1. You contact us and say, "Hey, I want a street tree." Tell us what type of tree you would like (if you have a preference).

2. We contact Our City Forest and say, "We need more street trees in North Willow Glen!"

3. A guy from Our City Forest will come look at your property. He will recommend a tree suited for your location, if your preference doesn't work for some reason. He'll mark the curb where the tree will go.

Left: Steve Mitchell with Our City Forest helps a volunteer affix a tree stake.

4. If you have concrete in your planting strip (between sidewalk and curb) then Our City Forest will arrange for a contractor to cut out a place to put the tree. You pay about $80, more if you remove more concrete (encouraged).

5. A day or two before Planting Day, you should dig a hole for the tree. The hole should be 18" deep and 2 1/2' to 3 1/2' in diameter. If you can't dig a hole, maybe someone on your street or in the neighborhood will help you. Make sure to rope off the hole so no one falls in.

Left: Isaias Job digs street tree holes for his neighbors on Spencer Avenue between Willow and Atlanta. Sometimes a pickax or caliche bar is necessary on our hard clay soil.

6. On Planting Day, the Tree Amigos from Our City Forest will bring the 15-gallon trees to our neighborhood. We ask for people in the neighborhood (such as you, for instance) to help with your planting; we're usually assisted by teenage volunteers doing community service. You meet them and help them as they plant your tree. They'll give you information on how to care for it.

Left: Anthony from Our City Forest and teen volunteers plant sycamores at Hummingbird Park. North Willow Glen and Our City Forest collaborated to plant 20 street trees in NWG in October 2003, and another 20 in April 2004.

Photos by
Annette Boyer
and Ken Eklund