One generation plants the trees, another gets the shade. —Chinese proverb

Despite efforts from a variety of groups to reforest our area, most planting sites from recent years are not yet qualifying as “tree canopy” in the 2019 assessment data. This is partly due to the measurement tool: In order to distinguish trees from shrubs and other foliage, a minimum tree height of eight feet is necessary. Newly planted trees grow at a rate of 1-3 feet per year and will not be measured as tree canopy for 5-8 years depending on growth.

For example, the Cleveland Metroparks reforested the two-acre Little Cedar Point Picnic Area site in the Rocky River Metropark in 2012/2013. However, the rate of tree growth on this site has not yet registered as tree canopy as seen in the aerial photo below.

Similarly, over 5,000 trees and shrubs planted in the Cleveland Metroparks’ Acacia Reservation in 2015 have not had sufficient growth to register as tree canopy for this study.