Columbus Urban Forestry Master Plan Update for June 2024
Thank you for all of your support for the Columbus Urban Forestry Master Plan (UFMP)! Your support, and the support of City and community leaders, volunteers and organizations, helped us achieve progress toward the UFMP's goals. Here are some highlights from the last three months:
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First Comprehensive Study of Regional Trees Released: The City of Columbus and Franklin County have completed the first comprehensive study of the region's tree canopy and its changes from 2011 to 2021. The Tree Canopy Assessment measures the land covered by trees, highlighting changes and areas for potential planting. The findings will help prioritize, expand and grow our tree canopy, which is critical to address future population growth, development pressures, climate change and public health challenges. Learn more, and read highlights from the assessment.
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Tree Technical Manual Published: The Tree Technical Manual was developed to support the updated public tree code. The manual is a how-to guide for working with public trees, containing best practices to comply with Chapter 912 of City Code: Trees and Shrubs. It will assist City departments, construction professionals and property owners in meeting the care standards for public trees. The new tree code and manual will be effective starting Aug. 1.
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New City Forester Named: In May, Rosalie Hendon was promoted to City Forester, becoming the first woman to hold this position for the City! A familiar face to individuals invested in our tree canopy, Rosalie led the creation of Columbus’ first Urban Forestry Master Plan and the first improvements to Columbus’ public tree protections in 30 years. She joined the department in 2017. Rosalie is an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist and holds two master's degrees from The Ohio State University in both public administration and natural resources.
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Planting Trees to Increase Canopy: A total of 2,343 trees were planted along streets and in parks this spring. Sixty percent of those plantings were in the priority equity Census tracts, meaning that those trees were planted in spaces where they are most needed.
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Columbus Tree Coalition Held Its First Meeting: On Feb. 27, the brand-new Columbus Tree Coalition met for the first time, led by nonprofit organization Green Columbus. Thirty-three people attended this hybrid meeting (in-person and online), representing the South Side, Greater Southeast, Clintonville and Franklinton neighborhoods, as well as several other groups. Interested in getting involved? Fill out this short form to be added to the contact list for future events and announcements about the Columbus Tree Coalition.
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Columbus Tree Subcommission Seeking New Members: The Columbus Tree Subcommission is an advisory group of nine members who advise the department’s Recreation and Parks Commission, and the subcommission has three spots available for new members. The committee is comprised of people who have knowledge of urban forestry or are residents who are passionate about forestry. To apply, email forestry@columbus.gov with a resume and cover letter explaining your interest in serving.
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Save the date for Columbus ArborFest: Clintonville GreenSpot is hosting the first Columbus ArborFest on Aug. 24 from 1-5 p.m. at Whetstone Park. Attend the first Tree Summit as part of the festival to learn about UFMP progress! This free family-friendly event will feature guided nature walks, an opportunity to talk with Columbus arborists, an all-ages scavenger hunt, live music, arts and crafts, forestry vehicles, librarians reading their favorite nature stories, food trucks and more.
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ODNR Grant Awarded: The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) awarded $500,000 to the department for tree plantings in disadvantaged Census tracts! The City intends to utilize grant funds to plant approximately 1,250 large-class street trees. The plantings will directly support the UFMP goal of investing in equitable canopy across all neighborhoods by 2030, focusing on neighborhoods with low tree canopy and high social equity needs. The Census tracts identified for planting through the Climate and Economic Justice screening tool are also ranked as either high or very high priorities in the UFMP Social Equity Needs Index, meaning these tracts have low tree canopy and high need.
Learn more about the UFMP at ColumbusUFMP.org.
Thank you for your support and commitment to preserving and increasing the tree canopy in Columbus!
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