A towering honey locust, he says, will also be well-suited to a changing Chicago — a good thing, since the tree lines many of our streets. Oaks, a crucial variety for supporting habitat, may struggle in the future. And the red maple nearby, with a range that extends from Florida to Canada, can tolerate a broad spectrum of conditions. Because of their long lifespan, trees planted now will need to weather significant change, which is why arborists have been looking closely at climate change planning for decades. “In 30 years,” Herms says, “a tree is going to be just coming into its own. But in 30 years our climate will be completely different.”