Session Title: "Innovative Partnerships for a Thriving Urban Forest"
The urban forest in the Chicago Region is managed collectively by 284 municipalities, more than 150 park districts, 7 forest preserve districts, and numerous private property owners. In order to address regional-scale threats to the health, cover, and equity of the urban forest, multiple stakeholders at all levels- community groups, public land managers, green industry professionals, growers, etc- must work collaboratively. In this presentation, Melissa will provide examples of different approaches that have been taken in the past ten years to address low-canopy cover, poor species diversity, invasive species, and declining heritage oak ecosystems across the seven county Chicago region.
3 Main Bullet Points of Talk
1. For urban forest projects to be successful, multiple stakeholders must be involved in the planning and implementation phases.
2. Data collection, tracking, and sharing can help stakeholders develop creative solutions to unique problems.
3. Capacity building should be built into all projects for long term sustainability.
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Managing organization: Missouri Green Industry Alliance
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Melissa Custic, The Morton Arboretum
-- Chicago Region Trees Initiative Operations Manager (certified arborist)
Melissa Custic is the Chicago Region Trees Initiative Operations Manager, overseeing projects developed by multi-agency work groups and helping the Chicago Region become the greenest, most livable, most resilient region in North America. Melissa holds a masters degree in Plant Biology and Conservation from Northwestern University plus more than a decade of experience in research, education, and outreach. She was named a 'Millennial to Watch' in 2019 by the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association and serves as vice president on the Illinois Invasive Species Council and chairperson of the Chicago Wilderness Alliance Urban Canopy Team.
Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI): c/o The-Morton Arboretum
Our goal: To make a significant, measurable improvement to the regional forest and the lives of its inhabitants by the year 2050.
Chicago’s regional forest is a critical asset that needs our protection. Trees clean our air and water, reduce flooding, improve our property values, create habitat for wildlife, and provide significant social and health benefits. In short, trees improve our quality of life. But our trees need our help. They face threats such as invasive plants, including buckthorn and honeysuckle; the death of ash trees due to emerald ash borer; and a lack of funding for proper tree care. These issues are having significant impacts on the health and survival of our regional forest.
The Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI) is a partnership for coordinated action on key issues facing trees. It is the largest such initiative in the country, with leading organizations and agencies from across the seven-county metropolitan region working together. CRTI is leveraging funding, knowledge, skills, and expertise to build a healthier, more diverse regional forest.