Tree News: Winter 2026

2025 Forestry Data

441 Total Trees Planted in Shaker in 2025!

The City planted 327 new trees. Additional volunteer efforts planted 114 more trees throughout Shaker Heights. The species inventory of trees selected for street tree planting is posted online in the Five-Year Street Tree Master Plan .

Forestry crews pruned approximately 11 miles of street trees this year. Young tree pruning is an essential part of the best urban forestry programs, because it creates a structurally stronger tree that reduces the likelihood of limb or trunk failure, lowering maintenance costs overtime. To complete more of this essential early pruning, the Forestry Division applied for and received a 2025 $25,000  Healthy Urban Tree Canopy Grant from Cuyahoga County. This will fund the first pruning of an additional 646 young trees by private contractors.

Tree City USA Awards

On May 15 in Avon, Ohio, the City of Shaker Heights received its 40^th Tree City USA Award and its 14^th Growth Award presented by the Arbor Day Foundation and administered by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The awards recognize cities with excellent urban forestry programs that demonstrate elevated levels of tree care and community engagement.

“Time spent among the trees is never wasted time.”

-Katrina Mayer

Winter/Spring Tree Care

During our Ohio deep freezes, heavy snows and long dark days, trees use different strategies to survive the dormant period of winter. By shedding leaves in fall, deciduous trees create a layer of dead leaves on the ground that biodegrade, adding nutrients to the soil and providing homes for insects. Different thicknesses of bark help reduce heat loss, shield against harsh weather conditions and can also prevent sunscald and frost crack in temperature shifts.

During this dormant time, tree care is very important- especially pruning. Correct pruning done by professional tree care companies in February/March is an important part of winter tree maintenance. Get tips on proper tree pruning techniques.

The best time to mulch your trees will be springtime. Learn correct mulching techniques.

If you are thinking about planting your garden in 2026, an essential part of that planning process may focus on removing non-native invasive plants to make space for native pollinator plants.  Here's a helpful guide to identify the invasives. An extensive list of non-native invasive plants can also be found on the Tree Board webpage.

 For assistance and ideas about plant and tree species native to our area, several great resources include: The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes; Avonlea Gardens & Inn in Chardon; Meadow City on Cleveland’s east side; Native Roots, Inc. in Medina; and Plant It Native in Willoughby Hills.

“To be without trees would, in the most literal way, mean to exist without our roots.”

-Richard Mabey

Tree Board 2025 News

Arbor Day- 2025

During the month of April, the TAB collaborated with the Shaker Heights Public Library to sponsor the annual POETree Month where children read and composed original poems about trees, posting them on leaves in a papier-mâché tree created by the children’s librarians at Main Branch. The Public Works Dept. provided “Grow a Tree Kits” for every participant.

To celebrate the opening of the Shaker School District’s new universal pre-kindergarten program at the renovated Ludlow School, the TAB collaborated with the Shaker Schools and the Ludlow Community Association on Arbor Day, April 25. The Onaway School Garden Club and its faculty sponsor Tim Kalan (TAB member) rode the electric bus and planted two serviceberry trees on school grounds at the corner of Ludlow and Southington Roads. Many members of the Ludlow Community Association joined the festivities.

The Tree Advisory Board and the Sustainability Committee opened the City’s third Grow not Mow site along the westbound lanes of Shaker Boulevard immediately west of the Warrensville-Shaker RTA parking lot. The goal at this site adjacent to the Doan Brook is to restore a healthier, more biodiverse environment by replanting the area with native species of trees and plants while removing invasive plants and reducing our carbon footprint by stopping large scale low mowing of the area. The plantings will result in improved soil composition, and their root systems will reduce the stormwater runoff into our sewers and the Doan Brook. The new tree species planted in 2025 are all underrepresented in our urban forest-- tupelo, sycamore, white oak, swamp white oak, cucumber magnolia, shagbark hickory, red oak, pawpaw, bitternut hickory, chestnut oak, witch-hazel, American Elm (Princeton), gray birch and elderberry.

To date more than 18 new trees along with swamp milkweed plants have been planted with an additional 18 trees to be installed by community volunteers on Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. We invite all Shaker residents to mark your calendars and join in the planting fun!

On December 9 at Bertram Woods Library, in a collaboration between the Kent State University Graduate School of Landscape Design and the City’s Forestry Division an exhibition of student designs for future planting at Grow not Mow site 3 was held. Kent State professor Reid Coffman (TAB member) made this design project the culmination of his students’ fall course in plants. Each design contained varieties of native species of trees and flowering plants with sessional blooming periods that will provide color and interest for an entire season. The TAB hopes to implement these designs in stages at Grow not Mow site 3 beginning in 2026.

Heritage Tree Awards

Every year, Shaker residents nominate trees of notable size, age, and/or historic value for the Heritage Tree Award. Nominations can be made throughout the year by completing the online nomination form.

On November 12, 2025, owners of two historic oaks were recipients of the Heritage Tree Awards. Stephen Wang, steward of the very mature pin oak at 18423 Newell Road, and Blake and Lauren Yoho, owners of the stately swamp oak at 3561 Townley Road, were both honored. The huge front yard trees were selling points for Mr. Wang and the Yohos when they recently purchased their homes. Find photos, interesting stories, and summaries. 

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children.”

-David Brower

9 Sustainable New Year’s Resolutions

The new year is a perfect time to reflect upon the energy you want to bring into 2026 and your plans to adopt more sustainable habits. Follow the KISS principle (Keep It Simple). Like a tree planted with care, the changes you sow today may grow and influence others to nurture those practices.

1. Use less plastic. Bring a reusable shopping bag. Carry a refillable water bottle. Eliminate plastic bags!
2. Walk more. Decrease your carbon output.
3. Eat less meat. Give veggies a chance.
4. Support local businesses. Shop local.
5. Reduce electricity usage. Consider suppliers that offer renewable sources of electricity.
6. Shop and buy organic, chemical-free food.
7. Work toward zero-waste. Eliminate single-use products like paper towels and plastic containers.
8. Read “green” books like The Overstory by Richard Powers or The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben.
9. Plant lots of trees!

2025 TAB Members

• Charles Orlowski, Assistant Director of Public Works for Operations
• Nancy Moore, City Council Member and Chairperson
• Ted Auch, Citizen Member
• Kevin Bleistein, Citizen Member
• Reid Coffman, Citizen Member
• George Eaton, Citizen Member
• Judith Hall, Citizen Member
• Tim Kalan, Citizen Member
• Nicole McCall, Citizen Member
• Austin McGuan, Citizen Member
• Nathan Smith, Citizen Member