Columbus Street Tree Requests: Tracking 2026 Urban Canopy Plantings

Columbus Street Tree Requests: 2026 Canopy Planting Tracker

A neighborhood-by-neighborhood investigation of 1,129 resident-initiated street tree service requests across Columbus in 2026—tracking municipal forestry progress from initial 311 intake to active work orders and seasonal plantings.

Residential streetscape in Columbus's Hilltop neighborhood, where property owners can request municipal plantings. Credit: Terel Howard / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

The Public Easement Program

The City of Columbus Recreation and Parks Department Forestry Section is solely responsible for public trees along municipal streets and in public rights-of-way. Property owners can request free street tree plantings within the grass lawn between sidewalk and curb.

Forestry staff inspect each address for overhead power lines, underground gas/water utilities, sightlines, and easement width before assigning approved sites to spring and fall planting crews.

Free Municipal Program Public Easements Only Seasonal Cycles (Spring & Fall)

Scene 1 • Citywide Pipeline

Status Breakdown: Nearly Half in Progress Ahead of Fall Planting

Of 1,129 distinct cases submitted through late September 2026, 525 (46.5%) are queued under active forestry work orders, while 504 (44.6%) have reached administrative closure.

Measure: Distinct cases and percentage share

Unit: Distinct cases & percent

Snapshot: Observed Sep 30, 2026 (17:41 – 17:44 UTC)

Overall Service Ticket Distribution (1,129 distinct cases) 100% Total Volume

Work Order In Progress (46.5%)

Closed (44.6%)

Received Intake (8.4%)

Canceled (0.4%)

Re-Assigned (0.1%)

Scene 2 • Community Roll-Up

Neighborhood Analysis: Clintonville Leads Demand, Response Times Diverge

Comparing 34 Columbus communities: 13 high-volume areas logged 30 or more requests (Ranked), while 21 areas logged under 30 requests (Unranked). Turnaround times diverge sharply, from under 3 days in outer areas to over 30 days in historic brick easements.

Measure: Total cases, status counts, and median closed turnaround

Unit: Distinct cases & calendar days

Citywide Median: 4.1 calendar days

Sort by:

#	Community	Total Requests	Status Composition	Median Response Time

Scene 3 • Geospatial Distribution

Interactive Street-Level Map: 1,130 Verified Request Coordinates

Explore the exact geographic location of every 2026 street tree planting request across Columbus. Color-coded markers distinguish completed/closed tickets from active work orders and newly received intakes.

Measure: Verified geographic coordinates (lat, lon)

Records: 1,130 total intake entries (1,129 distinct cases)

Coverage: 100% geocoded to Columbus street easements