20 Aug Fleet Response Partners with Holden Forests & Gardens’ People for Trees Initiative

Fleet Response is proud to sponsor Holden Forests & Gardens’ People for Trees Program at our new headquarters in Hudson.

Holden Forest & Gardens is a combination of the Holden Arboretum and the Cleveland Botanical Garden. “Both organizations are about 90 years old, and they have very different histories,” said Holden’s Vice President of Development, Deborah Miller. The Holden Arboretum was started by Albert Fairchild Holden, who established the arboretum as a memorial for his daughter. The Garden was started by the Garden Club of Cleveland as a place where people came for information about gardens, flowers, and plants. “They are in very different neighborhoods with different histories, but our mission is the same – connecting people to the wonder, beauty, and value of trees and plants to inspire action for healthy communities,” said Miller.

The People for Trees Program is a campaign to plant 15,000 trees in Northeast Ohio by 2025. The locations being focused are areas in which tree canopy has decreased the most. This often overlaps with neighborhoods that have been disenfranchised in different ways as well.

“We’ll be planting trees with community partners in those neighborhoods, and working with corporate partners, like Fleet Response, at their campus to plant trees,” said Samantha Lengel, Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations at Holden Forests & Gardens, referencing the People for Trees Program. “We’re also working with individual members that are pledging to plant trees in their own neighborhoods so we can reach that 15,000-tree goal because we can’t do it alone.”

Fleet Response’s sponsorship of this program is providing support for not only the marketing aspect of the campaign, but also to help plant trees in those areas where the city cannot provide funding. There will be engagement opportunities for Fleet Response employees through volunteering events, tree planting, and the ability to connect with Holden Forest & Gardens’ staff and their expertise.

Throughout the building of Fleet Response’s new office in Hudson, Holden Forests & Gardens’ staff has shared their expertise and worked with our landscape architect to determine tree selection and maintenance.

Lengel stresses the importance of planning and tree maintenance. When we are talking about overall campus planning, thinking about the number of trees you want to plant, the space you have, what the right tree selection would be and what kind of maintenance you would need is important. “Maintenance is a big, and often overlooked, part of tree care in general, and a focus of the People for Trees Campaign” said Lengel.

“We wanted to create an environment at our new headquarters where employees can enjoy the outdoor space and utilize it throughout the day,” said Fleet Response Executive Vice President, Allison Lanzilotta. “Holden Forests & Gardens goal is to make nature accessible to all and we align in that desire. Fleet Response has joined the movement as we plant trees at our new Hudson location. We want our employees to feel good about where they work, and the steps we are taking to make the world around us better.”

To help grow this movement, you can take the pledge to plant trees in your own yard. Sign up for the pledge and receive tree selection and information kits that will answer some frequently asked questions. Sign up here: https://holdenfg.org/make-an-impact/people-for-trees/