Chicago, September 16, 2026: The Morton Arboretum’s creative initiative, “Green City Rising: People and Trees Thriving Together,” has been announced as a co-winner in the Horizon Lines: Visions for Chicago 2050 competition. The announcement was made by World Business Chicago on September 15 at the City Club of Chicago.
“Green City Rising” imagines a future Chicago as an expansive arboretum—a citywide network of green spaces where trees are at the heart of every neighborhood. The program aims to ensure that trees and nature play a vital role in Chicago’s community and economic planning by the year 2050.
Jill Koski, the President and CEO of The Morton Arboretum, expressed pride in the recognition, stating, “This honor underlines that ‘Green City Rising’ is about more than just planting trees. It’s a vision for a city where both people and trees flourish.”
Alongside the Morton Arboretum, the landscape architecture firm MKSK also received a co-winning spot for its vision “Wonderways!” This concept seeks to transform Chicago’s boulevards into interconnected climate-friendly spaces. Both proposals align strongly with Chicago’s identity as “Urbs in Horto,” which translates to “City in a Garden,” highlighting the growing importance of green spaces as crucial community infrastructure.
Selected from nearly 200 entries, “Green City Rising” stands out for its approach to community involvement, envisioning tree-filled landscapes designed with direct input from local residents. These spaces aim to celebrate Chicago’s cultural diversity while promoting walkability and community gatherings.
Koski emphasizes, “This initiative builds on our existing community forestry efforts to ensure every neighborhood in Chicago can enjoy the advantages that trees provide. It’s about resilience in the face of climate change and fostering jobs, health, and safety in our communities. But most importantly, we are focused on listening to the residents of Chicago to create green spaces that truly meet their needs.”
The Arboretum plans to work with local partners, including Blacks in Green and Urban Growers Collective, to develop pilot projects for “Green City Rising.” These partners have actionable ideas, such as a Community Resilience Garden in West Woodlawn and an urban tree nursery in Auburn Gresham, which has the potential to grow 10,000 trees each year to support community forestry initiatives.
Looking ahead, Koski mentioned that the Arboretum is excited to collaborate with various sectors to transform these projects into reality, focusing on areas most in need of greenery.
The Arboretum boasts a solid plan for executing “Green City Rising,” drawing from its existing urban and community forestry program, the Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI). Since its launch in 2014, CRTI has partnered with over 500 organizations to enhance tree planting and care, distributing more than 10,000 trees across Illinois since 2022.
Additionally, the Arboretum is part of ArbNet, a global network that accredits arboreta. Currently, nearly 1,000 arboreta globally hold this accreditation, including many across the Chicago area, covering parks, corporate grounds, cemeteries, healthcare facilities, and universities.
As Chicago faces environmental challenges and shifts in demographics, the city’s future hinges on smart investments, like planting trees, which can enhance neighborhood stability and community strength over time.
“Chicago is the ideal place for a vision like this,” Koski noted. “It builds upon the groundwork laid by past visionaries like Daniel Burnham, who understood the importance of green spaces for a thriving city. ‘Green City Rising’ continues this legacy and tackles today’s urgent urban challenges related to climate change. Our future greatly depends on this thoughtful planning.”
Visitors can view all six finalist proposals, including “Green City Rising,” now on display at the Chicago Cultural Center until October 11, hosted by World Business Chicago.
