Tree News

Fall 2022

Welcome to the Tree News for Fall 2022. The Tree Advisory Board and the Sustainability Committee have been busy planting native tree species and removing invasive plants throughout Shaker Heights and our parklands. Faced with the challenges imposed by climate change, we continue to educate about best land management practices for residents. This newsletter is our commitment to YOU to share ways we can all make our community more resilient and sustainable for future generations!

"Trees lives and human lives are intimately twined, often to the point of inseparability. Through the lives of trees we can understand our own place in nature."
– David George Haskell, The Songs of Trees: Stories from Nature’s Great Connectors

Volunteers from Boise Paper helped plant more than 30 trees in the City's Moreland neighborhood last fall.

A Note from the City Forester

The Forestry Division has planted a total of 445 trees in 2022 and grant-funded efforts by volunteers resulted in the planting of an additional 141 native species of trees and shrubs.

We planted 90 trees in Southerly Park, Hildana Park and Lower Lake funded by a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
319 street trees funded by the tree assessment have been planted on tree lawns throughout Shaker Heights in 2022.
This month 12 new trees will enhance the canopy in the Onaway Triangle Park located on the corner of Warrington and Fernway roads.
This spring 24 new trees were planted on tree lawns in the Moreland neighborhood funded by a grant from Boise Paper Company.
On April 30, a grant from the Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District matched by the Doan Brook Watershed Partnership, funded the planting of 100 native species of trees and shrubs by volunteers at the City’s first “Grow not Mow” site on the corner of S. Park and Courtland Boulevards. This was a project of the Tree Advisory Board and Sustainability Committee.
On October 15, thanks to a second grant-funded project by the Tree Advisory Board and Sustainability Committee, 41 native species of trees were planted by volunteers at “Grow not Mow” Site 2 on the corner of S. Park Blvd. and Lee Road.
The Forestry Division is operating with two tree crews. One is responding to work order requests and the other is pruning tree lawn trees on Broxton, Drummond, Claremont roads and sections of Eaton Road.
Woodland Tree Service (City contract) is pruning deadwood from 44 trees on South Woodland Road.
Nuisance tree abatement (dead or hazardous trees on private property) by both forestry staff and an outside contractor is ongoing.

Plans are afoot to increase our Shaker tree canopy even more in 2023. The Forestry Division has applied for grant funding from the Ohio Division of Natural Resources through the 2022 Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program. If awarded, the grant will fund the installation of 31 trees along both Lower Lake and Fairhill Boulevard this coming year. In addition, the Tree Advisory Board and Sustainability Committee will apply for 2023 Cuyahoga County Soil & Water Conservation District grants to install more native trees and shrubs at both “Grow not Mow” Sites 1 and 2 as we strive to restore a more biodiverse woodland habitat in our Shaker greenspaces.

New Tree Planting 101

Fall is the perfect time to plant!

Did you know that the majority of Shaker's tree canopy is on private property? Help restore our canopy by planting a tree in your yard this fall. Here are instructions from our Forestry Department:

Dig the tree hole at least two times wider than the root ball and dig it with sloping sides. Dig the hole to a depth so the trunk flare at the first lateral root is at finished grade.
Create a firm soil mound at the bottom of the planting hole.
Spread roots over soil mound so that trunk flare is at finished grade and the tree is straight.
With clean, sharp pruning tools, prune off any secondary/adventitious, girdling, and potential girdling roots.
Backfill planting hole with existing unamended soil and thoroughly water.
Mulch the entire planting surface with composted bark or mulch applied no less than two inches (2") deep and no more than three inches (3") deep, leaving three inches (3”) adjacent to the tree trunk free of mulch. Think yummy donut, not dangerous volcano
Never pile leaves or place brush for collection near a tree on the tree lawn, as machinery may damage the tree.
Never allow snowplow contractors to push snow against a tree!

Get tips about tree planting and correct mulching.

Leave the Leaves

Shaker Heights has been named a Tree City USA City for the past 37 years. While we celebrate our beautiful tree canopy and its product, leaves, there are ways we can manage them more sustainably. How many of these practices have you tried?

Allow leaves to decompose where they fall. They will return nutrients to the soil and letting them biodegrade will preserve any insect cocoons and eggs on them. Did you know that Oak trees are hosts to over 500 species of insects that are food for wildlife? Planting more trees with mulch circles surrounding them will replace lawn. Leaves are natural parts of woodland settings. There is no need to remove them.
If you must remove fallen leaves, use a rake and add them to your landscape beds. By spring they will decompose and enrich the soil. In this age of gas-powered machines, raking can be cheaper, quicker, more effective and…you can get your workout to boot! Did you know that 60 minutes of operating a gas leaf blower produces as much carbon dioxide (think air pollution) as a gas-fueled car driven for 15 hours? Manual raking reduces noise pollution that contributes to hearing loss and disturbs the well-being of neighbors and pets.
If you must remove the leaves, compost them on a home compost pile. No City permits are required. Layer brown and green organic material in a 2/1 ratio. By spring you will have leaf mulch to enrich your gardens and landscape beds at no cost.
If you must remove leaves and have no garden or compost pile, rake them to your tree lawn where City organic waste crews will collect them. No bags required!

As a last resort only, use a battery-powered electric leaf blower charged with renewably-sourced electricity. It will be cheaper, cleaner, quieter and emit less pollutants into the air that we all breathe than its gas-powered equivalent.

A native Eastern redbud in bloom.

Facts about Native Plants

Did you know another reason to plant native species of trees and plants is that birds depend on their insects and seeds as sources of high-protein/calorie food. Using non-native plants in landscaping because they are pretty or exotic is problematic for wildlife because non-natives are hosts to fewer insect species. Insects pollinate flowers and lots of the food we eat.

“In the past, we have asked one thing of our gardens: that they be pretty. Now they have to support life, sequester carbon, feed pollinators and manage water.” – Doug Tallamy

Fact: In a study out of Germany by E. Stobbe, J. Sundermann, L. Ascone & S. Kuhn published in October 2022 that tested the effects of traffic noise and birdsong on 295 participants, researchers found that birdsong lowered levels of anxiety and paranoia in healthy participants while traffic sounds produced the opposite effect.

A Red-tailed hawk sitting in a tree at the City's Grow Not Mow site

A red-tailed hawk has taken up residence at Grow Not Mow Site 1, a restored woodland habitat.

New "Grow Not Mow" Sites in Shaker

This spring, the Tree Advisory Board and Sustainability Committee decided to combine volunteer forces and create a natural laboratory experiment: the restoration of two former woodland sites in the floodplain of the Doan Brook to more biodiverse habitats where native species of trees and plants thrive again. These marshy wetland areas were regularly mowed and leaves were cleared each fall, but this maintenance plan was not sustainable. Site 1 at Courtland and S. Park Boulevards flooded with heavy rains when the Doan Brook overflowed its banks, trapping machinery in the mud. Buckthorn, privet and honeysuckle had invaded and crowded out native tree seedlings and wildflowers.

In April, volunteers planted more than 125 native trees and shrubs.

On April 30, over 60 volunteers met and planted more than 125 native species of trees and shrubs, mulching, staking and caging them for deer protection. On three work days this summer, youth volunteers cleared large sections of invasives. The grass has produced seed for wildlife and new native flowering plants have emerged from the seedbed, establishing pollinator pathways, food and refuge for wildlife. As we eliminate mowing, we decrease our carbon footprint. There is less air and noise pollution with more sustainable land management practices. Monarch and other butterflies often feed at Site 1 now and a young red-tailed hawk roosts and hunts in the restored woodland.

This fall, volunteers planted more than 40 native trees.

On October 15, a group of 21 hardy volunteers established the second “Grow Not Mow” laboratory site at S. Park Blvd. and Lee Road. They planted, staked, caged and mulched 41 native species of trees, including White Oak, Sycamore, Dogwood, Blue Beech, American Hornbeam, Tupelo, Hop-Hornbeam, Tulip Poplar, Pawpaw, American Hazelnut, Persimmon and others.

A special “thank you” goes to Shaker resident Richard Obermann for donating three enormous home-grown trees to our Site 2 inventory. Next year, this woodland restoration will require invasive plant removal. Look for social media posts about work days and come and join us!

Ideastream’s environmental beat reporter, Zaria Johnson, covered the October event. Click here to view the article.

City employee demonstrates the new "green" rider mower

Sustainability Corner

Here is some great City news from the “Sustainability Corner”: After purchasing a ride-on battery-powered electric mower, the Public Works Department and Sustainability Coordinator Michael Peters hosted a demonstration workshop for public works departments from neighboring communities. It was a real success and the next wave of conversions from gas-powered maintenance equipment to electric is underway. The City’s Public Works Department also purchased its first battery-powered electric leaf blowers and the feedback is that they are more powerful, quieter and reduce air pollution as well as our City’s carbon footprint. Joining the wave, the Recreation Department is expecting delivery of its first electric lawn mower this month. The City’s first electric vehicle is now part of the Recreation Department fleet, too.

2022 Heritage Tree Awards

The purpose of the Heritage Tree Awards is to recognize the aesthetic, historical and environmental value of notable trees in our community. Residents nominate trees in any of several categories: association with a famous person or significant event; an historical landmark; unusual size, form, age or other unusual quality. The Tree Advisory Board of the City of Shaker Heights honored three recipients with the 2022 Heritage Tree Awards.

Heritage Tree Award winners (from left): Pin Oak (Shaker Heights City School District); Pin Oak (Peter and Theo Nagusky); and Blue Spruce (Carol Henderson).

The Shaker Heights City School District
Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)
15911 Aldersyde Drive
Football Practice Field

Nomination Category: Unusual size, form, age or other unusual quality

This majestic, large, old Pin Oak towers more than 80 feet and provides the only natural shade for spectators at ball games on the High School field. The Pin Oak is a beautifully balanced specimen that sustains many kinds of wildlife with its acorns and foliage. Onaway neighbors walking or driving to school and work enjoy its shady canopy in spring and summer and its lingering leaves through the entire autumn and winter. The Shaker Heights City School District is being honored for its careful stewardship and preservation of this remarkable heritage Oak.

Peter and Theo Nagusky
Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)
16616 Aldersyde Drive

Nomination Category: Unusual size, form, age, or other unusual category

Thirteen-year-old Theo Nagusky nominated this much-beloved Pin Oak that has stood outside his bedroom window in all seasons since he can remember. Each morning its constant presence brightens or shades his day, providing a much-valued safe space for Theo and his four siblings. The Pin Oak measures 56 inches in diameter. Its canopy spreads more than 110 feet at its widest point and the huge Oak is more than 100 feet tall. It is remarkable that the Nagusky children care about this tree as a treasured part of their family history and lives. Everyone should celebrate and honor this kind of committed stewardship.

Carol Henderson
Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)
3035 Becket Road

Nomination Category: Association with a famous person or significant event

In 1995, Carol Henderson, her daughter and grandson planted the then 4-foot-tall Blue Spruce in their front yard as a memorial to Ms. Henderson’s late mother. Ms. Henderson’s daughter passed away unexpectedly in 2019. Now climbing to a height of 65 feet in the front yard, this noble living marker serves to remind the Henderson family each day of their loved ones beauty and strength throughout every season of the year.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2023 Heritage Tree Awards.

“Only lovers
See the fall
A signal end to endings
A gruffish gesture alerting
Those who will not be alarmed
That we begin to stop
In order to begin again.”

– Maya Angelou

Meet the Tree Advisory Board

The Tree Advisory Board of the City of Shaker Heights builds community understanding about and support for the City’s urban forestry program. The TAB meets six times a year both in-person and virtually. Please check the Shaker Heights community calendar for dates. All meetings are open to the public and all agendas and minutes are available online.

2022 TAB Members

Charles Orlowski, City Forester
Nancy Moore, City Council & Chairperson
Ted Auch, Citizen member
Reid Coffman, Citizen member
George Eaton, Citizen member
Tim Kalan, Citizen member
Nate Smith, Citizen member
Anne Williams, City Council

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