🌳 CICERO IS INVESTING IN ITS FUTURE — ONE TREE AT A TIME 🌳

Town of Cicero President Larry Dominick and The Board of Trustees have been building a 10-year roadmap to strengthen, protect, and grow it's urban forest — and they want you to be part of it. 

📅 Next Week, Tuesday, March 10 at 6PM, the Town will present its Tree Inventory and Urban Forestry Management Plan at the Cicero Public Library. 

Cicero isn't just talking about sustainability. This isn't just another meeting. You will: 

• Hear the key findings from the full tree inventory. 
• Learn the goals of the 10-year management plan. 
• Participate in a discussion about the future of Cicero's tree canopy. 
• Have the opportunity to request a parkway tree. 

This is a bold, data-driven investment in our community's future. Cicero completed a comprehensive inventory of 12,913 public trees across 114 different species. 

Every publicly managed tree was analyzed. Tree health was assessed. Risk levels were identified. Long-tern planting and maintenance needs were mapped out. A full 10-year action plan was created. And here's what they found: 

🌿65% of our trees only need regular cyclical pruning — a strong foundation. 
🌿 808 removals have been identified to improve safety and long-term canopy health. 
🌿 1,836 mature trees over 25" diameter are part of the town's living legacy. 
🌿 A long-term plan is in place to grow Cicero's tree population to 15,000 trees. 
🌿 Cicero is actively increasing species diversity to protect against invasive pests and disease. 
🌿 A full risk-assessment strategy is being implemented to reduce potential hazards. 

This is science-based planning backed by certified arborists and best management practices. 

Trees are infrastructure. They lower energy bills by reducing heat. Improve air quality. Reduce flooding through stormwater management. Improve mental and physical health. Strengthen neighborhood safety and community pride. 

A well-managed urban forest can increase property values by up to 15%! That's real economic impact and real quality of life improvement. Cicero is treating our trees like the assets they are. 

Over the next 10 years, Cicero will: 
✔ Increase tree canopy coverage from 64% stocking density to 80% 
✔ Plant 300 new trees annually 
✔ Reduce over-reliance on Maple trees (currently 61% of the inventory) to create a more resilient forest 
✔ Implement a 6-year cyclical pruning program for long-term tree health 
✔ Establish a formal tree risk policy to protect residents 
✔ Continue public engagement in both English and Spanish 

This is long-term thinking, responsible leadership, and building something that lasts. 

👉 Can't Attend? They still want your input. Take the quick survey (it only takes a few minutes): CLICK HERE

Your voice matters. Your block matters. Your neighborhood matters. Your feedback will directly help shape Cicero's urban forest strategy. 

Cicero is doing the work. They are protecting our neighborhoods, investing in public safety, increasing property values, improving environmental resilience, and planning responsibly for the next generation. 

This is what strong communities do. We hope to see you there.