Edwardsville’s Heritage Tree List is Growing; City Encourages Addition of More Notable Trees

EDWARDSVILLE – To celebrate Arbor Day, the Edwardsville Environmental Commission is encouraging the community to brag about its most notable and long-standing trees, and to consider nominating them for inclusion in the commission’s Heritage Tree Program.

The City’s Heritage Tree Program was officially launched in September 2024 as a way to encourage the conservation of established trees, recognize some distinctive examples and to educate about the essential role trees play in a community. Since that time, about 15 trees have been added to the City’s heritage tree register. Commission members want to see that number grow. Anyone who knows of a tree in Edwardsville that might qualify for heritage tree status is encouraged to submit a nomination for the program, which began through the efforts of Ward 1 Alderman Chris Farrar.

To be eligible for consideration, trees must meet one or more criteria in the following categories:

• SIZE: The tree is in the top 10% of tree sizes of its inventoried species in Edwardsville.

• RARITY: It is a one-of-a-kind tree due to species type, characteristic and/or a species of less than 10% of all inventoried trees in Edwardsville.

• HISTORIC OR NOTABLE EVENT: There is a documented association with a historic event of 75 or more years ago and/or a more recent event of notable worth.

• Article continues after sponsor message

  AGE: The tree is more than 100 years old.

• SPECIAL ECOLOGICAL VALUE: The tree is shown to provide soil stabilization, an important genetic

  resource, or offers critical habitat for important plant or animal species.

• LOCATION: The tree is considered of public value as a prominent visual focal point as viewed from public streets and right-of-ways.

• AESTHETICS: The tree has a distinct or unusually appealing visual characteristic.

Some of the trees now listed as heritage trees are on private property and may not be publicly accessible. However, several can be easily seen and enjoyed from the public right-of-way. Among those are trees at the Edwardsville Public Works building, 200 E. Park Street; the 1820 Colonel Benjamin Stephenson House, 409 S. Buchanan Street; and at Lusk Memorial Park, 535 Randle Street. A map showing locations of the nominated trees is available on the Heritage Tree Program webpage, www.cityofedwardsville.com/heritagetree. The page also includes an online nomination form and program details. Participation in the program is voluntary. Trees on private land would only be included with the land owner’s written consent. Nominations will be evaluated by the City’s horticulture coordinator in conjunction with the Edwardsville Environmental Commission.

Sarah Cundiff, who chairs the Edwardsville Environmental Commission, noted that trees not only beautify a city, but also serve as critical habitats for wildlife, improve air quality, and provide cooling shade that helps to combat the urban heat island effect. Edwardsville was recently recognized as a 2024 Tree City USA, an honor bestowed by the National Arbor Day Foundation. Edwardsville has been honored as a Tree City for at least 23 years in a row. Arbor Day is traditionally observed in Illinois and many other states on the last Friday in April, which this year falls on April 25.

Print Version