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Privacy Policy

The Tree-mendous Tree Stories website at tree-stories.org (“this Website”) is provided by The Morton Arboretum (“we,” “us,” or “our”). The primary purpose of this Website is to provide a forum for people to share stories celebrating trees and to provide information about ways visitors can learn about and support trees, not to gather personal information. We do, however, gather some information through this Website through third-party vendors, as described below. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, store, use, disclose, and protect information about you. Your use of this Website constitutes your consent to the collection, storage, use, and disclosure of your information, as set forth in the Privacy Policy. If you disagree with the terms of the Privacy Policy your sole remedy is to discontinue use of this Website. We, in our sole discretion, may alter or amend the terms and conditions of the Privacy Policy at any time. You should periodically review the Privacy Policy to ensure that you are aware of its terms.

Information Gathered

For each visitor to this Website, our web server automatically recognizes the consumer’s IP address. We collect the domain name of visitors for data reports only.

Registration

Certain features of this Website require you to complete a registration form. When you complete the registration form we may collect your full name; e-mail address; age; ZIP code and city of the tree in your story; and information that you post to the Website or otherwise transmit to us.

Donation

If you click the “Donate to Save Trees” link you will be re-directed to the website of The Morton Arboretum to make a donation to The Morton Arboretum.  The Morton Arboretum website has a separate Privacy Policy. If you donate through the “Donate to Save Trees” link The Morton Arboretum will request information from you, such as your contact information (like full name, e-mail address, phone number, physical address, company match information, and tribute information) and financial information (like credit card number, expiration date, and security code or bank account information). This information is used to process your donation(s). If we have trouble processing a donation, we'll use this information to contact you.

Security/PCI compliance

When we transfer and receive certain types of sensitive information, such as financial information, we redirect visitors to a secure server for the transfer of data. We have appropriate security measures in place to protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of information that we have collected from you at our site. The Morton Arboretum is committed to protecting consumer credit card data in compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).

Cookies

A cookie is a small text file that is created on the computer hard drive that gives that user a unique, random ID. This ID enables the Website to recognize each visitor on subsequent visits to the site. A cookie may indicate the preferences selected by a visitor on a prior visit and facilitate more efficient browsing on subsequent visits. We use cookies to store visitor preferences, record session information, and to record user-specific information on what pages users access or visit. We use cookies from third-party partners such as Google and Facebook to analyze user activity to improve the functionality and user experience of the Website. Use of cookies is in no way linked to any personally identifiable information on our site. Some of our business partners may use cookies on our site for marketing purposes. However, we have no access to or control over these cookies.

This Website contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of any other site that collects personally identifiable information.

Storage and Archiving of Information

All postings to the Website may be stored in a database and archived, even after those items have been deleted for viewing by the general public on the Website. The Website, including anything you post, submit, or make available to the Website, is available for archiving by search engines and other websites that have no relationship with us.

Use of Information

If you supply us with your postal address and/or email address online, you may receive periodic mailings or electronic communications from us with information on new programs or upcoming events, our programs and activities, marketing communications, and fundraising solicitations. If you do not wish to receive such mailings or communications, please let us know by emailing treesstories@mortonarb.org. We do not partner with nor have special relationships with any ad server companies.

Changes to the Use of Information

From time to time, we may use information for new, unanticipated uses not previously disclosed in our privacy notice. If our information practices change at some time in the future we will contact you before we use your data for these new purposes to notify you of the policy change and to provide you with the ability to opt out of these new uses.

You may prevent your information from being used for purposes other than those for which it was originally collected by emailing treesstories@mortonarb.org or by calling 630-968-0074.

Disclosure of Information

We may disclose any information about you if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such disclosure is reasonably necessary to respond to subpoenas, court orders, or other legal process. We may disclose any information about you to law enforcement officers or others, in the good faith belief that such disclosure is reasonably necessary to: enforce the Website Terms and Conditions of Use or any other policy, to respond to claims that any posting or content violates the rights of third-parties, or to protect the rights, property, or personal safety of us, Website users, or the general public.

Third-Party Websites and Privacy Policies

We or users of the Website may post links to third-party websites, which may have different privacy practices. We are not affiliated with those websites and are not responsible for and do not have any control over the privacy policies of those websites. You should read the privacy policies of all websites you visit. Any information you disclose to any third party is not covered by this Privacy Policy.

International Users

International users agree that we may use information collected in connection with their use of this Website in accordance with the Privacy Policy, including transmitting the information outside of the home jurisdiction of such users. Such information may be stored on servers located in the United States. International users agree that by providing their information to us they consent to the transfer of such information.

Children’s Privacy Policy

We have created a special policy for the online collection, use, and disclosure of information from children under 13 years of age (“children” or “child”) at this Website, which is described in this section. The purpose of this Children's Privacy Policy (“Children’s Policy”) is to describe what types of personal information we collect from children on this Website, the purposes for which we use the information, what rights parents and guardians have regarding personal information they or their children submit, and to whom and under what circumstances we disclose personal information. This Children’s Policy applies to our information collection, use, and disclosure practices for visitors under the age of 13.

We do not require a child to disclose more information than is reasonably necessary to post a story to the Website. In order for any child to post a story to the Website, we collect the following information directly from your child: full name, e-mail address, parent’s email address, ZIP code and city of the tree in your story, and any information contained in the child’s story. We also collect information from your child’s use of the Website, such as IP addresses and information received from cookies, as described in the above “Information Gathered” and “Cookies” sections. We collect and use information from cookies to store visitor preferences, facilitate more efficient browsing on subsequent visits, record session information, and to record user-specific information on what pages users access or visit. We also use cookies from third-party partners such as Google and Facebook to analyze user activity to improve the functionality and user experience of the Website.

We may use any information gathered from your child as described in this Children’s Policy and Privacy Policy. If we post a story submitted by a child, the child’s first name and last initial, and the story submitted by the child will be posted to the Website and may be viewed by any member of the general public who visits the Website. Other than as described in this Children’s Policy and Privacy Policy we do not disclose personal information collected from children to third parties. We require a parent or guardian to consent to our collection, use, and disclosure of this information.

The Morton Arboretum and Openlands developed, sponsor, and operate this Website. Parents or guardians can review their child’s personal information, change their child’s personal information, direct us to delete the information, and refuse to allow any further collection or use of the child’s information. Parents or guardians can agree to the collection and use of their child’s information, but still not allow disclosure to third parties. If you have questions or concerns regarding your child’s personal information or if you would like to exercise any of the above rights as a parent or guardian, you can write or call us at the following address and telephone number:

The Morton Arboretum
Attn: Tree-mendous Tree Stories Editor
4100 Illinois Route 53
Lisle, IL 60532-1293
E-mail: treestories@mortonarb.org
Phone: 630-968-0074

General Contact Information
If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, you may reach us through the contact information below.
The Morton Arboretum
4100 Illinois Route 53
Lisle, IL 60532-1293
treestories@mortonarb.org
630-968-0074