Palmer Square Park Is Officially a Certified Arboretum — and Your Neighborhood Is Celebrating Its Trees This Fall

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Palmer Square ·

Palmer Square neighbors, your beloved park just earned a distinction that no other Chicago Park District location has ever claimed — and it's worth stopping to appreciate the canopy above your head. Palmer Square Park received a Level I Arboretum accreditation from the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program in September 2025, making it the first Chicago Park District location ever to earn the designation through the only accreditation program in the world specific to arboreta, administered by The Morton Arboretum. The recognition honors the park's extraordinary commitment to growing and maintaining a thriving tree canopy, including a collection of over 28 varieties of trees and a historic elm grove that has defined the boulevard's character for generations.

The accreditation is the culmination of more than 45 years of grassroots community stewardship — rooted in 1980, when neighbors formed the Homeowners Association of Palmer Square and began transforming what was then a neglected, clay-filled field with just 27 trees into the lush urban arboretum it is today. In recent years, The Morton Arboretum even completed a GPS and genetic inventory of the park's celebrated hybrid elms, underscoring just how scientifically significant this neighborhood green space has become.

And the momentum around green space isn't slowing down. Logan Square Preservation is hosting its biennial Silent Auction and Garden Party on September 12, 2026 — a fundraiser dedicated to planting more trees and building out the Emil Biorn Park, just around the corner from Palmer Square. Whether you stroll the park's running loop this week or mark September 12 on your calendar, there's never been a better time to love your neighborhood's trees. Visit logansquarepreservation.org to learn more and snag your spot at the Garden Party.

Sources:
1. https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/palmer-john-mcauley-square-park
2. https://arbnet.org/morton-register/palmer-square-park/
3. https://www.logansquarepreservation.org/