Chicago’s tree canopy falls short compared with other cities, and in past years, the city planted fewer trees in neighborhoods on the South and West sides, according to an investigation.
Pilot programs for tree ambassadors were launched in Little Village and North Lawndale, where volunteers were taught how to advocate for trees and to file 311 requests for viable planting locations.
Trees can soak up water dumped during intense storms, which already disproportionately affect communities on the South and West sides with basement flooding. And they can lower neighborhood temperatures.