Galesburg is looking for volunteers Saturday morning to help plant 28 trees across four city parks as part of the city’s Arbor Day weekend celebration and its push toward an ambitious urban forestry milestone.
Volunteers should meet at the Dale May Fire Training Center, 2233 Veterans Drive, at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 26. Trees will be planted at Jason Wessels Park, Voyles Field, Optimist Park, and along Veterans Drive.
“Just come,” Special Projects Coordinator Tom Simkins told WGIL. “Bring a smile or a spade or a shovel.”
Tom Simkins joined Galesburg’s Morning News on Thursday, April 23. Listen to the full interview below
The trees — mostly balled and burlapped — include chinkapin oaks, crab apples, yellowwoods, lilac trees, Robin Hill serviceberries, and maples. They are being sourced from Timanda Nursery in Knoxville and Stone Leaf Nursery in Goodfield.
A memorial in bloom
One tree carries special significance. At approximately 8:40 a.m., a Cherokee Princess Dogwood will be planted at the entrance to the Galesburg Municipal Pool in memory of Marte Glass. The planting was organized by city staff, and the public is welcome to attend.
Arbor Day at Lombard School
The Arbor Day observance begins Friday, when the city joins District 205 to plant a Swamp White Oak at Lombard School. The planting is set for 10 a.m. at the northwest corner of the building, coordinated with Principal Rebecca Hutton and Vice Principal Jason Spring. The public is invited.
Simkins said the school plantings serve an educational purpose as much as an environmental one.
“There’s nothing better than going around town, planting things, and then every day you go by them and see them,” Simkins said.
Chasing 1,000 trees
Saturday’s planting is part of Project 350, the city’s ongoing effort to expand Galesburg’s urban tree canopy. Since 2022, the city has planted 725 trees across 116 varieties. The goal is to reach 1,000 trees planted by the end of this year — meaning the city needs roughly 275 more.
City Manager Eric Hanson has made the 1,000-tree milestone a priority. Simkins acknowledged the remaining target is more challenging now that the most obvious planting sites are filled.
“Some of the easy spots where we’ve put trees, the obvious ones where you needed to are gone,” Simkins said. “But there are still tons of streets in Galesburg that need trees.”
Future plantings are planned near the I-74 cloverleaf on East Main, West Main at Route 34, and North Seminary Street. The city is also exploring a pilot program for containerized trees on Main Street in partnership with the Downtown Council.
Tree City USA — 26 years running
Galesburg has earned Tree City USA recognition for 26 consecutive years and the Tree City USA Growth Award for the fourth year in a row. The designation requires the city to maintain a tree commission, follow a tree care ordinance, spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry annually, and officially observe Arbor Day.
The Galesburg Tree Commission is chaired by Ann Pennington and includes members Pat Trant, Jane Easterly, Bill Sime, and Daniel Thompson.
Free trees for your terrace
Residents who would like a tree planted on their city terrace can contact Simkins at the City of Galesburg. Trees are provided at no cost, with one condition: the homeowner must water the tree once a week for at least a year. Residents are also reminded to obtain a permit before planting and to call JULIE for utility locates first.
