Daily Herald opinion: We all benefit from efforts to plant more trees

Words like “woodsy” and “bucolic” often are used to describe many of the suburban cities and villages we call home.

So, as we look out on our leafy streets, it may be surprising to hear that our region does not have as many trees as it should for the good of the environment, as well as our comfort and aesthetics.

But that is what Morton Arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative found when it used data from its 2010 and 2020 tree censuses to map the tree canopy for the seven-county Chicago metropolitan area.

The most-recent analysis shows the Chicago region has 23% tree canopy cover — far below the national average of nearly 40%.

Meanwhile, climate change and environment writer Jenny Whidden reported on Sunday that disparities in tree cover are worse from suburb to suburb.

For example, Whidden reported that data shows Arlington Heights has 28% canopy cover while Elk Grove Village has just 17%.

That matters, because — as scientists at the Morton Arboretum have shown — well-maintained trees can help cool temperatures, clean the air and reduce flooding, among other benefits.

Fortunately, there is greater awareness about trees and the benefits they provide. As a result, there is a commitment to provide funding to increase urban tree cover nationwide. Last week, officials announced that $6.9 million in federal grants are being distributed to help nearly two dozen communities throughout Illinois plant and care for trees.

Senior writer Katlyn Smith reported in a story last week that the city of Elgin, the Roselle Park District and the village of Streamwood are among the suburban grant recipients.

The arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative is administering the funding — provided by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act — on behalf of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

“These initiatives are not just about planting trees,” said Zach Wirtz, director of the Chicago Region Trees Initiative. “They’re about creating long-lasting, positive impacts in our communities.”

Smith wrote that the grant recipients throughout the state will collectively plant and care for more than 1,800 trees, remove nearly 300 dead or high-risk trees, prune more than 500 trees and clear 30 acres of woody invasive species, among other projects.

The Roselle Park District will use the $87,486 it receives to partially update its tree inventory, remove 95 dead ash trees and plant 80 new ones. The grant also will allow the district to update an urban forestry management plan and train one employee to become a certified arborist.

Meanwhile, Streamwood plans to use its $39,865 grant to plant 119 trees in disadvantaged areas in the village.

These and other projects by grant recipients all sound like worthy ideas. We applaud the efforts to make our state a greener place, which will improve the climate for all of us.