Community Highlights: Meet Paul Abbey of Rooted in Trees

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Abbey.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I grew up in Bradford, Pennsylvania, surrounded by trees, though at the time, I probably didn’t fully appreciate how much that experience would mean to me. It became more evident after I graduated from The College of Wooster. I then moved to Cleveland and began a career in Investment management and along the way obtained an MBA.
Life took an important turn when I married into the founding family of The Holden Arboretum, one of the largest arboretums in the country. For more than 40 years, I’ve been closely involved with the Arboretum, and through that experience, I came to realize just how meaningful trees and curated landscapes can be in a person‘s life. Not just aesthetically, but emotionally, educationally and spiritually.
After many years of being involved with investments, and ultimately, the founding partner of a wealth management firm in Cleveland, I eventually sold to a much larger firm in Chicago. At that point in my life, I was ready to give back and I found myself returning to my earlier connection with trees. But this time, in a more intentional way.
About seven years ago, I founded Rooted In Trees with the idea that we would create a lasting impact by planting with purpose. The focus is on native species, biodiversity, and long-term community benefits, and speaks to our core mission of education, community engagement, and getting trees in the ground.
That work has since grown into a wide range of tree planting projects across parks, schools, municipalities, museums, and public libraries. These are places where trees can significantly impact every day lives. Along the way, we had the opportunity to create a mini forest. A dense, diverse planting(s) designed to restore ecosystems, and also creating immersive spaces for people.
One of the most meaningful examples of that work is the mini forest at the wonderful Cleveland Metroparks Zoo where we planted 850 trees and shrubs. That project brought everything together from ecological restoration and education to community engagement and planting. It shows that even a relatively small space can become something powerful for both wildlife and the public.
More recently, that path has led me back to 160 year old College of Wooster where I recently accepted the role of Founding Director of the new Abbey Arboretum at Wooster. This Arboretum (now accredited as a Level 1 Arboretum ) encompasses the entire campus and adjoining golf course, some 240 acres. In many ways, it feels like everything has come full circle. It has brought my early experiences, my professional life, and my ongoing passion together. I maintain a deep belief that the trees we plant today will shape the lives of people we may never meet.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Rooted in Trees?
Rooted In Trees is a nonprofit focused on creating meaningful, lasting impact through thoughtful tree planting. At its core it is more than just planting trees. It’s about restoring native ecosystems, and the northern Ohio tree canopy and helping people reconnect with the role trees play, in their everyday lives. We worked across a range of public spaces, such as parks, schools, clubs, museums, public libraries, and campuses. We design and install projects that are both environmentally beneficial and accessible to the community. We approach every project as a partnership, working closely with our clients and communities to create something that is shared and lasting. Because we are a nonprofit, fundraising is a key part of what we do. Each project is supported through a combination of donors, grants, and community involvement, which allows us to bring these spaces to life in a way that’s both inclusive and sustainable.
One of our larger projects was developing a mini forest which exemplifies so much of what we do. These forests are dense, diverse plantings of native species that are designed to grow quickly and support biodiversity while creating immersive green spaces. What sets Rooted in Trees apart is that we approach each project with a long-term perspective. These aren’t decorative plantings they are living ecosystems designed to evolve over decades.
We’ve also built a website that is intentionally educational, helping people, better understand trees, native planting, and why this work matters. It is an extension of our mission, making the knowledge accessible, not just the end result.

I think what we are most known for is the ability to take a relatively small or under utilized space and turn them into something meaningful. Projects like the mini Forest at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo have helped demonstrate that impact.

What I am most proud of is that the work brings people together from partners, to donors, to volunteers and communities all contributing to something that will outlast us all.
The trees we plant today will become a part of the lives of people we may never meet and that’s exactly the point.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I’ve come to believe that what people often call luck is really a combination of timing, perspective, and what you choose to do with the opportunities or challenges that come your way.
There have certainly been moments that could be seen as good luck. Marrying into a family directly connected to the founder of The Holden Arboretum gave me a unique window into a world that I may not have otherwise experienced so deeply I am grateful for that. It shaped how I think about trees, not not just in the landscape, but something that plays a lasting role in communities and in peoples lives.
I also think luck often shows up as timing. The opportunity to help establish the Abbey Arboretum at Wooster is a good example. That idea didn’t come together a year earlier. If it had it likely wouldn’t have worked the same way as it has today. But at this particular moment, the alignment was right for The College of Wooster for this broader vision, and for the people involved. Sometimes what looks like luck is really the right idea meeting the right moment.
At the same time, there have been stretches that felt like setbacks, for me, and that was commercial banking. Certainly a different career path that didn’t quite fit for me. But in hindsight, those experiences were just as important. They help refine my direction and reinforce the importance of doing something meaningful and lasting, hence my commitment to wealth management for well over 30 years. After the sale of that business, it was time to give back and follow my passions.
Now with Rooted In Trees I am certainly busy, but I think in terms of being ready for the next project. Ready to recognize when something matters and ready to act on it, such as a good tree planting project. But in the end, luck may be about timing, but impact comes from what you choose to do when the time is right.

Contact Info:

• Website: Rootedintrees.org
• Facebook: Rooted in Trees
• LinkedIn: Paul R Abbey and Rooted in Trees
• Email: Hello@rootedintrees.org