In 2022, after the City and utility companies caused unnecessary damage and removed several old-growth trees, the Edgewater Glen Association launched an initiative to catalog our neighborhood’s parkway trees.

Heritage trees—those 50 years or older—are vital to our environment, public health, and the beauty of Edgewater Glen. This effort led to the creation of a Heritage Tree Toolkit, designed to help any group identify and track these important trees. It also produced a first-of-its-kind, community-led study of Edgewater Glen’s urban forest.

To share this work, an exhibit featuring the toolkit and study was held on Arbor Day 2023 at the Edgewater Historical Society. The event also marked the launch of a broader initiative: a collaboration between the Historical Society, the Edgewater Environmental Coalition, and all Edgewater block clubs to inventory every heritage parkway tree in Edgewater.