Would you like to help your city build a stronger community, improve community pride, boost local property values, cut energy consumption and increase sustainability efforts?
If so, then Tree City USA® may be the right program for you and your city.
Becoming a Tree City USA® city has SO many benefits, economically, socially and environmentally!
iTrees.com can help you get started with the Tree City USA® process today.
No community can be excluded due to population but they must meet the standards as established by The Arbor Day Foundation. The smallest Tree City USA® city in Illinois has a population of 24 people and the largest is, of course, the great City of Chicago with a population of over 2,746,590!
See the full list of Illinois Tree City USA® cities and their population numbers here.
There are 4 core standards for achieving a Tree City USA® acknowledgment:
1. Have a tree board or department
2. Implement a tree care ordinance
3. Document at least $2 per capita toward tree planting, care, and removal— often times this budget should already in place and is being spent on tree care
4. The best one yet- host an annual Arbor Day observance and proclamation
There are many benefits to becoming a Tree City USA® city. Aside from the beauty the trees bring, being a Tree City USA® city makes your community eligible for many federal and state grants, crime rates are proven to lower significantly, and businesses flourish in Tree City USA® communities.
Rich Rinchich, director of Public Works for Oak Forest knew his community was facing a huge set back from sudden urban deforestation caused by the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). The invasive beetle destroyed a total of 1,777 trees that had to be removed. Rich knew he had the funds for removal but needed aid for replanting. He found out that funding was available through the U.S. Forest Service, made possible by The Morton Arboretum & the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus to help communities impacted by the EAB restore their urban canopies.
The community was able to replant a total of 838 new trees, diversifying with 18 different tree species.
This brought the community a much-needed message of hope.
"When we got the grant, it was like a shot of espresso after being up for 30 hours! It took our hope from a dream to an 'Oh my gosh, we can actually do this!' I had one of the residents come up to me and thank me for her tree and give me a hug." - Rich Rinchich
Here's how IL stacked up last year →
If you are interested in starting the process of making your city a Tree City USA® please let us know, and we will be glad to start the process with you.
For more information on The Arbor Day Foundation®'s Tree City USA® program click here.
Resources:
https://www.arborday.org/programs/treecityusa/index.cfm
https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/conservation/Forestry/UrbanForestry/Pages/Tree-City-USA-and-Growth-Award.aspx
https://itrees.com/blog/tree-campus-usa-and-tree-city-usa.html
