Elmhurst Tree Planting Program Put On Hold

ELMHURST, IL — Elmhurst had planned to plant hundreds of trees this spring in its rights of way. But that's off for the time being.

According to a city memo, City Manager Jim Grabowski ordered the city staff to place the spring tree planting program on hold. This is the result of the pandemic's effect on city finances, the memo said.

The city's goal is to determine whether spending is essential and must be made now, according to the memo, which was written by Public Works Director Stan Balicki.

For this year, the city had planned to spend $244,000 for 636 trees, the memo said.

The number of trees is based on tree removals, construction, resident requests for more right-of-way trees and areas that have been identified as needing new trees, according to the memo.

"The majority of plantings replace parkway trees lost due to storms, disease, decline or death," the memo said.

In 1986, Elmhurst joined the Suburban Tree Consortium, which has 48 municipal members. Together, the group buys more than 10,000 trees annually, according to the memo.

Earlier this week, Elmhurst resident James Colbert started a GoFundMe page to raise money for the tree program.

"We need trees like we need oxygen," Colbert said on the page. "Please donate to keep our city green. If they end up keeping the tree program, all funds will be donated to a like-minded local charity or government entity for environmental purposes."