Regional Tree Initiatives - Arbor Day Foundation

Chicago Regional Forest

Openlands is a regional conservation
organization, serving the metropolitan
Chicago area and focused on the protection
of and advocacy for green space through a
variety of programs.

The Morton Arboretum
Founded in 1922
1700 acres
222,000 plants with 4,300 different taxa
The Center for Tree Science
Research and Conservation
Educational Outreach
Partnerships

A Community Asset
All trees – whether on public or private land
are part of the urban and community forest.
Our trees are a community asset.
It takes a “community” to protect, manage
and enhance our forest.

Urban and
Community Forestry
a holistic approach to the management of
trees and forest resources as green
infrastructure in and around community
ecosystems for the benefits they provide.

Trees and forest of Chicago region are
under threat:
• Insects
• Disease
• Invasive species
• Climate
• Development
• Changing infrastructure

Tree Census: To better understand the
forest resource and its values
Use the USDA Forest
Service, Northern
Research Station –
Urban Forest Effects
(UFORE) model, now
known as i-Tree Eco
• Forest structure
• Potential risk to forest from
insects or diseases
• Air pollution removal
• Carbon storage
• Annual carbon removal
(sequestration)
• Changes in building energy use

Regional Tree Census:
• Informs discussion of trends
• Informs policy
• Informs the value of tree services to
constituencies who may not value trees but
value their services

Regional Forest Summary (Trees)
Number of trees 157,142,000
Tree and shrub cover 21.0%
Tree cover 15.5%

Regional Forest Summary
Most common species
European buckthorn,
green ash, box elder,
black cherry, American elm
Percentage of trees < 6” dbh 73.3%

Regional Forest Summary
Pollution removal – trees 18,080 tons/yr ($205 m/yr)
Trees and shrubs 24,179 tons/yr ($274 m/yr)
VOC emissions
11,976 tons/yr
Carbon storage
16.9 million tons ($349 m/yr)
Carbon sequestration 677,000 tons/yr ($14 m/yr)
Building energy reduction $44 m/yr
Reduced carbon emissions$1.3 m/yr
Compensatory value $51.2 billion

Land Use – Chicago Region
CTI
14.0%
Open Space
23.0%
Agriculture
32.9%
Residential
30.1%
CTI = Commercial/transportation/institutional

Tree Species Distribution
other species
41.0%
European
buckthorn
28.2%
Green ash
5.5%
Boxelder
5.5%
Northern red oak
2.0%
Silver maple
2.0%
White ash
2.6%
Amur honeysuckle
2.1%
Black cherry
4.9%
American elm
3.4%
Sugar maple
2.8%

Number of Trees by Land Use
Number of Trees (millions)
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Number of trees
Trees per acre
Open Space Residential CTI Agriculture
Land Use
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Density (trees per acre)

1,600
Leaf Area by Land Use
2.5
Leaf Area (thousand acres)
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
Leaf area
Leaf area index
Residential Open Space CTI Agriculture
Land Use
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Leaf Area Index (LAI)

50
More Leaf Area on Large Trees
45
40
35
30
Percent
25
20
15
10
5
0
Leaf area
Abundance
1-3 3-6 6-9 9-12 12-15 15-18 18-21 21-24 24-27 27-30 30+
Diameter Class (d.b.h. in inches)

What happens when large trees are lost?
35,000
Number of Trees (thousands)
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
Diameter Class (d.b.h.)
< 3 inches
> 18 inches
Species

Number of Trees on Illinois Invasive List
Number of Trees (millions)
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Species

Pollution Removed
(thousand tons / year)
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Pollution removed
Value
Annual Air Pollution Removal
CO NO2 O3 PM10 SO2
Pollutant
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Value (million dollars / year)

Annual Volatile Organic Compound Emissions
Genera
Quercus
Acer
Populus
Picea
Juglans
Rhamnus
Robinia
Fraxinus
Pinus
Ulmus
VOCs Emitted
Isoprene
Monoterpene
Other VOCs
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5
VOCs Emitted (thousand tons)

Annual Carbon Sequestration
70
1,400
Sequestration (thousand
tons / year)
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
European
buckthorn
Carbon sequestration
Value
Boxelder Black cherry Silver maple Bur oak White oak Northern red
oak
Green ash
Eastern Black walnut
cottonwood
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
Value (housand dollars /
year)

Annual Carbon Storage
2.0
1.8
Carbon storage
Value
50
45
1.6
40
Storage (million tons)
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
Value (million dollars)
0.0
Bur oak Silver maple White oak Boxelder Eastern
cottonwood
Northern red
oak
Black cherry Green ash Siberian elm Honeylocust
0

Average Carbon Storage and Sequestration
Average Storage (thousand lbs)
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0-3 3-6 6-9 9-12 12-15 15-18 18-21 21-24 24-27 27-30 30+
Carbon storage
Carbon sequestration
Diameter Class (d.b.h. in inches)
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Average Sequestration (lbs /
year)

Structural or Compensatory Value
7
Compensatory Value
(billions of dollars)
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Bur oak White oak Silver maple Green ash Northern
red oak
European
buckthorn
Black cherry Boxelder
Eastern Honeylocust
cottonwood

Number of Trees (millions)
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Trees at risk
Compensatory value
Disease Risk
ALB GM EAB OW DED
Insect/Disease
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Compensatory Value (billions
of dollars)

25
Disease Risk by Land Use
Number of Host Trees
(millions)
20
15
10
5
0
Agriculture CTI Open Space Residential
Insect/Disease
ALB GM EAB DED OW
Land Use

14
Most Common Street Trees
12
Street Tree Population
(percent)
10
8
6
4
2
0
Green ash
European
buckthorn
Norway
maple
Honeylocust Silver maple White ash
Littleleaf
linden
Northern
hackberry
Slippery elm Red maple

Chicago Regional Forest Summary
Feature
Measure
Number of trees 157,142,000
Tree and shrub cover 21.0%
Tree cover 15.5%
Most common species
European buckthorn, green ash, boxelder,
black cherry, American elm
Percentage of trees < 6-inches dbh 73.3%
Pollution removal - trees
18,080 tons/year ($205 million/year)
Trees and shrubs*
24,170 tons/year ($274 million / year)
VOC emissions
11,976 tons/year
Carbon storage
16.9 million tons ($349 million)
Carbon sequestration
677,000 tons/year ($14.0 million / year)
Building energy reduction
$44.0 million / year
Reduced carbon emissions
$1.3 million / year
Compensatory value
$51.2 billion

Ash Trees by Land Use
Land Use
Number of
Trees
Density
(trees/ac)
% of All Trees
in Land Use
% of Ash Trees in Land
Use with d.b.h. > 18 in.
Agricultural 74,724 0.1 1.1 0.0
CTI a 724,326 2.0 4.7 7.7
Open Space 7,011,331 11.7 8.7 1.0
Residential 4,881,868 6.2 9.0 7.3
Chicago Region 12,692,249 4.8 8.08 3.8
a
CTI = Commercial/Transportation/Institutional

Significant forces for change –
Impacts on region’s forest structure, health and environmental
benefits provided to the 9 million residents.
• insects
• disease
• invasive trees and plants
• land use change
• changing infrastructure
• aging and loss of larger trees
• expansion of opportunistic species
• changes in forest management and use

Morton Arboretum researchers characterize
the Chicago region’s forest as being in a
“transitional state”

Regional Tree Census:
• inform approaches for regional urban
forest management
• inspire the region to plant and protect
trees
• improve the vigor of the urban forest
• foster collaboration

From Regional Tree Census to
Regional Tree Initiative
A Healthy
Forest for
Our Future

What is needed to sustain and enhance
the forest?
A comprehensive and integrated
management strategy must be
developed and implemented
across the region.

The Regional Trees Initiative
Collaborative roadmap to:
conserve
protect
enhance and
sustain the region’s forest

Structure
Working Groups
• Trees and Green Infrastructure
• Stewardship
• Industry Association and Nursery
• Policy
• Research
• Communication

Regional Trees Initiative
Who are the partners:
Open Space and Forestry Advocate
Regional Planning Organization
Mayors and Communities
Forest Preserve Districts
Regional Environmental Advocates
Forest Service
Industry Professionals
Nurseries
Researchers
Department of Natural Resources
Community Advocates

Trees and Green Infrastructure
Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure Vision

An interconnected network of natural features
that work collectively to protect ecosystems,
including water quality, air quality, and land
resources.
These features can be as simple as trees planted
in a right-of-way or as complex as large natural
areas.

Co-chaired with the U.S.D.A. Forest Service

Stewardship and Tree Planting

Committee Members:
Community Activists
Municipal Staff
Professional Organizations
Youth Leaders
Co-chaired with
Openlands

Develop opportunities for stewardship for
all ages
Build interest with municipalities for
volunteer advocacy
Train children, teens and adults to
advocate for trees

TreeKeepers
• Openlands' participation in the Regional Trees Initiative will
have as its base our volunteer TreeKeepers. They are trained
in a seven-session course and volunteer currently within the
City of Chicago. New suburban courses and chapters will be a
goal of the Initiative's Stewardship team.

Research
What we know – What we need to know
Environmental, Social, Psychological

Committee Members:
Researchers from across the country are being
tapped for their particular areas of expertise to
provide input to the strategy.
Co-chaired with the U.S.D.A. Forest
Service

Policy

Review and develop ordinances, strategies and
resources for integration of sound practices for tree
care, management, protection, and planting across
diverse governmental entities.
Co-chaired with The Chicago Metropolitan Agency
for Planning

Beeson’s McHenry County Nursery
Golf illinois.com
Industry Associations and Nurseries
Courtesy of Tom Hauser
St. Michaels Cemetary
Onebigfamilytree.com

Co-chaired with Bartlett Trees

Communication
Getting the “seed” disbursed!
Industry
Associations &
Nurseries
Tree Stewardship
and Planting
Trees and Green
Infrastructure
Industry
Associations &
Nurseries
Policy

Pull it all together
Co-chaired with Lake County Forest
Preserve District

Building the Regional
Strategy
Diverse dialogue
Consensus
Regional Support

Result: A Healthy Forest For Our Future
The Morton Arboretum
Lisle, Illinois
Community Trees Program
630-719-2425