Findlay mayor to put more focus on city's battered tree canopy

Findlay has been recognized as a "Tree City, USA" 40 times over the years, but Mayor Christina Muryn said she knows the city's tree canopy has taken a beating over the past decade, and she agrees something needs to be done. In recent weeks, spurred on by Findlay Council's debate over the future of carriage walks, Cathy Weygandt, a resident of Greenlawn Avenue, began challenging the city's tree management policies. Tree lawns that line the streets in most older neighborhoods have carriage walks and large canopy trees, and Weygandt argues they are both part of the city's history that should not be allowed to disappear. The walkways, which provide a connection from sidewalks across the tree lawn to the curb, are located in the city's right-of-way. Carriage walks, also known as "courtesy walks," date back to the days of horse and buggy. In recent years, the city has been removing the walks as it updates streets, sidewalks and curbs, but council has received complaints from residents who want to keep the walks. In October 2021, council's Street, Sidewalks and Parking Committee recommended removing all carriage walks "when disrupted by construction in the right-of-way no matter if parking is allowed or not because of the Americans With Disabilities Act." It may reverse its recommendation on carriage walks, but there's been no decision yet. Finding a way to keep the walks without creating a liability for the city is a concern. Re-growing Findlay's tree canopy is going to take investment and good data, said Muryn, and she's working on both. In 2003, the emerald ash borer, an invasive insect that kills ash trees, was first found in Ohio and spread throughout the state. Nationwide, the borer has killed millions of ash trees. Then in 2012, a destructive windstorm, known as a derecho, took down many of the city's big trees. Findlay is currently in the process of updating its geographic information system or GIS with data on city infrastructure. A GIS is a type of database containing geographic data, combined with software for managing, analyzing and visualizing that data. Eventually, Muryn said, data on the city's trees will be maintained in the GIS, tracking locations, types and even pruning schedules, for example. The data should allow the city to begin to build an action plan and a budget for restoring the canopy. In the meantime, improved city practices, like routinely planting trees in newly developed areas, can also help, she said. Findlay residents interested in planting trees can also request trees from the city via its website at www.findlayohio.com. The link is available on the Shade Tree Commission's page on the website. According to a June 2022 study released by Scioto Analysis, a public policy analysis firm based in Columbus, investing in the tree canopy has its benefits. Of the eight Ohio cities profiled in the analysis, Findlay had the smallest percentage of canopy cover per square foot at 17%. Athens has the most at 75%. "Overall, we estimate that tree planting will cost Ohio communities $10.29 per tree, while economic present benefits from carbon sequestration, stormwater runoff prevented, air pollution reduced, energy saved, and crime reduced range from about $10-21 per tree depending on the city," according to Scioto Analysis. "The total net benefits of policy expanding canopy cover after discounting could be as much as $110 million for one city." "Beyond the economic benefits, we also find that expanding canopy cover by just 10% could prevent as many as hundreds of crimes depending on the city, increase home value, and cause a variety of physical and mental health benefits."