Please join us for Arbor Day!

April 24^th 2026

10am at Village Church Park 1150 Meadowcrest Road

Honoring the Legacy of the CPD Arbor Advocates

Tree Management Plan Updates

Winter 2025/2026
• A small tree was removed from Beach Oak Park due to vandalism damage
• CPD was awarded a CRTI grant to plant 5 trees in Spring 2026 at Memorial Park
• Five trees were ordered to replace parkway trees removed during Yena Redevelopment and will be planted on parkways throughout the Village
• One Arbor Day tree was ordered for 4/24/26 Arbor Day Ceremony
• Homer Tree was contracted to prune trees in Memorial Park around the playground area
• One high quality tree was proposed for relocation from Hanesworth Park to Beach Oak Park as part of the gymnasium expansion project
• Ten trees were removed at Hanesworth Park as part of gymnasium expansion project. Size, condition and species of these trees did not allow for relocation

Fall of 2025:

• 2 London Plane trees were planted at Beach Oak park during the Fall Volunteer Tree Planting Day. 2 Kentucky Coffee trees were planted at Robinhood park. These 4 trees were generously donated through a CRTI grant.
• 2 small Norway Spruce trees were planted at Hanesworth Park. These were generously donated by the Zuck family.
• CPD Urban Forest Management Plan was updated with the help of Great Lakes Urban Forestry.
• CPD staff removed one small tree at Robinhood park, and one small tree at Stone Monroe park.
• A total of six trees were planted.

Tree Management Plan Action Items

 Spring of 2025:

·         2 new trees were planted at Hanesworth Park

·         At our Arbor Day Celebration 2 native trees were planted at 1150 Meadowcrest Rd

·         Our 4 new trees were possible due to a grant by the Chicago Regional Tree Initiative

·         Great Lakes Urban Forestry was contracted to update the park district’s Tree Management Plan with input from the CPD staff and the district’s community partners

·         Superintendent of Parks Sara Earhart was invited to teach at the CRTI Urban Forestry Basic Training in Cicero, IL

·         Winkler Tree pruned 2 large trees near the Memorial Park Amphitheatre flagpole to allow clearance for our flags

 

Winter of 2024/2025:

·         CPD was awarded a CRTI grant to plant 4 trees in Spring 2025

·         Homer Tree was contracted to prune all trees in Stone Monroe and Beach Oak Parks.

·         CPD Staff pruned all trees planted in 2024 for structure and health

·         Staff attended the Urban and Community Forestry Forum “Confirm before Diagnosis Jump through Hoops, Not to Conclusions” which covered tree pest and disease identification topics 

·         Superintendent of Parks Sara Earhart presented at the 2025 IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference on the subject of “Best Practices in Tree Planting”

 

Fall of 2024:

• Fall Arbor Advocates Volunteer Planting Day installed 2 trees in Memorial Park near La Grange Rd thanks to a grant from the Chicago Regional Tree Initiative
• 4 new trees were planted by staff in Beach Oak Park thanks to a grant from the Chicago Regional Tree Initiative
• Park District staff removed one dying tree at Beach Oak Park and replaced with a new tree
• Homer Tree removed 5 stumps in Hanesworth Park
• Winkler Tree removed a large storm damaged limb hanging over the Robinhood Tennis Courts
• Our Superintendent of Parks Sara Earhart spoke at the Chicago Regional Tree Initiative “Urban Forestry Basic Training”, and at the Illinois Arborist Association Fall “Arborist Exam Prep Course” classes
• CPD hosted Nazareth Academy for a Volunteer Day in Memorial Park. Students mulched trees around the park.

 

Spring of 2024:

• A Total of 34 trees were planted this spring!
• At our Arbor Day Celebration April 26th, 2 native trees and 1 memorial tree were planted in Robinhood Park
• For our May 16th Volunteer planting day, 10 native trees were planted in Memorial Park thanks to a grant from the Chicago Regional Tree Initiative
• 10 new trees were planted in Robinhood park thanks to a grant from Trees Forever
• 1 replacement tree was planted in Memorial Park amphitheater
• The Chicago Regional Tree Initiative generously donated 10 additional trees, which were planted in Stone Monroe, Robinhood and Memorial Parks
• Parks staff removed one dead tree at Memorial and one dead tree at Hanesworth Park
• Homer Tree removed two hazardous trees at Memorial Park
• Great Lakes Urban Forestry is scheduled to conduct appraisal of trees at Yena Park
• Trees planted in fall 2023 and spring 2024 were appropriately wrapped to protect them from 17 year cicada emergence.

 

Winter of 2023/2024:

• CPD was awarded a Chicago Regional Tree Initiative grant to plant 10 native trees in Memorial Park. A volunteer day was scheduled to plant those trees.
• Homer Tree was contracted to prune all trees in Robinhood Park.
• Homer tree was contracted to remove 1 tree was in Robinhood and 1 tree in Yena. All trees removed had posed a hazard to park patrons because of their poor condition.
• CPD staff removed dead hanging branches from trees in Yena.
• CPD staff removed invasive and weed trees from the eastern fence line at Robinhood park and stump treated to prevent resprouts.

 

Fall of 2023:

• CPD hired new Superintendent of Parks Sara Earhart, an ISA Certified Arborist.
• 10 trees planted. 1 at Stone Monroe, 2 at Yena, 3 at Robinhood, 4 at Memorial.
• CPD staff removed 3 trees removed in Hanesworth, 1 tree in Yena. All trees removed had posed a hazard to park patrons because of their poor condition.
• Illinois Arborist Association was contracted to teach CPD staff a Municipal Arborist Training Course on Chainsaw Safety, Operation and Maintenance and Tree Pruning.
• CPD staff attended the annual Illinois Arborist Association tradeshow and classes. 

 

 

Community Park District Urban Forestry Management Plan

An urban forest management plan is an action plan; it gives public works agencies detailed information, recommendations, and resources needed to effectively and proactively manage public trees.

The Community Park District of La Grange Park was awarded a $8,265 grant to complete tree inventories and develop a management plan for its urban forest.

The funds were provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Urban and Community Forestry Core Grant Program and administered by The Morton Arboretum and the Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI).

The Community Park District of La Grange Park Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted the plan at the April 11, 2022 board meeting.

Click here to view the updated plan:

CPDLGP_UFMP_Update_8_19_25.pdf