Pull to refresh
Logo
What Changed
Following Why Sign Up
Clark Park named Chicago Park District's second accredited arboretum

Clark Park named Chicago Park District's second accredited arboretum

Rule Changes Chicago, IL local

Former Riverview Amusement Park site earns ArbNet Level 1 status; the Park District now has a third accredited arboretum

October 27th, 2026: Clark Park celebrates with community bonfire

Overview

Updated Oct 28

Clark Park, a 22-acre green space on the former Riverview Amusement Park site, is the Chicago Park District's second accredited arboretum. The ArbNet Level 1 designation, announced in October 2026 by the Clark Park Advisory Council, requires at least 25 tree species and public education programs.

On Oct. 27, the Park District confirmed that The 606's Bloomingdale Trail also received Level 1 status, making it the third accredited Park District facility. The district is also running its first citywide inventory of about 250,000 trees. Clark Park's next volunteer work day is Nov. 28.

Why it matters

The designation formalizes community tree stewardship and comes as the Park District works to make its 250,000-tree urban canopy more resilient.

Last Monday's email for Chicago, IL

Sent Nov 9. It carried:

Get next Monday's: one short email a week. Free. Unsubscribe in one click.

Questions about this story

Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.

No questions yet — be the first to ask.

Key Indicators

3
Chicago Park District Level 1 arboreta
Palmer Square Park (2025), Clark Park and The 606's Bloomingdale Trail (2026).
25
Minimum tree species required for Level 1
Applicants must also share tree information publicly and hold at least one public event a year.
250,000
Trees in the Park District's first citywide inventory
Species and age data will support long-term tree care and future arboretum applications.
28
Tree species at Palmer Square Park
The first Park District arboretum, built from 45 years of grassroots stewardship.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Sign up to generate historical perspectives on this story.

Log in Sign Up

People Involved

JD
Jeff Daube
Volunteer coordinator, Clark Park Advisory Council; led the arboretum application
Active volunteer at Clark Park for over 20 years, about eight as a treekeeper
 Cathy Breitenbach
Cathy Breitenbach
Director of cultural and natural resources, Chicago Park District
Oversees the arboretum application process and citywide tree inventory
 Carlos Ramirez-Rosa
Carlos Ramirez-Rosa
Superintendent and CEO, Chicago Park District
Led the district through both arboretum accreditations

Organizations Involved

Chicago Park District
Chicago Park District
Public park agency
Oversees arboretum accreditation and the citywide tree inventory

Municipal agency managing Chicago's public parks, including roughly 250,000 trees.
MA
Morton Arboretum / ArbNet
Nonprofit arboretum and accreditation body
Administers the ArbNet program and partnered with the Park District on applications

Nonprofit arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, that administers ArbNet, the only accreditation program specific to arboreta.
Clark Park Advisory Council
Clark Park Advisory Council
Community volunteer group
Led Clark Park's successful arboretum application

Volunteer group that stewards Clark Park in Irving Park and led its arboretum application.
HA
Homeowners Association of Palmer Square
Community volunteer group
Pioneered the district's first arboretum accreditation

Community group that stewarded Palmer Square Park for 45 years and led its accreditation.

Timeline

1967 October 2026

10 events Latest: October 27th, 2026 · 2 weeks ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Clark Park celebrates with community bonfire

    Latest Event

    Park hosts its second annual community bonfire from 5-7 p.m. to mark the accreditation.

  2. Bloomingdale Trail named third Park District arboretum

    Milestone

    The Park District confirmed that The 606's Bloomingdale Trail received Level 1 arboretum designation, its third accredited facility.

  3. Clark Park named city's second accredited arboretum

    Milestone

    The 22-acre former amusement park site earns ArbNet Level 1 status, following Palmer Square Park.

  4. ArbNet reaches 1,000 accredited arboreta

    Milestone

    The Morton Arboretum said its ArbNet program accredited its 1,000th arboretum, in Poland. Chicago sites it cited include Clark Park.

  5. Palmer Square Park named district's first arboretum

    Milestone

    Palmer Square becomes the first Chicago Park District location accredited as an ArbNet Level 1 arboretum.

  6. Park District begins citywide tree inventory

    Milestone

    First districtwide count of about 250,000 trees, meant to support canopy resilience and future applications.

  7. Palmer Square incorporated into Park District

    History

    The Logan Square park, part of Chicago's 1870s boulevard system, joins the district.

  8. Hybrid elms planted at Palmer Square

    History

    More than 50 disease-resistant hybrid elms, developed by Morton Arboretum's George Ware, are planted.

  9. Palmer Square neighbors begin tree stewardship

    History

    Homeowners Association of Palmer Square forms to rescue a neglected, clay-filled park field.

  10. Riverview Amusement Park closes

    History

    Once billed as the world's largest amusement park, it closes; the land later becomes Clark Park.

Scenarios

1

Third Chicago Park District park named Level 1 arboretum

Likely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Cathy Breitenbach of the Chicago Park District, who said several parks are working toward accreditation

The Park District partnered with the Morton Arboretum to build an application process, and Breitenbach said several parks are already pursuing it. The citywide tree inventory should make future applications easier by providing species data. A third designation would confirm the arboretum program is expanding rather than a one-off.

2

Clark Park adds oaks to its arboretum collection

Possible Resolves by End of 2028

Discussed by: Jeff Daube, Clark Park Advisory Council volunteer coordinator

Daube wants to introduce more tree species, especially oaks, which host insects that feed birds. The accreditation brings visibility and potential resources. He also said he would like a companion for the park's horse chestnut, or buckeye. If the community secures new plantings, the collection would grow beyond what ArbNet accredited.

3

Park District publishes citywide tree inventory and management plan

Likely Resolves by Q2 2028

Discussed by: Chicago Park District, which says the inventory will support long-term tree care

The first districtwide count of about 250,000 trees is meant to provide species and age data. The district says the inventory will support long-term tree care and make the canopy more resilient to weather. Publication would set management priorities and open a clearer path for future arboretum applications.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

September 2025

Palmer Square Park arboretum accreditation (2025)

Palmer Square Park in Logan Square became the first Chicago Park District location accredited as an ArbNet Level 1 arboretum. The 7.69-acre park, part of Chicago's 1870s boulevard system, holds 28 tree species including a historic elm grove.

Then

Set the model for community-led accreditation in the district.

Now

Now serves as the template for other parks, including Clark Park.

Why this matters now

Clark Park is the second park to follow the path Palmer Square opened.

1970s-1980s

Dutch elm disease and hybrid elms (1970s-1980s)

Dutch elm disease killed millions of American elms in cities across the US in the mid-20th century. At the Morton Arboretum, dendrologist George Ware developed disease-resistant hybrid elms; in the 1980s, Palmer Square neighbors planted more than 50 of them, many of which still stand.

Then

The hybrid elms became the core of Palmer Square's tree collection.

Now

They became a symbol of resilient, disease-resistant urban forestry.

Why this matters now

The arboretum program and the 250,000-tree inventory respond to this history of canopy loss.

1967

Riverview Amusement Park closure (1967)

Riverview Amusement Park, once billed as the world's largest amusement park, closed in 1967. The 22-acre site along the Chicago River later became Richard Clark Park, with soccer fields and bike trails.

Then

The land moved from private amusement to public green space.

Now

Clark Park is now the southern anchor of a riverfront green corridor.

Why this matters now

The arboretum designation recognizes the transformation of this former fairground into a public tree collection.

Sources

(5)
Block Club Chicago Hoodline ArbNet Morton Register Chicago Park District mortonarb.org