Land and Forestry



The Municipal Land and Forestry Division is responsible for all maintenance on approximately 42 acres of Village-owned properties including turf management, sprinkler systems, pond aerator maintenance, tree maintenance (planting, trimming, removal, and disease control), and landscaping of Village Gateways and Village Hall.

A Message from the Village Arborist

The forestry budget includes the planting of trees along the right of way and in public parks and municipal grounds of the Village. As your Village Arborist, I am excited about the opportunity to "green up" our Village and help maintain its suburban forest. Replacing hazardous or diseased trees that have died and planting trees in areas where there were no trees, can make a significant contribution to preserving our Village’s natural beauty. These trees will provide shade, wildlife habitat, clean air, reduce noise, prevent soil erosion and give us the peace of mind that only nature’s beauty can bring.

If you would like a tree planted in the right-of-way adjacent to your home, please call the Public Works Department. Your name and address will be placed on our planting list and trees will be planted in the order of requests. You will be notified before planting. At that time, I will be happy to consult with you about the location and species of tree to be planted. Soil type, overhead and underground utility lines, water drainage, and exposure to road salt are some of the factors that must be considered when selecting a tree species. I will make every effort to provide the species you prefer, however, the final decision must be made by myself, keeping in mind the site conditions.

Our goal is to provide a healthy tree canopy over the streets and pathways of our Village. We can only accomplish this with your cooperation and by planting the right tree in the right place. After your tree is planted, your help in keeping the tree watered is crucial to its survival. It is our hope that your new tree will improve the quality of life for you, your neighbors, and all the residents of Burr Ridge.

Nick Just, Village Arborist
Municipal Land and Forestry Supervisor
njust@burr-ridge.gov

Tree Programs

Brush Pickup
The Annual Brush Pickup is on the 4th Monday in October. Residents who have brush that is too large to be picked up by the normal landscape waste through Groot can place it beside the road. It will be collected by a grapple-claw mechanism and removed to a remote site for chipping. This process will allow the work to be performed quicker, quieter, and with less chipping debris on the street. Please ensure that the brush conforms to the following requirements as the Village cannot require the contractor to return to a site if it does not comply:

  • Branches removed by contractors are NOT eligible for pickup. The program is intended to assist residents who perform their own work.
  • Branches may not exceed 8" in diameter.
  • Branches must be stacked neatly on the parkway, oriented parallel to the curb, and three feet away from stationary items. (trees, hydrants, etc.)
  • Branches must not be tied with string or wire
  • Branches must be free of wire, staples, nails, or metal of any kind.
  • Rootballs, stumps, lumber, debris, rocks, grasses, or any non-woody material will not be picked up.
  • Branches and twigs shorter than 18 inches should be placed in a yard waste bag for removal by your waste carrier.
  • Branches must not be placed in the parkway more than three weeks before the chipping program for your area begins.
Branches must be in the parkway by NO LATER THAN 7:00 AM on the first day of pickup (Monday), as listed. Once the contractor has progressed past your street, they will not return.
Tree Maintenance
The Village's Tree Code, which regulates the planting, preservation, protection, and removal of right-of-way trees, requires a permit from the Village for any tree to be planted in the dedicated right-of-way.

There is no cost for the permit. The Village's Certified Arborist ensures that the species selected is compatible with a street-side environment and located where there will be no interference with traffic or utilities.
 
The Arborist is available to address residents' concerns about diseased or dying trees and will be willing to assist in determining the cause of any tree problems.
Parkway Tree Planting Program
The Village plants parkway trees in the right-of-way throughout the Village in the spring and fall. Residents can request that the right-of-way in front of their home be placed on the list for trees to be planted by the Village. Such requests will be honored in the order in which they are received, with the Arborist in consultation with the resident, determining the best location and species. If you would like a tree planted adjacent to your property, please contact the public works department. Your name and address will be placed on our planting list and trees will be planted in the order of requests. Please see the message from the village arborist for more information.
Tree Trimming
The parkway trees are the responsibility of the Village and are maintained by Forestry & Grounds and the Village Arborist, who will make decisions about their care. The Parkway Tree Pruning Program is on a seven-year cycle beginning in the early months of winter. Trees larger than eight inches in diameter are trimmed by an outside contractor under the supervision of Village Arborist, Nick Just. Smaller trees are trimmed by Forestry Staff.
Arbor Day
National Arbor Day is always celebrated on the last Friday in April. The Village celebrates Arbor Day by planting a tree each year.  Locations vary depending on the selected location for the tree planting.

Tree Orders

2023 Tree Orders

The order deadline is Friday, September 29, 2023.

Join the Village's reforestation efforts by ordering trees for fall planting in your yard through the Suburban Tree Consortium (STC). The STC comprises over 30 municipalities in the western suburbs that have banded together to take advantage of large-scale buying power.

No guarantee accompanies the trees, but mortality within the consortium has been approximately 1 % in recent years. Because the trees will be dormant at the delivery time, conditions will be ideal for developing a healthy root system. However, since deliveries are not until late Fall, residents are urged to plant their trees promptly after receiving them to avoid any danger of freezing or drying. Since the trees are grown locally, they are well-adjusted to soil conditions. Also, since they are balled and burlapped, the trees adapt more readily to their new location and do not require extensive pruning.

Please remember that under the Village's tree regulations, you must obtain a permit if you plan to plant trees in the parkway. There is no permit fee, and your application must be approved before you accept delivery.
Trees are provided by Spring Grove Nursery of Mazon, Illinois. Visit www.springgrovenursery.com for tree descriptions.

Select trees are available for purchase; quantities are limited and are first come, first served.
2022 Tree Orders
2022 Resident Tree Order Form 
The order deadline is Friday, September 30, 2022


Join the Village's reforestation efforts by ordering trees for fall planting in your yard through the Suburban Tree Consortium (STC). The STC comprises over 30 municipalities in the western suburbs that have banded together to take advantage of large-scale buying power.

No guarantee accompanies the trees, but mortality within the consortium has been approximately 1 % in recent years. Because the trees will be dormant at the delivery time, conditions will be ideal for developing a healthy root system. However, since deliveries are not until late Fall, residents are urged to plant their trees promptly after receiving them to avoid any danger of freezing or drying. Since the trees are grown locally, they are well-adjusted to soil conditions. Also, since they are balled and burlapped, the trees adapt more readily to their new location and do not require extensive pruning.
2021 Tree Orders
Join the Village’s reforestation efforts by ordering trees for fall planting in your yard. The trees are purchased through the Suburban Tree Consortium (STC), which is comprised of 30 municipalities in the western suburbs that banded together to contract with Wilson Nurseries of Hampshire, Illinois. Although there is no guarantee that accompanies the trees, mortality within the consortium has been approximately 1 % in recent years.

Because the trees will be dormant at the time of delivery, conditions will be ideal for the development of a healthy root system. However, since deliveries are not until late October, residents are urged to plant their trees promptly after receiving them to avoid any danger of freezing or drying. Since the trees are grown locally, they are well-adjusted to soil conditions. Also, since they are balled and burlapped, the trees adapt more readily to their new location and do not require extensive pruning.

Please remember that under the provisions of the Village’s tree regulations, a permit must be obtained if any of the trees purchased through this program are to be planted in the parkway. There is no fee for the permit; however, your application should be approved before you accept delivery.

The order deadline is Friday, Oct 15, 2021, delivery will be scheduled for sometime in October

CLICK HERE to download the order form

Emerald Ash Borer

Emerald Ash Borer
Please be advised that the Village of Burr Ridge began performing selective treatment of public Ash trees commencing in mid-April 2014.  At that time, it was believed that all public and private Ash trees within Burr Ridge had been exposed to EAB. 

More information about EAB can be found below: