Brookfield is one of many, many Tree City U.S.A. towns across the country. In Illinois there are nearly 200 communities so designated. It’s one of those designations that towns tend to take for granted and, outside of a town’s Forestry Department, typically only surfaces when either the municipality somehow loses or is in danger of losing its Tree City U.S.A. status or if someone’s got a political agenda they’re promoting.
But the designation is meaningful for Brookfield if only for this reason-in Illinois there are only three towns who have held the distinction longer than Brookfield. Brookfield’s been a Tree City U.S.A. town for 25 years, according to the organization’s website. Oddly enough, Riverside-awash in trees-has been named Tree City U.S.A. just once, according to the website.
Yet it’s Riverside that has a tree preservation ordinance and Brookfield that should adopt one in order to protect its mature trees on public property in the face of increasing development and ongoing infrastructure improvements.
While those two facts of life aren’t going to change-and shouldn’t-both developers and contractors should be required to leave the village’s landscape in as good a shape as they found it.
The current water main project in the Hollywood section of Brookfield is a perfect example of the need to safeguard the village’s landscape. While the long-term effects of the damage caused during construction won’t be known for some years down the line, the damage to many trees is very evident. If the damage isn’t enough to kill the trees outright, it is, in many cases, incredibly unsightly, with broad swaths of limbs removed from single trees.
It’s time for Brookfield to simply ask more of its contractors. If wrapping tree trunks in wood boards is called for, then, by all means, call for it. If it takes asking companies to use smaller equipment to negotiate narrow or curving (or both) streets, then write those requirements into the bid specifications.
While trees are a renewable resource, large, mature trees take decades to cultivate. It’s very easy for public officials-not just in Brookfield-to claim to love the landscape. It takes another kind of official to put his money where his mouth is on tree preservation.
In Brookfield, it looks like that day is here, and the village will be better off for it.
