(Patty Wetli / WTTW News)
Municipalities are increasingly viewing trees as a valuable resource to mitigate climate change — storing carbon, absorbing stormwater and cooling heat islands — but support for “green infrastructure” is often lacking.
On Monday, the Morton Arboretum made a dent in that need, announcing the recipients of $6.9 million in urban forestry grants, with the lion’s share funding projects proposed by the city of Chicago and the Chicago Park District.
In total, 22 projects received grants ranging from $3 million to $10,700. The Arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative is administering the grants on behalf of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and is providing technical assistance to awarded communities. Dollars were made available through the federal Inflation Reduction Act.
The largest grant — $3 million — was awarded to the city of Chicago, to be used toward completing a 100% inventory of the city’s trees, as well as the development of an urban forestry management plan, and the hiring of staff to educate and work in disadvantaged areas.
Urban trees already face difficult growing conditions, including poor air quality and scant room for roots. In recent years, the emerald ash borer beetle has decimated Chicago’s ash population and powerful storms such as the August 2020 derecho knocked out or otherwise damaged a significant number of vulnerable trees. Utility projects including water main replacements have further cost communities mature parkway trees.
Though Chicago has been focused on a mission to plant 15,000 parkway trees a year in neighborhoods with the lowest percentage of urban canopy, city officials have no full tally of existing trees, which would typically include locations, species counts and health data. Maintenance has been an ongoing issue, with tree trimming only recently shifting from a by-request model to grid-based.
In 2021, the Chicago City Council approved formation of an Urban Forestry Advisory Board, designed to bring together representatives from various public and private entities involved in the planting and/or maintenance of Chicago's trees. Members were appointed in 2023 and the tree inventory was established among the group’s priorities.
“As a city, we are grateful for this additional support from the federal government to complete the public tree count and invest in community building through our tree planting and maintenance initiatives,” said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson in a statement.
The Chicago Park District received a $1.48 million grant to complete a 100% inventory of its estimated 250,000 trees, develop an urban forestry management plan and plant 200 trees in disadvantaged areas with the highest need. As with the city, development of the management plan is expected to involve significant community input.
In May, the Park District announced it had hired six additional junior tree surgeons this year to perform routine maintenance such as trimming and pruning of trees within parks.
Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 | [email protected]
