LISLE, Ill. (Dec. 9, 2025)—Three urban forestry awardees were announced at The Morton Arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI) annual Partner Recognition Celebration on Dec. 6, recognizing especially transformational contributions toward systemic and lasting improvements to the regional forest landscape.
The 2025 Urban Forestry Award recipients were the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)’s Urban and Community Forestry Program Manager Michael Brunk for Urban Forester of the Year, the City of Blue Island for Urban Forest Advocate and Chicago’s Amundsen High School parent volunteer and the school’s Seeds of Change Club co-sponsor Jim Javenkoski, Ph.D., for Urban Forest Innovator.
“This year’s recipients are truly outstanding innovators and changemakers who have gone above and beyond to advance urban forestry across the Chicago region,” said CRTI Director Zach Wirtz. “The presence of trees benefits communities for years to come, so we need champions like Jim, Michael, and the City of Blue Island advocating for their importance. Their work is essential and exemplifies the spirit of CRTI.”
CRTI’s annual Partner Recognition Celebration, held at the South Shore Cultural Center in Chicago, honored leaders in urban and community forestry and showcased collaborative achievements. The event was co-planned by representatives from the Chicago Park District, the City of Blue Island’s Forestry Board, Emerald Tree Care, Lawndale Pop-Up Spot and The Language Labs.
Urban Forester of the Year – Michael Brunk
After retiring from a successful career as city arborist for the City of Urbana, Illinois, Brunk accepted the position of urban and community forestry program manager with IDNR. In his six years with IDNR, Brunk has helped to secure urban and community forestry funding for hundreds of impactful projects across the state.
His success is demonstrated nationally through the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA program, with Illinois leading the nation in the number of Tree City USA annual Growth Awards—a measure of quality tree care and community engagement throughout the state. Over the last two years, Illinois’ Tree City program has grown faster than any other state in the nation. Brunk’s work has directly affected not only communities but the arborists and tree care companies that serve them, increasing the resiliency and innovation of urban forestry across the state.
Urban Forest Advocate – City of Blue Island
Originating from the “Restore Our Canopy” campaign to plant 70 trees—10 in each ward—Blue Island’s urban forestry efforts have grown significantly over the past seven years. Since 2022, more than 700 trees have been planted in public spaces, and the city reinstated its forestry board. It received grant funding through CRTI, Openlands and the Hispanic Access Foundation.
Its efforts allowed the city to update its tree ordinance, maintain a forestry management plan, conduct a comprehensive tree inventory of all public trees and work to remove high-risk trees around the community. Through historic tree walks, education presentations at schools and town hall meetings, and pruning and watering activities, Blue Island has fostered a sense of interest, pride and ownership in its urban forest.
Urban Forest Innovator – Jim Javenkoski, Ph.D. and Openlands TreeKeeper #1642
As a co-sponsor of the Seeds of Change Club at Amundsen High School in Chicago’s North Side neighborhood of Lincoln Square, Javenkoski fosters student-led environmental stewardship among the club’s members, emphasizing urban forestry through learning-by-doing. Since 2024, Javenkoski has co-led more than a dozen monthly “Sustainability Saturdays,” which convene students, teachers, parent volunteers, Openlands TreeKeepers and other community members for eco-impactful workdays at the school, which is adjacent to the 22-acre Winnemac Park. Collectively, the students and community volunteers have pruned 110 trees, mulched 101 trees and planted six native trees on campus.
Javenkoski inspires club and community members alike to reimagine what public school campuses can be—not just places of formal learning in the confines of classrooms, but thoughtfully stewarded, biodiverse and climate-resilient green spaces and canopies for informal learning as well. To realize that vision, Javenkoski has invited urban forestry professionals from Emerald Tree Care, Openlands’ Arborist Apprenticeship program, the Illinois Arborist Association and the Chicago Park District to the Amundsen High School’s annual career fair, illuminating the pathway that students can follow to arboricultural jobs. In March 2025, Javenkoski organized an arborist workday led by the entire Emerald Tree Care team, which guided its arborist apprentices in the first-ever pruning of the school’s “champion tree,” a 30- to 40-year-old swamp white oak. It proved to be a valuable and visible learning event for the experts, the apprentices and the students who observed best practices in tree care on their own campus.
About CRTI
CRTI is The Morton Arboretum’s urban and community forestry program, working to improve the health, diversity and equitable distribution of trees in the Chicago region and throughout Illinois. CRTI partners with and facilitates collaboration among more than 500 organizations in the public, private and nonprofit sectors to inspire tree stewards and build municipal capacity and support for trees, with a focus on environmental equity and disadvantaged communities.
For more information about CRTI’s annual Partner Recognition Celebration and its 2025 Urban Forestry Award recipients, visit mortonarb.org/urban-forestry-awards.