Chicago's estimated four million trees provide benefits such as clean air, privacy, and shade and windbreaks that help reduce energy costs. Openlands works hard to keep these arboreal allies vibrant and abundant in our urban environment.

Residing at the heart of our urban forestry projects are TreeKeepers, volunteers who are trained to care for the urban forest. (Click here for a complete listing of upcoming TreeKeepers events—click  here to view and download a copy of the Fall 2011 TreeKeepers brochure.) TreeKeepers also conduct tree inventories of select Chicago parks to support Chicago Park District planning and management and  for use as a reference by TreeKeepers and other volunteers. (For an interactive map relating to this initiative, click here.)

Additionally, Openlands has created the Betty Swan Community Arboretum, a living laboratory in Chicago's North Lawndale neighborhood, where residents, students, and TreeKeepers learn about and practice caring for city trees.