The Tree Commission confirmed plans for the city's Arbor Day tree giveaway and discussed outreach and training to improve survival and equity of plantings.

Speaker 2 (commission member) announced the date: "First best is Saturday, April 25 from 10 to noon," and commissioners discussed three candidate species — American hornbeam, yellow buckeye and white oak — ultimately agreeing on white oak for this year's giveaway. Commissioners said past giveaways ordered about 100 trees and that weather and turnout in some years left significant leftovers; they discussed reducing the order to about 75 this year to better match demand.

Logistics were debated: some commissioners favored preregistration and a drive-through pickup (used during the COVID period) to manage flow and inventory, while others preferred an in-person distribution at the event with educational materials. Commissioners agreed that each distributed tree should include clear planting instructions or a small care card so recipients understand planting expectations and early maintenance needs.

Training and staffing needs were also discussed. Several members praised recent training events (including a session in Parma attended by staff and commissioners) and recommended local sessions for volunteers and crew to standardize pruning and young-tree care.

What's next: Staff will check availability with suppliers, place orders in time for spring planting, prepare informational cards for recipients and finalize a logistics plan for pickup and distribution.