All trees, whether on public and private land, r form an urban and community forest that is as important to infrastructure as streets and sidewalks, water mains and sewers.
Collectively, the infrastructure of trees and their ecosystems provide important services and benefits to urban and suburban areas, like:
- Their beauty and shade make neighborhoods more livable and improve property values.
- Their roots hold topsoil.
- Their shade saves energy in homes and buildings.
- Their leafy canopies and spreading roots absorb rainwater, reduce flooding and replenish groundwater.
- They shelter wildlife, including birds that control insect populations.
- Their foliage absorbs air pollution.
- They store carbon and release oxygen.
- They help form the character of a community and inform seasonal changes.
For more examples and facts, download the Value of a Tree brochure to share with your neighbors and community.
Trees in urban areas need people to protect and maintain them. The goal of the Community Trees Program is to provide people with the knowledge and tools to help trees live long, productive lives resulting in improved quality of life. The Community Trees Programs provides resources to educate people, communities and municipalities about the urban forests and their maintenance.
We value the opportunity to connect with communities and, as resources permit, the Community Trees Program will attend community events, provide a speaker for community events, supply event resources for distribution, or host booths at tree planting events. For information, please email email@example.com.
The Community Trees Program was established in 2002 with support from the Grace Bersted Foundation. It is an integral part of the Chicago Region Trees Initiative and builds on findings of the Regional Tree Census that was produced in cooperation with the US Forest Service.