Urban Canopy Works LLC will spearhead efforts under the three-year contract. The company has worked with cities from Ohio to Florida to create policy surrounding street trees or develop master plans for urban forestry.
The company did not return requests for comment about the project.
Trees in urban spaces provide much more utility than aesthetics, city officials have said. Trees combat pollution and lower air temperatures, as well as reduce energy bills and the potential health risks of extreme heat.
The project’s initial phases will include a city-wide inventory of all street trees. The company will collect information about tree species, conditions and management needs throughout Dayton’s public properties, like parks and public medians. These and other details will be used to develop a tree database for the city.
Urban Canopy Works in the project’s final phase will create an urban forestry master plan for the city — this will include community input.
“Dayton is home to many organizations, advocates, and champions for urban trees,” Dayton’s Department of Public Works stated in its request for proposals for this project. “These partners shall be engaged early on and will be engaged throughout the process.”
Some residents have complained about the conditions of the trees in their neighborhoods. They feel that trees can invite crime, cause damage and sometimes can be eyesores. The project will classify some city trees as needing removal.
The city in 2024 was the recipient of a $2 million Inflation Reduction Act Urban and Community Forestry Program award. That award will cover the costs of this contract, according to the city manager’s report on the agreement.
The last inventory of this kind was completed in Dayton in 1989. The city has lost thousands of trees over the past few decades, with Ohio’s emerald ash borer infestation and the 2019 tornado causing significant damage.
In its request for project proposals for the work, Dayton’s Department of Public Works said population losses resulting in the reduction of income tax revenue also impacted resources for tree maintenance and plantings.
“One of the biggest disinvestments within the general fund was to the Public Works Department, specifically the Forestry and Parks division,” the request for proposal states. “With limited budget, the city is unable to adequately manage its urban forest and prepare for or recovery from environmental and economic challenges.”
