When we first moved to the neighborhood, one of the things I loved most was the dense canopy of Norway maples at the corner of Leland and Virginia Avenues. Their broad, overlapping crowns formed a distinctive green and purple ceiling over the street. It was a landscape feature that gave the neighborhood its character, even if you didn't immediately recognize why.
Over the years, we've watched those trees decline. Some have been removed, while others are slowly dying. The canopy that once defined that corner is gradually disappearing.
The changes made me look more closely at the trees along Leland Avenue. We have a remarkable collection of mature trees, representing decades of planting decisions and growth. But many of those trees, including aging Norway maples and ash trees affected by emerald ash borer, are approaching the end of their lives.
New trees have been planted, and more will follow. But will they create the same experience? A young replacement tree may eventually provide shade, habitat, and other benefits, but the spatial character of a mature canopy takes decades to develop. Species selection, planting conditions, and the cumulative effects of individual trees all influence what our streets will look and feel like in the future.
That question prompted this inventory.
The Leland Avenue Tree Map documents the trees along Leland Avenue between Virginia and Western Avenues. It is both a record of the existing urban forest and a starting point for observing how it changes over time.
The project will eventually expand throughout the GRO neighborhood, bounded by Lawrence Avenue, Montrose Avenue, Western Avenue, and the Chicago River.
The goal isn't necessarily to identify trees. It's to pay closer attention to the landscape we already have, understand what we're losing, and consider what kind of urban forest we're creating for the next generation.