Plans to protect and improve Glenview’s tree canopy include increasing the diversity of trees planted in the village and a program to share the cost of planting new trees.
Glenview’s Urban Forest Management Plan, discussed by village trustees April 5, lays out 18 “realistic and achievable” goals to maintain the village tree canopy should the plan pass final approval by trustees, among them maintaining an inventory of all trees planted in the village.
A separate resolution would allocate some $50,000 to pay for new trees in coordination with residents, with the cost of planting split 50/50 between the village and residents. That proposal is expected to add up to 166 new trees to the village.
Glenview currently has some 30,702 trees within its urban forest, consisting of 191 species that provide some $5.8 million in annual benefits to the village, according to meeting documents. More than 8,000 of those trees are maple, followed by a large number of honeylocusts, oaks, lindens, and elm trees.
Part of the urban forest plan would increase the diversity of trees in Glenview to combat pests like the emerald ash borer, which has decimated Illinois’ ash trees in recent years.
Glenview’s tree canopy currently covers 34.8 % of the village. Under the urban forest plan, Glenview hopes to increase its tree canopy to 37 % coverage by 2032.
The village would also attempt to solicit greater public involvement in the maintenance of the tree canopy through a multiyear arrangement with the TreeKeepers program, maintained by Illinois conservation not-for-profit Openlands.
Director of Community Engagement Jeff Brady said the TreeKeepers program would “increase the long-term stewardship of our tree canopy” with residents’ assistance.
“There’s programs where there’s education work on the proper maintenance and management of our trees,” Brady said. “Through those volunteers, there’s opportunities to utilize them to help maintain the public trees as well as remote education throughout the community about how tree maintenance should be done.”
Among the broader goals of the urban forest plan is to mitigate the impact of climate change on the village. Trees help cool urban areas by offering shade from the sun in warmer months and help prevent floods by absorbing stormwater; they also serve as long-term “sinks” for excess carbon dioxide, which trees use in photosynthesis.
Trustee Mary Cooper credited village staff for the thoroughness of the urban forest plan and emphasized the climate mitigation impacts of greater tree cover.
“It’s super important when we’re talking about climate control is the benefits these trees can have for us,” Cooper said. “It’s not just that we get the beauty of these trees in the town.”
Joshua Irvine is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.