The Cleveland Urban Forestry Commission Policy Committee, led by Tom Schreiber of the Western Reserve Land Conservancy, presented a set of recommendations to modernize the city’s tree ordinances, which date back to 1924. The proposals, approved unanimously by the commission, will now be forwarded to Cleveland City Council for review.
Budget Recommendations
Chair of the Urban Forestry Commission Budget Committee, Sara Tillie of the Cleveland Tree Coalition, outlined a nearly $7 million forestry budget and advocated for additional staffing and resources. The committee’s recommendation calls for an increased allocation of $7.8 million—$7.2 million for operating costs and $600,000 for capital projects such as tree planting—to the Division of Urban Forestry.
City Council Member Nikki Hudson cited a 2014 national report showing that the average municipality spends about 0.52 % of its annual budget on forestry. Cleveland currently allocates roughly 0.25 % of its budget to tree care. The commission’s recommendation seeks to raise that share, supporting the canopy goals set out in Mayor Justin Bibb’s Climate Action Plan and moving the city toward Sustainable Forestry Initiative accreditation.
Deer Management Initiative
The commission also introduced a motion to increase investment in urban deer management, which passed unanimously. Commission Chair Jennifer Chandler called the day “very exciting,” while Council Member Nikki Hudson thanked Commission Member Laura Marks for her advocacy and apologized for past resistance to addressing the growing deer population.
Hudson credited wildlife ecologist Jonathon Cepek of the Cleveland Metroparks for educating her on the issue. She plans to work with Cepek on community presentations about Cleveland’s wildlife history and future goals. The commission members acknowledged that deer management may involve culling, ensuring the public is aware that these conversations are ongoing, though no specific culling plan has been finalized.
Next Steps
The recommendations will be presented to Cleveland City Council and the mayor’s office for formal consideration. If adopted, the increased funding will allow the city to expand staffing, enhance tree planting and maintenance, and begin a structured approach to managing the urban deer population.
Residents are encouraged to stay informed about upcoming budget hearings and public meetings on the deer management plan. The Urban Forestry Commission will continue to document its work and share updates through local channels.
Original reporting: Signal Cleveland — read the source article.
