The City of Akron will spend nearly a million dollars this year to plant 1,800 trees as part of its Street Tree Program.
According to the city, some of the trees going in may be on your tree lawn. In those cases, residents will be notified by mail with a flyer.
Akron has been losing its tree canopy over time. Replanting will help provide more canopy coverage, the city said.
Mayor Shammas Malik issued the following statement:
"The investments made into our tree canopy will increase in value over time, both in terms of financial value and benefits provided to our community. A healthier urban forest is linked to improved health outcomes for residents—including lower rates of respiratory disease, improved birth outcomes, and other physical and psychological benefits. Other benefits include reducing the burden of the heat island effect and enhancing a sense of safety and community in neighborhoods. Investing in the urban forest in neighborhoods most impacted by tree loss and disinvestment will ensure that the benefits of the tree canopy are shared throughout the city."
According to the city, tree planting will mainly occur in neighborhoods in the south and southwest, focusing on areas where the tree canopy is limited. The types of trees being planted include the Northern Red Oak, Serviceberry and Sugar Maple.
The city said its data from 2018 shows that Akron's tree canopy provides around $27.3 million in annual benefits and removes around 1.2 million pounds of pollutants and more than 70,000 tons of carbon from the air. City trees also slow more than 255 million gallons of stormwater into storm drains.
Currently, the city's tree canopy covers around 34.85%, which the city said indicates a healthy urban forest when compared with similar mid-sized, northeastern cities.
If you'd like to specifically request a tree be planted, call 311 or CLICK THIS LINK.
Anyone residents with questions or concerns can contact the Akron Tree Commission.
