What Cicero Can Do To Mitigate Flooding, Provide Cleaner Air And Alleviate Heat Waves
Illustration by Robin Carnilius
By Richie Requena
Cicero town president Larry Dominick called the July 2 storm that rocked Cicero with flooding a “[once] in 500 years storm.” Approximately around 9 inches of rainfall led to the town of Cicero reporting nearly 7,000 damage assessment forms from residents, according to a Town of Cicero press release.
Due to climate change, environmentalists predict the Chicago area having warmer, wetter summers with increased heat waves, increased chances of flooding and more polluted air.
However, experts like Lydia Scott, director of the Chicago Regional Trees Initiative (CRTI), said planting more trees can lessen those effects.
In Cicero, records show that between July 31 of 2022 and July 31 of 2023, 39 trees were planted on public parkways— what the town calls “town trees.”
Cicero Independiente requested, through the Freedom of Information Act, records showing how many trees were removed in that same period of time. The town at the time only turned in one record of one tree being removed.
For reference, in the first 6 months of 2022, the Public Work’s department removed 108 trees.
Scott said the benefits from trees don’t stop at providing shade, a necessary step to lessen the urban island heat effect. The shading canopy can also absorb rainfall, granting valuable moments for the rain to reach ground level during intense storms that strain sewer systems, which helps prevent flooding.
“It’s all about the size of the tree,” said Scott. “The bigger the tree, the bigger the effect.”
Scott also mentioned that a robust tree canopy can aid in purifying the air. This is because tree leaves capture pollutants and carbon from the air while releasing oxygen.
On Arbor Day of 2022, Chicago started an initiative called “Our Roots Chicago” with a comprehensive plan to plant trees more equitably across the city’s South and West Side. Since then, Chicago has planted over 28,000 trees, according to their department of Streets and Sanitation.
Neighboring Oak Park goes as far as keeping an inventory of trees that plants on public parkways along streets. Their inventory boasts that there are nearly 19,000 trees on parkways and public areas.
Berwyn also keeps an inventory of their 10,000-plus trees— and keeps an eye on nearly 3,800 open planting spaces. Their Urban Forestry Management plan states their trees provide $1.3 million in benefits to the town.
A year ago, Cicero Independiente looked into social media interactions from concerned Cicero residents about tree removal by the town’s Public Work’s department. The investigation that came out showed that in two years, the town removed 448 trees, and planted 92.
Scott said CRTI has in the past tried to get in contact with Cicero officials to inform them of grants they are eligible for when it comes to tree planting.
Scott said she sent officials in Cicero a summary of its Urban Forestry six months ago.
According to the summary, Cicero has 12 percent of its town covered in tree canopy, but 46 percent of Cicero is not suitable for tree planting due to buildings, roads and railways.
For comparison, 28 percent of Cook County is covered in tree canopy and 26 percent of it is not suitable for canopy.
“We would be delighted to work with Cicero with the grants available,” said Scott. “We have gotten calls from people in Cicero to plant more trees.”
At publication, neither the spokesperson for the town of Cicero Ray Hanania, nor Cicero’s Director of the Cicero Clean and Green Program Emo Cundari have not responded to Cicero Independiente’s request for comment.
To get a free maple tree to plant courtesy of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Center call or send us a text at (708) 683 - 9340.
Richie Requena graduated from DePaul University. His work covers race, class, communities, and the environment. His work has been published in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, WBEZ, South Side Weekly, WTTW, Univision, and the Paseo Podcast. You can find him @RichieRequena on Twitter.
Want to read more stories like this? Consider making a donation to support our work. Your money goes directly towards paying journalists of color to report on local news.
SUBSCRIBE
Bringing you news from the 60804
We respect your privacy and will only use your information to send you our latest posts.