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Appoint an Urban Forestry Advisory Board
Last June, the Urban Forestry Advisory Board Ordinance (UFAB) passed unanimously through City Council, marking an important step towards bringing together community voices, science, best practices, and the power of City leadership to advise on plans, processes, and ordinance proposals that will affect the urban canopy for the next fifty years. The passage of UFAB was only the first step. Development and infrastructure improvements, as recently seen in West Lakeview and Andersonville, continue to happen all across the city and threaten hundreds of healthy, mature trees unless action is taken to finally appoint and empower this board.
Our City's trees need the support of an Urban Forestry Advisory Board. Chicago has lost 10,000 street trees every year for ten years due to pests and disease, increasing development, and the lack of understanding of trees' role in keeping us and our city healthy. The recent 2020 Tree Census put out by The Morton Arboretum reported that Chicago’s tree canopy is now at 16% - one of the lowest of any major US city.
It's time for the Chicago City Council to follow through on their passage of UFAB and appoint members to the Board. The Board will report to the Mayor and be made up of agency heads that work with and around trees, foresters, community leaders, and elected officials. Together, they will identify opportunities to supplement public funds with private donations, increase public education to Chicago residents, and recommend needed changes to city laws.
The benefits of trees are manifold, and they are proven to mitigate flooding, improve air quality, and increase property values, to name a few. Chicago needs an official governing board to oversee decisions related to tree removals and plantings, and the time to appoint a board and get UFAB off the ground is now.
We need your help to appoint and vote on a Board. Please use this form to contact your Alderperson and Mayor Lightfoot to request their action on this issue.
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Appoint an Urban Forestry Advisory Board
Last June, the Urban Forestry Advisory Board Ordinance (UFAB) passed unanimously through City Council, marking an important step towards bringing together community voices, science, best practices, and the power of City leadership to advise on plans, processes, and ordinance proposals that will affect the urban canopy for the next fifty years. The passage of UFAB was only the first step. Development and infrastructure improvements, as recently seen in West Lakeview and Andersonville, continue to happen all across the city and threaten hundreds of healthy, mature trees unless action is taken to finally appoint and empower this board.
Our City's trees need the support of an Urban Forestry Advisory Board. Chicago has lost 10,000 street trees every year for ten years due to pests and disease, increasing development, and the lack of understanding of trees' role in keeping us and our city healthy. The recent 2020 Tree Census put out by The Morton Arboretum reported that Chicago’s tree canopy is now at 16% - one of the lowest of any major US city.
It's time for the Chicago City Council to follow through on their passage of UFAB and appoint members to the Board. The Board will report to the Mayor and be made up of agency heads that work with and around trees, foresters, community leaders, and elected officials. Together, they will identify opportunities to supplement public funds with private donations, increase public education to Chicago residents, and recommend needed changes to city laws.
The benefits of trees are manifold, and they are proven to mitigate flooding, improve air quality, and increase property values, to name a few. Chicago needs an official governing board to oversee decisions related to tree removals and plantings, and the time to appoint a board and get UFAB off the ground is now.
Organization Name
Org Address Line 1
Org City, Org State Org Zip
Get in touch! Org Email or Org Phone
We're not able to reach your elected officials, but you can still help!
This advocacy alert is only open to residents of Chicago, but you can still speak up for the Environment in many ways. Visit Openlands.org/Advocacy to view our other active campaigns.
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Thank You
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