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Forestry & Landscaping
Parkway Trees
The Village of Lombard places great pride in the trees that enhance its beauty and has several programs to promote the health and diversity of trees located on public grounds. For more than 30 years, the Village has been named a Tree City USA for its commitment to enhancing and maintaining trees located within the Village. For detailed information, check out our Urban Forestry Management Plan.
The Forestry Division, which is comprised of a Supervisor and a three Forestry Technicians, is responsible for maintaining over 19,000 parkway trees. Although the Village’s parkway tree inventory includes 90 different species, five of the top 10 commonly planted species by percentage are Maples. Village staff is continuously working towards increasing the diversity of our parkway trees.
One way of increasing diversity is by offering a wide selection of trees during plantings. The Village does two tree plantings per year (spring & fall). Residents are always welcome to request a parkway tree by contacting the Public Works Department. Requests are accommodated if there is sufficient space to support a parkway tree (see Spacing Requirements below).
All of the Village’s Forestry staff have obtained their Arborist certification. Certified Arborists are individuals who have achieved a level of knowledge in the art and science of tree care through experience and by passing a comprehensive examination developed by some of the world’s leading experts on tree care. Certified Arborists must also continue their education to maintain their certification and adhere to a Code of Ethics. Therefore, they are more likely to be up to date on the latest techniques in arboriculture.
ISA arborist certification is a nongovernmental, voluntary process by which individuals can document their base of knowledge. It operates without mandate of law and is an internal, self-regulating device administered by the International Society of Arboriculture. Certification provides a measurable assessment of an individual’s knowledge and competence required to provide proper tree care.
The Village of Lombard Receives Grant to Improve its Urban Forest
The Village of Lombard has received a $25,000 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Urban and Community Forestry Partner Grant Program. The funds will be administered by The Morton Arboretum and the Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI). The funds will be used to remove declining, invasive Callery pear trees from Village parkways.
Village Tree Dashboard
Refer to the dashboard below for additional information about Lombard's Parkway Trees. Please note that the Parkway Tree Dashboard is updated on a quarterly basis and may not reflect current conditions.
Parkway Restoration
As a result of water and sewer repairs, parkway, sidewalk and street restoration is very often needed. The Public Works Department contracts out these repairs with the exception of some street patches. All restoration work is done per the Restoration Schedule to alleviate redoing restoration due to settlement.Additionally, per Village Board Policy, adjacent property owners are responsible for the maintenance (mowing, watering & restoration) of the parkway, except when the Village has dug there within the preceding 12 months. Residents’ responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Mowing
- Fertilizing
- Aerating
- Watering
- Over-seeding and/or re-establishing grass that dies.
- Repairing settlement that is a result of natural soil compaction, not including utility dig and parkway tree removal areas that have settled within one year.
Parkway Tree Cost-Share Program
Residents interested in having a parkway tree planted where one did not previously exist can participate in the Village’s cost-share program. This program is offered to Lombard residents to facilitate the planting of parkway trees in locations where a tree is desired but no tree was previously removed by the Village. Requested sites must meet existing spacing requirements for tree planting (see below). Any trees planted under this program remain the property of the Village and will be maintained by Village staff.
Property owners will pay $150 per tree to the Village prior to the planting of the tree. However, Village Forestry staff must do a site visit to determine the space available. The requester will have the opportunity to choose the species of tree to be planted based upon available trees for that planting season. New trees will be planted by the Village’s contractor and initially mulched by the Village after planting.
Residents are encouraged to provide additional watering for the first three years after planting to ensure proper establishment of the tree. The tree will have a one-year replacement guarantee.
To apply residents must submit an application to the Public Works Department. After the site visit has been completed, Village staff will contact property owners to let them know how many, if any, trees there is room for.
Spacing Requirements
· A minimum of *30’ - 35’ between trees· A minimum of 10’ from driveway aprons
· A minimum of 5’ from water service (B-box)
· A minimum of 10’ from hydrants
· A minimum of 15’ from utility poles
· A minimum of 15’ from traffic control signs
· A minimum of 15’ from corner crosswalks
· A minimum of 10’ from service walks
*A minimum of 30’ for trees categorized by the Village as small or narrow growing, all other trees require a minimum of 35’.