The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Holden still needs help covering storm cost
Fundraising ongoing as cleanup continues at Arboretum, Botanical Garden
Holden Forests & Gardens is getting close to covering the cost of damage caused at its properties by a Dec. 1 snowstorm.
“We are almost 85 percent of the way to our goal of raising $48,000 for the trees,” said Margaret Thresher, an HF&G spokeswoman. “We are thrilled with the response and generosity from hundreds of donors. Between media stories, our e-newsletters and social media, the community really stepped up to help.”
Two feet of heavy snow broke more than 350 specimens at Holden Arboretum in Kirtland during the storm. About 100 were so damaged that they needed to be removed and about 25 were the only ones of their kind onsite.
In addition, 26 trees and shrubs were harmed at sister property Cleveland Botanical Garden.
The organization has already surpassed its annual budget for emergency tree care in the first quarter of the fiscal year and funds are needed to not only remove damaged trees, but also plant replacements.
“Some of this work is just too big for us,” Horticulture Collections Vice President Caroline Tait said previously. “So our ask is to cover that cost, (of) the external arboriculture contractors. We need specialty equipment for moving trees and in some difficult-to-getto areas. And some are very large trees.”
Additional damage also forced the temporary closure of a majority of Old Valley Trail and all of Pierson Creek Loop. Several other areas in the Arboretum core were blocked off pending clean-up efforts for the safety of guests and members.
The tree removal is well underway, and this past weekend saw a spike in visitors, Thresher said.
“The clean-up will be complete in the coming weeks and Mother Nature will be ready in all of her glory come spring,” she said.