ #1: Establish a Unified Voice, Formalize Partnerships

Culture Change!

Recommended Actions ▪ #2: Develop an Outreach & Education Strategy

Recommended Actions ▪ #7: Establish a Canopy Goal

American Forest UTC Standards Compared to Cleveland Current Canopy

Rec.* Cleveland

2011 Average of All Zones 40% 19% Central Bus. Districts 15% 4% Urban Residential** 25% 21%

Suburban Residential 50% n/a

Recommended Actions ▪ #9: Plant with a Purpose

Questions? ▪ Chad Clink

Holden Arboretum/Cleveland Botanical Garden

▪ Matt Gray Office of Sustainability, City of Cleveland

▪ Colby Sattler WRLC Thriving Communities Institute

▪ Jennifer Braman Urban Forestry Section, DPW, City of Cleveland

▪ Joe Gregory Davey Resource Group

Celebration Years

Cleveland = 19% = room to grow

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THROUGH PARTNERSHIP, CLEVELAND WILL ONCE AGAIN BE KNOWN AS THE FOREST CITY

Planting with a Purpose The Way Forward:

Action Steps Action #9: Plant with a purpose: trees for neighborhood equity

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Cleveland Climate Action Fund Proposals Due Nov. 18

Thank You! Matt Gray, Director City of Cleveland Mayor’s Office of Sustainability mgray@city.cleveland.oh.us Join us at : www.SustainableCleveland.org

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Cleveland Tree Plan Collaborating to Rebuild Our Urban Forest

Thank You

▪ Broadway Slavic Village Development ▪ City - Capital Improvements ▪ City - Office of Sustainability ▪ City - Planning ▪ City - Urban Forestry ▪ City – Parks & Recreation ▪ Cleveland Foundation ▪ Cleveland Metroparks ▪ Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) ▪ Cleveland Neighborhood Progress ▪ Cuyahoga Board of Health ▪ Cuyahoga County Planning Commission ▪ Cuyahoga Landbank ▪ Cuyahoga River Restoration ▪ Dominion East Ohio Gas

This plan was funded by the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, Western Reserve Land Conservancy's Thriving Communities Institute, and LAND Studio. Special thanks to Holden Arboretum for in-kind technical assistance. Stakeholders involved in the development of this project:

▪ First Energy ▪ Forest Citizens Working Group of Sustainable Cleveland 2019 ▪ Forest City Working Group ▪ Holden Arboretum ▪ LAND Studio ▪ MetroHealth ▪ Northeast Ohio Area-wide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) ▪ Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District ▪ ODNR Division of Forestry ▪ Ohio City, Inc. ▪ Old Brooklyn Community Development ▪ St. Luke’s Foundation ▪ Western Reserve Land Conservancy

Overview ▪ Process

▪ State of the Urban Forest

▪ Vision & Goals

▪ Action

Overview ▪ A roadmap for implementing the vision for Cleveland’s urban forest

▪ A scope of work for dedicated partners to advance urban forest management

▪ A handy resource for anyone making decisions on tree planting

▪ Makes the case for trees as integral city infrastructure

▪ Emphasizes the need to improve equitable distribution of benefits

▪ Prioritizes the most urgent needs to turn things around

▪ Promotes deep collaboration

▪ Determines roles of community partners

Process

What Do We Have?

What Do We Want?

How Do We Get There?

How Are We Doing?

Our Trees (Vegetation Resource)

Our Players (Community Framework)

Our Approach (Management)

Miller, R. W. 1988. Urban Forestry: Planning and Managing Urban Greenspaces. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Kenney, W. A., et al. 2011. “Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Urban Forest Planning and Management.”

Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 37(3): 108 – 117.

Clark, J. R., et al. 1997. “A Model of Urban Forest Sustainability.” Journal of Arboriculture 23(1): 17 – 30.

Benefits

Benefits

State of the Urban Forest

State of the Urban Forest Our Trees

(Vegetation Resource)

Our Players (Community Framework)

Our Approach (Management)

Indicators of a Sustainable Urban Forest Assessed Performance Level

The Trees

Tree Canopy Low Size/Age Distribution Mod. Condition of Public Trees - Streets, Parks Low Condition of Public Trees - Natural Areas Low Species Diversity Mod. Species Suitability Low

The Players

Neighborhood Action Mod. Large Private Landholder Involvement Low Green Industry Involvement Mod. City Dept./Agency Cooperation Low Funder Engagement Mod. Utility Engagement Low Public Awareness Low Regional Collaboration Low

The Management

Approach

Tree Inventory Low Canopy Assessment Good Management Plan Low Risk Program Low Maintenance Program - Streets, Parks Low Maintenance Program - Natural Areas Low Planting Program Low Tree Protection Mod. City Staffing & Equipment Low Funding Low Equitable Distribution Low

Vision Cleveland’s vision for a healthy urban forest now and in the future:

▪ Increase tree canopy and the benefits it provides.

▪ Ensure those benefits are available to all residents.

▪ Leverage the economic advantages of urban trees.

▪ Use trees as an effective tool in neighborhood revitalization.

Only through partnership can Cleveland rebuild its urban forest

Goals ▪ Goal #1: A fundamental shift in thinking on the

subject of urban tree infrastructure

▪ Goal #2: A reversal of the ongoing canopy loss trend

▪ Goal #3: A full stewardship for the public tree infrastructure

Recommended Actions ▪ #1: Establish a Unified Voice, Formalize

Partnerships

▪ #2: Develop an Outreach and Education Strategy

▪ #3: Develop Funding Plan

▪ #4: Obtain a Tree Inventory

▪ #5: Develop and Implement a Management Plan

▪ #6: Develop an Operational Review

▪ #7: Establish a Canopy Goal

▪ #8: Institute Policy Changes

▪ #9: Plant with a Purpose

Action Sheets

What Do We Have?

What Do We Want?

How Do We Get There?

How Are We Doing?

Recommended Actions ▪ #1: Establish a Unified Voice, Formalize Partnerships

Culture Change!

Recommended Actions ▪ #2: Develop an Outreach & Education Strategy

Recommended Actions ▪ #7: Establish a Canopy Goal

American Forest UTC Standards Compared to Cleveland Current Canopy

Rec.* Cleveland

2011 Average of All Zones 40% 19% Central Bus. Districts 15% 4% Urban Residential** 25% 21%

Suburban Residential 50% n/a

Recommended Actions ▪ #9: Plant with a Purpose

Questions? ▪ Chad Clink

Holden Arboretum/Cleveland Botanical Garden

▪ Matt Gray Office of Sustainability, City of Cleveland

▪ Colby Sattler WRLC Thriving Communities Institute

▪ Jennifer Braman Urban Forestry Section, DPW, City of Cleveland

▪ Joe Gregory Davey Resource Group