Count trees April 30, because trees count
By Neal McKnight
East Village's neighborhood tree inventory begins at 9 a.m. April 30 at Commercial Club Park, 1845 W. Rice St.
Even if you can’t tell the difference between and oak and an apple tree, you can still help.
The East Village Association in partnership with Natural Path Urban Forestry Consultants will be conducting Chicago’s most complete tree inventory. Mark Duntemann, the principal of Natural Path Urban Forestry Consultants and a world-renowned arborist, will train volunteers to conduct our tree inventory.
We encourage volunteers to join us in completing our neighborhood-wide tree inventory. Dress appropriately as will obviously be outside and we will be walking the entire neighborhood.
What is a tree inventory?
We will be collecting species, diameter, condition and maintenance needs for each tree. Additionally, we will be identifying all vacant planting spaces.
Why a tree inventory?
- The inventory will provide the Chicago Department of Forestry with a list of immediate risk reduction recommendations to include removals, pruning and cabling to brace failing trees.
- Our inventory will provide the basis for developing a planting strategy for the East Village. This will include strategies for our major streets such as Augusta Boulevard, Chicago Avenue and Division Street.
- An environmental benefits analysis will be done with the data collected using the United States Forest Service application I-Tree Streets. Outputs include oxygen created, carbon dioxide used, storm water uptake and pollutant particulate uptake.
- The East Village will be the first Chicago community to conduct a neighborhood-wide inventory of this scope.
