Your Trees Our Trees

Welcome to the City of Wyoming’s web resources addressing the municipal aspects of urban forestry. Material found here will help you understand what defines public trees, how they are managed, their importance as part of the larger urban forest, and why they are viewed as Your Trees and Our Trees (YTOT).

At the bottom of each page, you’ll find a list of sub-pages. This serves as a mini site map for navigating the tree-specific resources within the larger website. We’ll be adding pages periodically so feel free to bring your curiosity back for another visit!

Why these pages were developed:

Urban Forest Practices Vary

Ownership, management, and policies regarding curbside trees vary widely across the country. Broadly, some models are common in certain geographic regions — New England, Midwest, and Pacific NW. However, even within Ohio, there are some significant differences between nearby communities. If you’ve moved from another suburb or are new to home ownership, the pages under “Concepts” will help you understand how things work in Wyoming, OH.

Urban Conditions Challenge Tree Biology

Trees evolved in forests, growing in loose, open soils and close association with other trees. In urban/suburban areas we ask them to grow in vast expanses of “prairie” and/or pavement. It’s a wonder that some species are able to endure the limited soil volumes, compacted soils, reflected heat from pavement, competition from turf, battering by lawn care equipment, rapid soil drying, and other factors characteristic of curbside settings. A little TLC can shift the balance from a tree that merely endures these conditions toward one that manages to thrive and live a reasonably long life.

A Sustainable Urban Forest Requires Shared Care

Unlike caring for a fire hydrant or a park bench, the City can’t meet all the needs of a growing thing. How can you nurture your curbside trees? Engage in unspoken partnership with the City — prevent damage and provide water when needed.

Preventing damage is a multi-pronged effort that requires engaging your lawn care crew (be that a child, spouse or commercial service). It involves protecting soil, roots, and trunk from compaction, heat, gouging, girdling, breaching, and more. It’s not difficult, but somebody needs to be paying attention. Find guidance under the “Nurture” heading.

Preventing drought stress is up to you. Watering guidelines vary with the season and age of the tree — a drought in early spring before mature trees are leafed out isn’t nearly as critical as a drought when temperatures exceed 86°F and are accompanied by breezy conditions. Newly-planted trees can be exquisitely sensitive to short-term dry spells and high heat, while healthy, mature trees can withstand the occasional prolonged drought. Again, look for guidance in the “Nurture” section.

Our Hope

Curbside trees are community trees — yours and ours. Each contributes to improved local environmental conditions, public health, property value, and more. Together we can grow shade that makes a community difference!