On Saturday, December 6, Openlands convened TreeKeepers from across Chicagoland for the 2025 TreeKeepers Annual Gathering, celebrating a year defined by stewardship, advocacy, and community-driven action in support of the region’s urban forest. The gathering brought together newly certified and longtime TreeKeepers to recognize shared accomplishments, strengthen connections, and reflect on the growing impact of the program across Chicago and surrounding communities.
Throughout 2025, Openlands hosted three TreeKeeper certification courses—at Illinois Institute of Technology, Latinos Progresando (Spanish-language course), and Northeastern Illinois University—resulting in 123 newly certified TreeKeepers. Collectively, TreeKeepers coordinated and participated in more than 400 stewardship events, contributing over 12,700 volunteer hours. Their work included pruning 5,381 trees, planting 1,361 trees, inventorying 5,139 trees, and leading or participating in 36 tree walks, marking a record year for engagement and impact.
TreeKeeper Chapters across the city further amplified this work through neighborhood stewardship days, community-based TreePlanters Grant projects, educational gatherings, and advocacy initiatives. TreeKeepers increased participation in Urban Forestry Advisory Board meetings and contributed valuable feedback on policies such as the Chicago Landscape Ordinance. Education and outreach efforts also expanded, with initiatives designed to help ward offices share urban forestry information more broadly with residents.
The Annual Gathering also marked a moment to look ahead. Attendees celebrated the continued growth of the TreeKeeper community and welcomed Openlands’ new Forestry Coordinator, Johan Martinez, who will support the program and field-based work in the year to come. As Openlands moves into 2026, TreeKeepers remain at the heart of efforts to plant, steward, and advocate for a healthier, more resilient urban canopy throughout Chicagoland.
2025 L.E.A.F. Awards
This year marked our second annual L.E.A.F. awards ceremony, where we celebrated TreeKeepers who have demonstrated excellence in four key aspects of the TreeKeepers Program: Learning, Experiencing, Activating, and Fostering.
Becoming a TreeKeeper takes time and dedication. There is a month of classes, a test to take, and practical examinations of your pruning skills and tree planting knowledge. While the course is a commitment, it is also structured to get people out there and involved. The real challenge comes after a TreeKeeper has become certified and the structure and scheduling of a course is no longer there to guide their efforts.
The whole concept of L.E.A.F. is to provide a framework for folks to follow as they grow into their life as a TreeKeeper. It all starts with learning the necessary skills of TreeKeeping and then going out to gain experience with those skills. An experienced TreeKeeper activates themselves and their community by hosting events and providing opportunities for others to get involved. Finally, they foster their success by inviting new people to join in the fun, seek new venues for TreeKeeper activities and ultimately organize themselves into chapters that serve their community in their own unique ways.
Become inspired by reading through fellow TreeKeepers’ L.E.A.F. goals and watch the video montage showcasing photos from the year.
Learn
The L.E.A.F. “LEARN” award recognizes TreeKeepers who excelled in their coursework and passed the final exam with the highest scores in their class, demonstrating a deep understanding of the material. These individuals are the valedictorians of their classes: Beverly Zemaitaitis, Kevin Swier, Andy Rasmussen, Ana Hernandez Garcia, Tatiana Drossos, and Kathleen Brauer.
Experience
The L.E.A.F. “EXPERIENCE” award honors TreeKeepers who have attended a wide variety of events and are in the top percentile for volunteer hours. These individuals have shown their dedication through active participation, supporting chapter-led events, and contributing to the community through tree plantings and pruning workdays: Anthony Bianchi, Stephanie Chandler, Shayne Daugherity, Marjorie Isaacson, Blake Beckstrom, Jeri Webb, Nandika Gervais, Jeff Daube, Maria Garcia, Ken Sera and Michele Sera.
Activate
The L.E.A.F “ACTIVATE” award is for TreeKeepers who have gone above and beyond to initiate their own workdays, TreePlanters Grants, and have consistently embodied the “TreeKeeper spirit.” These individuals are leaders within their chapters, inspiring others to get involved and passing down their knowledge to new TreeKeepers: Jim Mikkelsen, Nancy Sutherland, Mary Hahn, Lynn Zaransky, Dana Kraus, and Annelise Rittberg
Foster
The LEAF “FOSTER” award is given to TreeKeepers who demonstrate exceptional leadership and dedication to building a strong network of TreeKeepers. These individuals have led chapters and initiated events, conducted inventory trainings, participated as instructors in the TK course, and led planting and pruning practicals for new TreeKeepers. They also play a key role in educating and inspiring others: Vicki Capalbo, Julia Hickey, Beth Botts, Nate Whelden, Lorraine Antieau, and Paul Aeschleman
