Help find Batavia's biggest trees with May 25 program
Do you have one of the largest trees in Batavia on your property?
The Batavia Environmental Commission and the Batavia Tree Commission have launched the Batavia Big Tree Program. A Batavia Big Tree is simply … a big tree! It is the largest noninvasive tree of a particular species within Batavia.
The mission of the Batavia Big Tree Program is to find, measure and catalog the largest trees in the City of Batavia, while encouraging Batavia residents to be outdoors, and educating and inspiring residents to engage with and appreciate their community trees.
The U.S. Forest Service explains that "urban forests are dynamic ecosystems that provide critical benefits to people and wildlife. They help to filter air and water, control stormwater, conserve energy, and provide animal habitat and shade. They add beauty, form, and structure to urban design. By reducing noise and providing places to re-create, urban forests strengthen social cohesion, spur community revitalization, and add economic value to our communities."
As a designated Tree City, it is important for Batavia to promote our urban forest and be proud of our big trees!
Volunteers with the Batavia Environmental Commission and Tree Commission will accept nominations and promote the program and the champion trees that are discovered as part of it.
Check out the BEC Big Trees webpage to learn how you can nominate a tree for Big Tree status.
Native trees that qualify could be nominated for the Kane County or Illinois Big Trees.
BEC and the Tree Commission will be hosting a Kane County Big Tree Training with the Kane County Forest Preserve District on Wednesday, May 25, at 7 p.m. in city hall. This program will teach participants how to recognize, document and report on Batavia's biggest trees.
The program will feature indoor classroom instruction before participants headed out to practice on nearby trees. Limited seats are available.
For more information and to sign up for the class, go to www.bataviaec.org/batavia-big-tree-program.