Go Green Wilmette was a significant partner to the Village in strengthening our local tree ordinance to protect and preserve our existing tree canopy and encourage the planting of more native trees. The Morton Arboretum and the Chicago Region Trees Initiative consulted with GGW’s tree advocacy team and the Village of Wilmette in 2021. The Village of Wilmette’s Land Use Committee reviewed Wilmette’s current tree ordinance and Village staff completed an in-depth study of our previous tree ordinance and ways to improve it. Go Green Wilmette provided resources to aid this study, which resulted in a new ordinance passing in March 2022. The newly adopted tree ordinance demonstrates a forward-thinking approach that many other towns are embracing to better equip themselves for climate change. Treating our trees as critical infrastructure will benefit our community now and for many years to come..
You can view the GGW webinar on the value of treating trees as critical infrastructure by Lydia Scott, Director of the Chicago Region Trees Initiative here.
