Richard Clark Park at 3400 N. Rockwell St. is now the Chicago Park District’s second Level 1 arboretum. The 22.42-acre Irving Park location follows Palmer Square Park, which received the district’s first such designation in 2025, according to Block Club Chicago.
ArbNet’s accreditation program is administered by The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois. The Clark Park Advisory Council said this month that the park had received Level 1 status, though it did not specify the approval date, according to Block Club Chicago.
Jeff Daube, a volunteer coordinator for the Clark Park Advisory Council, led the park’s application, Block Club Chicago reported. Daube has worked at the park for more than 20 years, including about eight years as a treekeeper, and hopes the designation will bring it greater visibility and resources.
From Riverview's Midway to a Living Tree Collection
The park occupies the former site of Riverview Amusement Park, which closed in 1967 after being billed as the world’s largest amusement park, according to Block Club Chicago. Clark Park now has soccer fields and bike trails and sits at the southern end of a riverfront green space stretching north to Horner Park and River Park.
Daube hopes to add more tree species, particularly oaks, whose ecological role includes supporting insects that feed birds, according to Block Club Chicago. The park holds volunteer work days on the last Saturday of each month; this month’s session is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. Its second annual community bonfire is set for 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.
How Chicago Parks Earn Arboretum Status
The Chicago Park District worked with The Morton Arboretum to develop a process for parks to apply for arboretum status, and several other parks are now working toward their own accreditation, according to Block Club Chicago's report. Cathy Breitenbach, director of cultural and natural resources for the Chicago Park District, said the designation raises awareness about trees and celebrates them through community effort.
What ArbNet Requires—and Who May Follow
ArbNet’s Level I standards call for a documented arboretum plan, a governing group, a staff member or volunteer to manage the arboretum, at least 25 labeled taxa of trees and woody plants, and at least one tree-related event open to the public each year, according to ArbNet. The assessment therefore considers both the documented collection and the organization and public programming supporting it. Palmer Square Park was named the area’s first arboretum in September 2025, before Clark Park received its designation, Block Club Chicago reported. The reporting cited here says several other parks are working toward accreditation but does not identify them.
Palmer Square Park, at 2200 N. Kedzie Ave., received its Level I accreditation in September 2025, becoming the first Chicago Park District location designated an accredited arboretum through ArbNet, according to the Chicago Park District. That park spans 7.69 acres and contains 28 tree species along with a historic elm grove, the district notes on its park page. ArbNet's own register describes Palmer Square's arboretum as having grown to include 28 species across nearly 8 acres of land.
A Citywide Tree Count Underway
The accreditation effort is taking place alongside the Chicago Park District’s first districtwide inventory of about 250,000 park trees, Block Club Chicago reported. The district says the count is part of a broader effort to expand its forestry team and strengthen the urban tree canopy. Species and age information from the inventory is intended to support long-term tree care and help community groups prepare future arboretum applications.
Other Chicago arboreta include the Lincoln Park Zoo, Graceland Cemetery, the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Alphawood Arboretum at Illinois Institute of Technology and the Mt. Greenwood Cemetery Arboretum, according to Block Club Chicago's earlier coverage of Palmer Square's accreditation. ArbNet accreditation remains valid for five years, meaning both Chicago parks will eventually need to renew their status to keep the designation.
