Natural Areas & Green Spaces

Access to greenspace is vital in any urban area. Parks, tree-lined streets, and gardens offer numerous benefits, from improving air quality and reducing urban heat to providing spaces for recreation and relaxation. As summers grow hotter, protecting and expanding our green spaces helps keep Evanston cooler while enhancing our community’s quality of life.

Evanston is a leader in tree coverage in the Chicagoland area. Each year, the city works to increase tree planting, expand native gardens, and maintain a thriving urban forest for residents, visitors, and wildlife alike.

Tree City USA

Evanston’s commitment to trees has earned national recognition. In 2015, the city was named a Tree City USA community by the Arbor Day Foundation. Evanston also received the 2014 Tree City USA Growth Award, which highlights cities that demonstrate measurable improvement in tree care and environmental stewardship.

To earn the Tree City USA designation, a city must meet four key requirements:

• A dedicated tree department or board
• A tree-care ordinance
• Annual forestry budget
• Observance of Arbor Day

These programs support Evanston’s mission to provide a healthy, sustainable, and beautiful urban canopy for generations to come.

Bird City Evanston

Evanston is proud to be recognized as a Bird City Illinois, by the Audubon Council of Illinois. This designation reflects the city’s commitment to protecting and enhancing bird habitat. Positioned along Lake Michigan and the North Shore Channel, Evanston provides critical stopover and breeding areas for both migratory and resident birds. Each year, approximately five million birds pass through the city during migration.

The Bird City designation celebrates cities that take concrete steps to make urban areas safer and more welcoming for birds. In Evanston, this includes: maintaining a mature tree canopy and planting new trees each year, restoring and protecting natural areas and native gardens, creating bird-friendly yards and public spaces, and collaborating with volunteers and local organizations to enhance habitats on public land.

Organizations supporting Evanston’s Bird City efforts include:

• Bird-Friendly Evanston

• Evanston North Shore Bird Club

• Natural Habitat Evanston

• Climate Action Evanston

Birdwatching resources:

• Interactive Bird Watching Hotspot Map

• Evanston North Shore Bird Club

• Make Your Windows Bird Safe

• Other Bird-Friendly Resources