TL/DR –
The article talks about the significant efforts made by Springfield’s mayor, Jim Langfelder, towards urban forestry since he came to power in 2015 including hiring a city arborist and revitalizing the Urban Forestry Commission. His efforts led to vigorous tree planting in the city and significant funding such as a federal tree grant, and even an award from the Arbor Day Foundation in 2020. However, the new Mayor Misty Buscher appears less cooperative with the Commission, causing all appointed members to resign in 2025, and the article suggests that more attention should be given to the problem of equity in public tree programs.
Springfield’s Trees ‘Whispering’ Langfelder’s Name
When Jim Langfelder was elected as Springfield’s mayor in 2015, he promptly appointed a city arborist and in 2019, revitalized the once dormant Urban Forestry Commission (UFC) with tree-loving individuals. This commitment lead to the Arbor Day Foundation recognizing Springfield with a Growth Award in 2020 for its urban forest management efforts.
Rejuvenated Urban Forestry Initiative
The city’s active tree planting coupled with a drive to get young people interested in Springfield’s urban forest meant the city kept a balance between aging and new trees. This initiative included receiving funding from Morton Arboretum to inventory trees in the northeast quadrant of the city.
Major Federal Tree Grant Won by UFC
In 2023, the UFC secured an $899,000 federal tree grant from the Biden Administration for tree planting in underprivileged areas, making Springfield a leading community in urban forestry. However, this grant was later canceled by the Trump administration.Federal Grants
Resignation of Forestry Commission Members
In February 2025, all members of the Urban Forest Commission resigned, citing difficulties working with new Mayor Misty Buscher. The new mayor was reported to be uncooperative with the Commission, leading to their collective exit.Feb 27, 2025 Resignation
The Role of Private Citizens in Public Tree Programs
Street trees, while seen as a public resource, are substantially maintained by private citizens. This responsibility, while enhancing property value, also includes various costs and is an example of what economists refer to as a public goods problem. Consequently, it is suggested that more attention be paid to the equitable distribution of these costs.
Recommendations for Future Urban Forestry Initiatives
Advisors to the mayor suggest new approaches to support tree-adjacent property owners. These include automated leaf sweepers, planting smaller leaf trees, and proposing urban forestry districts supported by tree levies. For these initiatives to be successful, decades of committed efforts are required to plant suitable trees, invest in appropriate equipment and possibly, increase taxes.UrbanTree.org
This article is featured in June 11-17, 2026 issue.
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