Home

Search

Browse

About IPO

Staff

Links

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County has developed a creative program to involve the public in forest preserve reforestation and land restoration efforts. The program, called "Parent-A-Tree," brings land restoration efforts closer to home as individuals, families, and school and youth groups "foster" a tree seedling in their own yards.

The program's goal is to nurture tree seedlings so they can be eventually planted in nearby DuPage forest preserves as part of a comprehensive effort to restore native ecosystems in DuPage County, and have the public help.

A "foster parent" purchases a special kit of two 18- to 24-inch oak tree seedlings to be planted in their yards or school grounds. One seedling they keep and watch grow, while the other is grown in a special root control bag (provided in the kit). After nurturing the tree for three years, they dig up the tree in the root control bag, and return and replant it in a nearby forest preserve as part of a community reforestation project.

The root control bag is used for the return tree because it keeps the roots confined. When eventually dug up for a return trip to the forest preserve, the root system will stay in tact and the tree will not go into shock, therefore, having a better chance of survival.

"Parent-A-Tree"—the brainchild of district public affairs specialist Wendy Kummerer and grounds and resources superintendent John Oldenburg—is a citizen involvement initiative for the Natural Areas Management Program, a 10-year effort to restore 9,000 acres of native ecosystems in DuPage County forest preserves.

"We wanted to bring a sense of proprietorship into the home," says Oldenburg. "This pro-

A "foster" family plants a tree in their yard as part of the "Parent-A-Tree" program. This tree, planted in a special root control bag, will be returned to a nearby forest preserve in three years in a community effort to help reforest the DuPage County Forest Preserves.

Illinois Parks & Recreation * March/April 1996 * 23

Eighth grade students at Edison Middle School in Wheaton plant trees in the school's "mini-nursery" as part of the "Parent-A-Tree" program. These trees are then donated to incoming sixth-grade students who, in turn, will return them to a nearby forest preserve in three years when the students reach the eighth grade—a graduation gift to the district.

gram allows families and children to get involved in the restoration efforts. He adds, "What is important is that it allows the public to directly help."

The Don Czepiel family of four from Warrenville, a new "foster" family, agrees. "With two small kids, I like the idea of babysitting a tree. It also helps the forest preserve district create oak savannas and begin to return things back to native ecosystems."

"We have always been interested in conservation, and this program allows us to get involved," says Czepiel. "It will be really interesting to see in three years when everyone digs up their tree, puts it in the car trunk and returns it to the forest preserve. It should be quite a procession."

Forest Preserve District Commission President D. "Dewey" Pierotti, Jr. says that residents are really enthusiastic about the program. "This is an excellent project for individuals, senior citizens and families with young children. It allows participation from the citizenry and brings awareness of the environment and our restoration efforts. It's a win-win situation,"

"Parent-A-Tree" kits are sold for $5 and include a canvass tote bag, two oak tree seedlings, one root control bag, official adoption papers, educational support material to ensure successful growth of the trees, and a subscription to an informative newsletter. The kit costs the district $12-15 each to produce and sponsors help underwrite these costs.

The forest preserve district currently maintains a nursery at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville, but is limited to the amount of space available. Furthermore, wild animal damage to young tree seedlings planted in forest preserves is very high. By planting the seedlings in yards throughout DuPage

24 * Illinois Parks & Recreation * March/April 1996

County, it will increase the tree survival rate, get the community involved in restoring their native lands and they even get to keep a tree for themselves.

The program also saves taxpayers several thousands of dollars in the future as the seedlings are bought now for a few dollars, but are worth $75 to $100 dollars in three years.

In the program's first year (spring of 1995), the district sold more than 500 kits, equating to more than 1,000 new trees planted on DuPage County lawns. Half of these trees will be returned to DuPage forest preserves in three years.

Most of the tree kits that were pre-sold were picked up at the district's Earth Day celebration in April. Others were sold to the public after Earth Day at the district's nursery office.

Eighth graders at Wheaton's Edison Middle School added a little twist to the district's "Parent-A-Tree" program last May as the students planted 50 oak seedlings in their new mini-nursery. The then eighth graders "donated" the trees to incoming sixth graders, who, when they reach eighth grade in three years, will bring the trees back to the forest preserve.

The idea belongs to science teacher Greg Gills. "These kids need to take a more active role in helping their local natural environment," says Gills. "The tree program not only plants more trees in the forest preserves and in the community, but it also connects older students with younger ones."

The program also saves taxpayers several thousands of dollars in the future as the seedlings are bought now for a few dollars, butare worth $75 to $100 dollars in three years.

Wendy Kummerer is the public affairs specialist for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. Brook McDonald is the executive director of the Conservation Foundation of DuPage. For more information, contact Wendy Kummerer at P.O. Box 2339, Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60138, 708/790-4900, ext. 231. 

Illinois Parks & Recreation * March/April 1996 * 25