Mundelein earns 2025 Tree City USA, Growth Award Recognition from Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation named Mundelein a 2025 Tree City USA in honor of its commitment to plant, grow, and maintain trees to benefit its community. Mundelein also received a Growth Award for demonstrating improved levels of tree care and community engagement.
The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. Its network of more than a million supporters and partners has helped the organization plant more than 500 million trees in forests and communities across more than 60 counties since 1972. The Tree City USA program has recognized cities and towns that leverage urban forestry to enhance the livability and sustainability of their local area for over 50 years.
“By recognizing the role of trees as critical infrastructure, Mundelein is helping shape a healthier and more resilient future. We’re proud Mundelein is among the Arbor Day Foundation’s growing network of communities committed to creating positive impact through trees,” said Michelle Saulnier, vice president of programs at the Arbor Day Foundation.
In cities and neighborhoods, trees are proven to help mitigate the urban heat island effect, reduce stormwater runoff, improve air quality, and boost mental and physical health. When the right trees are planted in the right places, they can also reduce traffic noise, increase property values, and lower energy costs for homeowners.
“We’re excited to support a greener, more sustainable Mundelein for generations to come. It’s not just about improving our quality of life through green initiatives, it’s strengthening our community so our children can inherit a community that is healthy, resilient, and thriving,” Mundelein Mayor Robin D. Meier said.
To earn Tree City USA recognition, a city must uphold four core standards including maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry, and participating in an Arbor Day celebration.
The Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA program is operated in partnership with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service. To learn more about the program or how to apply, visit arborday.org.
The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they’ve answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners. And this is only the beginning.
The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org.