In 2023, the Village was awarded an urban forestry grant that allowed us to inventory all of the trees in parks, parkways and Village land. We have learned a lot from the study, such as, there are 112 species of trees within the 7,412 trees on public property. The Village Green Team wanted to further educate the community on the trees in our parks and is launching on Arbor Day and continuing through
September, the Glendale Heights Hug-A-Tree campaign. We invite you to learn about some of trees and their benefits by finding the Huggable Trees throughout our parks.
There is a scavenger hunt, so be sure to fill out the form online and be entered for a chance to win prizes each month! Everyone that turns in the online form will receive a coupon good for $3 off admission to the GH2O Aquatic Center.
Find the Huggable Trees throughout the Village to scan the QR code to access the scavenger hunt. Don't forget to give our trees a hug and use the hashtag #HugATreeGH to post on your social media.
A healthy and well maintained tree population holds many benefits for the residents of Glendale Heights.
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Energy Savings:
During the summer when temperatures are warm, trees create shade, and temperatures are cooler in the shade. Cooler temperatures cause air conditioners to have to work less, which reduces the amount of energy a household uses. During the winter when temperatures are cold, winter winds cool your home quickly. Trees act as windbreaks, causing heating systems to use less natural gas, saving energy and money.
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Carbon Dioxide (CO2):
The amount of CO2 which is put into the atmosphere each year has a direct correlation with global climate change. That change causes more severe storms, greater drought conditions, and many other costly outcomes. Reducing CO2 from our atmosphere lessens these effects. Trees uptake CO2 and act as a carbon sink, putting carbon into long term storage in its woody tissues, removing it from our atmosphere, creating a net benefit to society, and saving money..
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Air Quality:
Industrial processes and vehicle emissions put pollutants into our air. These pollutants can cause or worsen health conditions such as heart disease, asthma, and lung disease. In addition, these pollutants can mix with water in the atmosphere and create nitric and sulfuric acid, causing acid rain, which can destroy fisheries and contaminate water supplies. Trees absorb these compounds with their leaves and other tissues, and prevent them from remaining in the atmosphere. Reductions in these pollutants results in overall better health, reducing the cost of healthcare to society, and saving communities money.
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Storm Water:
The cost of delivering fresh water to homes, as well as removing and treating wastewater and storm water is considerable. One of the greatest costs comes when these systems are overwhelmed, such as during flooding, which can cause millions of dollars of damage to homes and vehicles, or when these systems need to be replaced. Fortunately, trees take water from the soil and put it back into the atmosphere through the process of transpiration. Therefore, the more trees an organization has, the less flooding is an issue, and the less strain is put on storm water infrastructure, resulting in fewer repairs and replacements. In addition, tree canopy slows rainfall's effects on flooding by "intercepting" it with leaves and branches, delaying how quickly rainfall can become floodwater. All of this adds up to savings for an organization.
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Aesthetic/Economic:
Up to 15% of the value of a property can be attributed to its trees and other landscaping. Tree lined streets are much more appealing to homebuyers than streets devoid of trees, resulting in increased home sales, and therefore increased tax revenue, or increased tax revenue with which to fund initiatives relating to trees, attract new businesses, etc.
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