Cleveland to Expand Urban Forest with Wholesale Tree Supply Services

The Cleveland Department of Parks and Recreation is moving to bolster the city's tree canopy by securing a steady supply of native greenery for local planting projects. Through the passage of emergency ordinance 694-2026, the Director of Parks and Recreation is authorized to employ one or more tree brokers to provide wholesale tree supply services for the Division of Urban Forestry. This initiative aims to ensure that as the city expands its planting operations, it has immediate access to a diverse range of tree species that are indigenous to the Northeast Ohio region.

According to the 694-2026-Legislative Summary-Wholesale Tree Supply Services, the goal of these contracts is to provide hardy, native trees capable of surviving urban environmental stressors such as compacted soils, road salt, air pollution, drought, and climate variability. The estimated cost for these services is approximately $430,000.00, with funding to be drawn from sources C24907, C25219, other authorized tree capital funds, or additional sources approved by the Director of Finance. The authorized contracts will run for an initial period of two years, with two optional one-year renewals available at the discretion of the Director. This effort supports the broader work of the Urban Forestry Commission, which advises the city on policies to increase the tree canopy and neighborhood vibrancy.

The ordinance has officially passed City Council. Residents interested in the city's ongoing efforts to maintain or expand the local canopy can contact the Division of Urban Forestry to request tree care for public trees or to inquire about free tree planting for residential tree lawns.

Source record

File
694-2026
Type
Emergency Ordinance
Status
Passed
Committee
City Council
Introduced
May 28, 2026

View on Cleveland Legistar

Official documents

Sources