TreeKeepers
of Chicago
...a program of the
Openlands Project
Local Contact Person....Patricia Reis
400 E. Randolph Dr. #1505
Chicago, Illinois 60601
(312) 565-9915
Pat Reis is a trained TreeKeeper* -- a volunteer who is certified to give trees proper care and maintenance so they can thrive in the urban forest.
Since early 2001, she and another volunteer, George Gibson, have been spending one morning a week pruning small trees and shrubs in Peanut Park, the northeast section of Grant Park that abuts Lake Shore Drive and lower Randolph Street. In 2002, they were joined by Kirt Weed and Mia Miller, who are both in training to become TreeKeepers. And they have expanded their pruning to the Monroe Harbor area of the lakefront. The Park District picks up the brush they cut each week. Because of their work, the trees in these areas of Grant Park are doing well, even though the urban environment (salt spray from Lake Shore Drive, rabbits who peel the bark, pollution in the air, bugs, etc.) is very hard on all city trees.
In addition, Pat has sponsored a number of TreeKeeper Workdays, where TreeKeepers from around the area prune and mulch on a Saturday morning from 9 - noon. The Chicago Park District supplies mulch, wheelbarrows, rakes and shovels. In the past few years, a number of New East Side residents and TreeKeepers from Chicago have come out to help move mulch and brush. The largest group was 23 hard-working volunteers who celebrated Earth Day on April 26, 2003 by putting 48 yards (eight truckloads!) of mulch on trees at the north end of Grant Park. Thanks to Bob O'Neill and the Grant Park Conservancy who recruited many new volunteers. Further workdays will be co-sponsored with this group and the Grant Park Advisory Council.
Volunteers have included:
George Gibson Bob O' Neill Kirt Weed
Ellen Gantnor Sue Rucker Emanuelle Mercado
Bill O'Connell Ethel Peterson Pat Reis
John Darey Richard Ward Betsy Elsaesser
Don Eason Jim DeHorn Fred Schaal
Ellyn Yutan Bob Goodman Rosarica Naron
Shelly Sather Greg Ryan Julia Mellow
Theresa Maher Connie Remkus Gail Merritt
Paul Brayman Anna Weaver Leslie Sturino
Bob Gordon Michael Sturino
Special thanks to Richard Ward who has created this website and who also moves a lot of mulch!!
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This page was last updated on: April 17, 2010
Page Visits since 8/1/2002
Pat Reis explaining TreeKeepers to the Grant Park Advisory Council (GPAC) on August 21, 2002
Workday April 26, 2003 TreeKeepers, Grant Park Advisory Council, The Green, Central Michigan Ave. Assn, Friends of the Parks, Mayor Daley's Green and Clean
Peanut Park Area of Grant Park - Treekeeper's Original Home Base
Workday June 14, 2003 in Peanut Park
NEXT WORKDAY...SATURDAY ____________________________....Meet near the stairs in Peanut Park (northeast Grant Park). Call Pat Reis, our local TreeKeeper, at 312-565-9915 for additional information.
TreeKeepers Workday..... Saturday, November 8, 2003. We were joined by four hardworking University of Chicago students in their community service project. Our background is the beautiful and historically open Monroe Harbor that some persons are suggesting should be a site for a permanent marina.
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PEANUT PARK
(Northeast Grant Park)