City of Blue Island Think Outside the Loop
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The City of Blue Island was awarded a $22,460 grant to complete tree inventories and develop a management plan for its urban forest.
The funds were provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Urban and Community Forestry Partner Grant Program, and administered by The Morton Arboretum and the Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI).
Funding from the grant will provide a complete public tree inventory, management plan and updated tree ordinance for the City by July of 2024.
“This type of important planning will help to maintain and improve our city’s trees, reduce flooding, keep our air clean, cut air conditioning costs, and enhance property values,” said Blue Island Mayor Fred Bilotto.
The grants provide communities with a better understanding of the urban forest areas they’re managing by revealing an estimated number of trees, their size, condition and species. The inventories will also identify opportunities to increase planting, and will inform the development of a comprehensive, long-term urban forest management plan.
“Urban trees are critical infrastructure for a community, and this funding helps to protect one of its most important resources,” said Lydia Scott, director of CRTI. “Trees clean our air and water, reduce flooding and heat, improve our mental and physical health, and provide important habitat for birds and other wildlife.”
