Lake Bluff committee backs villagewide mailer and outreach on tree mulching and care

The Village of Lake Bluff Sustainability & Community Enhancement Committee indicated support Oct. 21 for a villagewide outreach effort to educate residents about harmful tree-care practices, including so-called "volcano mulching," after a resident reported identifying 220 parkway addresses where mulch or soil had been piled against tree bark.

The committee heard a presentation from resident George Russell, who said he walked the east side of the village and "came up with 220 addresses" where parkway trees were over-mulched. Russell urged the committee to send a full, addressed letter (not just a small door hanger) to encourage homeowners to change mulching practices. The committee discussed distributing a letter to all residents and placing the letter inside a hangar or envelope for door delivery.

The outreach was pitched as part of broader concerns about tree health in the village. "Knowledge is power," said resident Jill Danley, noting she had unintentionally mulched in ways that can harm trees and urging clearer education and stronger follow-up when heritage or mature trees are removed. Village staff said parts of the tree ordinance were revised after a CRTI grant with the Morton Arboretum in 2022–2023, but that a full reexamination has not been done recently.

Committee members and residents also raised disease concerns, including oak wilt, and questioned whether contractors and landscapers receive adequate instruction. The committee discussed licensing landscapers as a longer-term enforcement and education tool so guidelines could be shared as part of a permit or license process.

Staff responded to a specific example raised by Russell about mature parkway trees that had been shown on approved plans for preservation but were later removed. A staff member said the removal "was a mistake and misunderstanding" and that replacement trees of a sizable size are being planted; the species and exact timeline were not specified during the meeting.

Committee members asked that any outreach material be drafted with input from the Morton Arboretum and be short, diagrammatic and linked to more detailed resources (for example via a QR code). Members said they wanted to see drafts before printing; staff said they would prepare the materials and circulate them for committee review. The committee did not record a formal vote at the meeting; members indicated consensus to move forward with a full letter and an accompanying hanger for distribution to all residents.

Next steps discussed included preparing the mailer and hanger with arboretum input, circulating drafts to the committee for review, and placing a formal recommendation or motion on the committee's next agenda for action by the village board. No formal monetary appropriation or printing contract was approved at the meeting.