Urban Forestry Management Plan

In 2023, the Village of Mokena received a $25,000 grant award to complete tree inventories and develop a management plan for its urban forest. The funds were provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Urban and Community Forestry Partner Grant Program and administered by The Morton Arboretum and the Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI). 

The grant provided the Village of Mokena the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the urban forest area by revealing the number of trees, their size, condition, and species. The inventory will also identify opportunities to increase planting and will inform the development of a comprehensive urban forest management plan. 

Arbnet Arboretum Accreditation

The Village of Mokena has been awarded a Level II Accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum, for achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens. The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity, and professionalism. The Village of Mokena is also now recognized as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants.

The Village of Mokena is a vibrant suburban community located just 35 miles southwest of downtown Chicago, with nearly 20,000 people. The Village’s arboretum has a collection of trees that serves as part of the living infrastructure of the community. With over 200 curb miles, Mokena has nearly 16,000 trees and 121 different species that serve the community by helping to clean the air, cool our residents/ neighborhoods, capture rainwater, and reduce erosion.  Mokena prides itself on providing significant parkway diversity with different types of Maples, Elms, Oaks, but also includes a variety of ornamental and rare trees. The Village of Mokena has been recognized as Tree City, USA recipient for more than 19 years. In 2024, the Village was named a Sterling Tree City USA recipient after being recognized for participating in the Tree City USA Growth Award program for 10 years. 

Tree App

The Village of Mokena has developed a public dashboard to share information with the public. To use the Tree App, click here. The dashboard will provide information on trees located in parkways and on Village-owned property. To search the dashboard, enter an address and click on the tree icon for more information.

Tree Maintenance 

Any tree needing to be trimmed, replaced or evaluated can be addressed by calling Village Hall and requesting a work order to be entered to initiate support. Residents must follow the Village of Mokena Tree Ordinance.

Guidelines for Care of Young Parkway Trees

Following are some guidelines to help you care for your young parkway tree:

Proper Water Management.  Perhaps the two biggest mistakes that are made with young parkway trees are under watering and overwatering.  During dry periods, your tree should be watered twice a week by taking a hose and letting it trickle 3-5 feet around the tree for 20 minutes.  You will be watering the soil and root system.  DO NOT WATER THE TRUNK OR FOLIAGE.  In the event of significant rainfall, wait 3 days and start the cycle again.  In extreme summer heat and drought, you can water every other day.  No matter what, do not water your tree every day.

Mulch.  Trees benefit from mulch in many ways.  Mulch holds in moisture, keeps lawn mowing equipment from damaging the tree trunk, and breaks down into organic material that helps improve the soil below.  It is necessary to add new mulch every year.  We suggest you use organic mulch—no gravel, limestone, lava rock, landscape fabric, or plastic.  Avoid piling the mulch up high on the tree trunk.  This is called “volcano” mulch, and is EXTREMELY BAD for the tree.  Keep mulch at 2-4 inches deep and away from the trunk so the root flare is exposed.

Pruning.  Other than broken or dead branches, your tree will not need any pruning for the first 2-3 years.  Removing any live growth at this time may stress the tree and lead to its death.  We ask that you kindly refrain from pruning any newly planted tree.

Fertilization.  DO NOT fertilize any tree for the first year.  Fertilization can damage the roots of a young tree.

Thank You!  Please follow these guidelines and you will enjoy your trees for years to come!

Have questions?  Give us a call at (708) 479-3900.