Chicago – The Chicago division of The Care of Trees is a founding member of the newly-launched Chicago Wilderness Corporate Council. The Care of Trees will work with other council members to support the education programs of Chicago Wilderness, participate in local conservation programs and provide leadership in the community to promote sustainable development and sound environmental practices.
The Chicago region is one of only a few metropolitan areas in the world with a high concentration of globally significant natural communities. Some of these communities, such as native woodlands, grasslands, streams and wetlands, are more rare than tropical rainforests. The ecosystems in the Chicago region also are home to nearly 200 species of plants and animals listed as endangered or threatened by the State of Illinois.
The Care of Trees has performed many tree preservation and land restoration projects throughout Illinois, so the opportunity to become one of the twelve founding members in the Chicago Wilderness Corporate Council fit the business’ niche.
“Many of our certified arborists volunteer their personal time to help with community conservation projects, like clearing invasive buckthorn from a city park or state nature preserve so native trees and plants can grow back,” said Charlie Keppel, certified arborist and vice president of Midwest sales and restoration of The Care of Trees.
“We care deeply about the environment and about the communities where we live. Becoming a founding member of the Corporate Council allows us to provide more volunteer opportunities for our certified arborists, and is another avenue for The Care of Trees to help educate the public about how their choices and actions, like selecting the species of tree to plant on their property, impact the environment in very real ways.”
“The Care of Trees is a national leader in native tree preservation and restoration,” said Debra Shore, Chicago Wilderness Corporate Council Coordinator. “Their expertise will help Chicago Wilderness preserve the natural heritage of Illinois, and their community relationships will help us reach out to the public to educate and involve them in our environmental conservation efforts.”
The author is Managing Editor of Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at nwisniewski@lawnandlandscape.com.