Sam Works coordinates the Tree Ambassador Program (TAP) at The Morton Arboretum with roots in Michigan having grown up and attended university in Ann Arbor. Before coordinating TAP, Sam lived in rural Senegal working to increase tree advocacy and resource distribution with the Peace Corps.

TSN Conference 2026

January 22nd, 2026 (Thursday) // 11:35 am – 12:00 pm // Room 103 // Growing Trees Where There Are People // Our Roots’ Tree Ambassador Program (TAP) provides Chicago residents and community groups with training, resources, and funding to plant trees in their neighborhoods and build community support for trees. With our unique framework, the program connects community members directly to the City of Chicago, allowing for prioritized decision making around public tree plantings and green infrastructure in historically under-resourced areas. Through TAP, The Morton Arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative and local organizations work in direct collaboration with the City of Chicago, creating systems to request trees, supporting dialogue between community members and municipal staff and enhancing the accessible, well-attended Tree Equity Working Group. Throughout the 18 month program, partners receive funding to provide tree resources to their communities and financially support their operations and staff. We will present our approach to community-based engagement and partner collaboration.