Coventry PEACE Park Update- Tree Edition
When we surveyed the community about what they would like to see in the NEW Coventry PEACE Park, the top response (58% of respondents) was "more shade trees." In addition to the new mini-forest on the east side of the Coventry PEACE Building, the PEACE Park renovation will include over 100 new trees surrounding the walking path, playground, and Coventry library branch!
Partner Highlight: This spring, Heights Tree People and community volunteers planted 64 trees in the Heights Libraries Urban Mini-Forest. Learn more about how to volunteer with Heights Tree People at heightstreepeople.com.
Q&A with Julie Hammond Gierke, Heights Tree People Board President
Laura Marks (left) and Julie Hammond-Gierke (right) at the mini-forest on the east side of the Coventry PEACE Building.
1. What is your personal connection to Coventry PEACE Park?
I was a student at Coventry Elementary when the 'old' playground was designed and built. My now husband, Matt, actually proposed to me on the playground swingset in 2012. I'm also a Coventry Village resident.
2. What excites you the most about the upcoming renovations to the PEACE Park?
As a resident of the Coventry neighborhood and the parent of a young child, the new playground will be a big addition to our corner of the community - we were very much in need of an updated, safe play space that can serve children of all ages. The renovations to the PEACE Park will ensure that Coventry continues to be a destination for the community to gather, play, and connect with nature.
3. Why are trees an important addition to the design plan?
Planting trees strengthens our communities and improves the health and happiness of residents and our planet. Trees are an essential element of park design: they beautify public spaces, provide shade for kids at play, and clean the air. People are happier and healthier when they live with trees. With trees, stress levels go down, as do stress-related diseases, including heart attacks, strokes, anxiety, and depression. Studies have shown that crime, including domestic violence, is lower in neighborhoods with good tree canopies. Neighborhoods are more stable and property values increase where there are plenty of trees. Increased tree canopy benefits the wider community-at-large, making neighborhoods more stable, increasing property values and making our city more attractive to prospective families.
4. Tell us more about the urban mini-forest.
The mini forest complements the PEACE park renovation by reconnecting residents with nature in different ways, providing educational opportunities as an outdoor classroom for the library and other PEACE building tenants. When we rebuild natural spaces, we show residents that biodiversity and natural habitats for wildlife are still possible in an urban environment.
People in the Park: Meet Devon Range
"Trees provide so many benefits - cleaner, fresher air, spaces for wildlife, water runoff reduction - but the most tangible benefit they will provide the park will probably be shade." -Devon Range
Fund for the Future of Heights Libraries (FFHL) Board Member, Devon Range, is an ISA Certified Arborist and a Tree Care Coordinator at the Western Reserve Land Conservancy. He joined the FFHL Board of Directors in 2023 because of his interest in the park's tree canopy and his close connection to the Coventry PEACE Park. "I grew up in Cleveland Heights about a mile down Euclid Heights Boulevard and my parents would take me and my sisters to play at Coventry at least once a week. It was, by far, my favorite playground as it offered such an array of ways to play."
Devon has volunteered with the Heights Libraries Mini-Forest project, and he will begin providing youth tree-focused educational programming through the Library this fall. "What makes me happiest about the upcoming renovations is the incorporation of trees into the park plan." The FFHL is thrilled to have a tree expert on our Board. If you are interested in learning more about supporting the efforts to fund more trees in the park, contact ffhl@heightslibrary.org.
TOTAL NEW TREES IN THE PEACE PARK RENOVATION PLANS (not including the mini-forest): 101
O3 removed (pounds): 1,707
NO2 removed (pounds): 288
SO2 removed (pounds): 109
Particulate matter removed (pounds): 196
Monetary value of pollution removed: $31,035.96
Pounds of CO2 sequestered: 430,703
Monetary value of CO2 sequestered: $10,016.85
Rainfall intercepted (gallons): 2,708,627
Avoided Runoff (gallons): 637,216
Monetary value of avoided runoff: $5,694.16
This report was created using i-Tree, a suite of tools developed by the U.S. Forest Service that allows communities and researchers to calculate the value of their urban canopies. Note: The data assumes no overlap between crowns and a 90% survival rate over 50 years.