Media contact:
Devyn Giannetti: (216) 225-9813; dgiannetti@cuyahogacounty.us 

With 2,700 Trees Planted Through First Two Rounds, Impact to Continue Across County

CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH – Cuyahoga County launched its third round of the Healthy Urban Tree Canopy Grant Program this month, which supports communities in the planting of thousands of trees across Cuyahoga County.

This Grant Program achieves an action identified in the County’s 2019 Climate Change Action Plan through the annual contribution of $1 million for five years to revitalize the tree canopy in Cuyahoga County.

The County’s 2019 Urban Tree Canopy Assessment showed slightly more than 100,000 acres (37.7 percent) of all land in Cuyahoga County is tree canopy, with an additional 371,000 acres available for tree canopy. Since the first round of grants, 51 tree projects have been funded, 37 communities and non-profits have received funding and 2,700 trees have been planted.

The third round of grants continues to support the implementation of community urban forestry plans, expand the tree canopy through community reforestation projects and implement high impact reforestation projects. Implementation Projects, which include the physical planting of trees, especially in vacant and open parcels, will be a component of every funded project. The Healthy Urban Tree Canopy Grant Program will gather data about each project and monitor its success to better inform project selection and funding for each successive year of grant funding.

“Communities across Cuyahoga County have planted thousands of trees through the success of our grant program, beautifying the area and enhancing the health and well-being of our residents,” said County Executive Armond Budish. “As we push out funds through this third round, we will continue to consider the impact trees can have in communities more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change in our effort to enhance racial equity across our operations.”

Partners on the Healthy Urban Tree Canopy Grant Program include the County Planning Commission, the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District, and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

“I am always impressed with the quality of work done by the cities and non-profits who apply for these dollars and plant these trees,” said Cuyahoga County Director of Sustainability Mike Foley. “There is a real recognition from the community at large about the climate, environmental, economic and health care consequences that urban forestry has for Cuyahoga County and its cities.”

“Mature trees provide shade as well as a variety of environmental, health, social, and economic benefits to communities,” said County Planning Commission Executive Director Mary Cierebiej. “The first two years after planting a tree are critical for the long-term health of a tree. The Healthy Urban Tree Canopy Grant Program assists communities in this initial investment not just to plant trees, but to grow and maintain trees. The County Planning Commission is happy to partner with the County Department of Sustainability, Cuyahoga County Soil & Water Conservation District, and Cuyahoga County Board of Health to administer this important program.”

Applications are available now and due on Monday, February 28, 2022 and can be found on the County Planning Commission website.