The Village of Oak Park | 123 Madison St.  Oak Park, IL 60302 | village@oak-park.us

Main menu

STAY CONNECTED

Plans readied for winter tree pruning cycle

Private contractors soon will be pruning trees east of East Avenue from Madison Street south to the I-290 Eisenhower Expressway.

The winter pruning cycle, set for January through March, will follow the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) guidelines for tree care to address three key issues — tree health, resident safety and protecting property from damage.

Crews will be removing dead or dying limbs as well as thinning out and raising the canopy to allow for safe vehicle and pedestrian traffic and create appropriate clearances for adjacent structures and signs.

While the pruning can seem excessive during winter when no leaves are on the limbs, crews will work to ensure that pruning is just right as foliage returns in the spring. With a program that aims to prune every tree on public property once every four years, plans must consider that the medium-aged trees that compose a sizeable share of those on Oak Park parkways can grow up to two feet each year — or eight feet between pruning cycles.

The Village’s pruning program has proven very successful in minimizing storm damage and reducing ongoing pruning requests.

Village Forestry crews will be spot checking progress of the private contractors. Residents who have any questions or concerns about the type or quality of work being performed by contractors are urged to call 708.358.5700.