South Euclid’s Urban Forest Information

South Euclid’s urban forest consists of all public trees.  These include all trees within the city right-of-way, parks and publicly owned lands.  There are 8316 trees currently standing on public property.  The value of these trees is estimated to be over 2.8 million dollars with an average of $330.00 per tree.  The largest tree on public grounds is a 56 inch cottonwood located on the public land between Winston and Avondale Roads.  It is thought to be about 120 years old.  The South Euclid Tree Commission has approved an Urban Forestry Management Plan that will address every public tree in the city within a 10 year time frame.  A Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan is also in the works focusing on the ash population within the city borders. 

If anyone is interested in having a tree planted as a living memorial for any relative or friend who resides in South Euclid you can contact the Finance Department.  Donations of $150.00 will get a tree planted along with then names of the remembered on a plaque.  Tree will be planted in the Fall and Spring only

South Euclid’s Urban Forest Maintenance

Each year the City of South Euclid has hired a professional tree care company to prune trees on designated streets.  This year the streets to be pruned are Plainfield Rd, Winston Rd, Grantleigh Rd, Avondale Rd, Bradford Rd, Wilburn Rd, Emerson Rd, Berwald Rd, Delroy Rd, Villa Dr, Liberty Rd, and Anderson Rd.

The trees will be pruned in accordance with ANSI 300:  Standard Practices for Trees, Shrubs and Other Woody Plant Maintenance.  The following are the objectives the City of South Euclid has established for how the trees along the streets should be pruned.

1.  Crown Raising: Shall consist of the removal of lower branches in
                 order to provide for clearance. 15 feet on the street side and at
                 least 8 feet of house of the tree.

2.  Crown Cleaning: Shall consist of the removal of dead, dying,
                 diseased, crowded, weakly attached, low vigor branches, and
                 watersprouts from a trees crown and trunk.

Sometimes there will be large limbs that have to be removed in order to be in compliance with the objectives, and this may change the appearance of the tree significantly.  The city will try to keep the trees crown as symmetrical as possible, but sometimes this is not possible.  When trees are pruned, they are stressed, and the healing process may involve rapid sucker growth at the wound created, depending on the species.