MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON, CITY OF CHICAGO, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS CELEBRATE ARBOR DAY WITH TREE PLANTING EVENT

MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON, CITY OF CHICAGO, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS CELEBRATE ARBOR DAY WITH TREE PLANTING EVENT

Annual gathering marks several milestones in the City's efforts to develop a more equitable urban tree canopy

CHICAGO - This week, Mayor Brandon Johnson joined the Chicago Departments of Streets and Sanitation (DSS), Environment (DOE), and Transportation (CDOT), Alderwoman Maria Hadden (49), the Park District, Morton Arboretum, the Chicago Urban Forestry Advisory Board (UFAB), and Openlands for a tree planting event in Rogers Park. The event recognized the annual Arbor Day holiday, which promotes the planting of trees and marks the start of spring planting season for the City.

"This Arbor Day is a great opportunity to celebrate the tremendous progress we've made growing a more robust and health urban tree canopy," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "Trees beautify our neighborhoods, instill community pride, and studies show they contribute to the overall health and safety of our residents. My administration is committed to planting a network which extends the benefits of trees to every community in Chicago."

On Chicago's South and West Sides disparities in tree coverage leaves communities vulnerable to extreme heat bringing higher utility costs and extreme flooding while increasing the risk of dangerous heat-related illnesses.

Since 2022, the Our Roots Chicago initiative has made a significant impact on the City's overall tree canopy by planting more than 69,000 new trees. Over 50% of new trees were planted in priority areas that were previously lacking in canopy cover. The City expects to reach its overall Our Roots Chicago project goal of planting 75,000 new trees by the end of 2026.

"The Our Roots Chicago project has been vital in our efforts to ensure all Chicagoans can reap the benefits of a healthy tree canopy," said Angela Tovar, Chief Sustainability Officer and DOE Commissioner. "We are grateful to our City and community partners for their shared commitment to Chicago's climate and community health goals."

This year's Arbor Day celebration also marked a milestone for the DSS Bureau of Forestry in its Area Tree Trimming initiative. In April 2023, DSS transitioned from a request-based system to an area trim system to ensure that every block gets its trees trimmed on a regular schedule. Since transitioning to Area Trimming, which is more efficient and equitable, the Bureau of Forestry has trimmed more than 270,000 trees citywide.

"Since transitioning to an area trim system, we have seen major improvements that help improve the quality of life of all residents," said Cole Stallard, DSS Commissioner. "This approach is more efficient and helps us maintain the overall long-term health of our urban forest."

Additionally, Arbor Day 2026 marks the City of Chicago's 44th year as a member of the Arbor Day Foundation's Tree City USA, an annual recognition program designed to raise awareness of the value of community trees.

The City recognizes its community partners who contributed to these efforts: the Morton Arboretum for its commitment to the Tree Ambassador program; Openlands, which has trained more than 2,000 Chicagoans to be stewards of trees in their community, which greatly increases the quality of our shared forest; and UFAB, which ensures the City has a coordinated and efficient approach to urban forestry.

These programs play an important role in helping Chicagoans become advocates for and stewards of the trees in their neighborhoods, which is a crucial part of ensuring all Chicagoans enjoy the benefits of trees for years to come.

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