Warrenville, Ill. — Following the invasion of a foreign insect called the Emerald Ash Borer, the City of Warrenville has received a grant to plant new parkway trees. The invasive pest led to widespread damage in Warrenville. The $19,000 grant awarded to the city will replace the trees on public property that were lost due to the insect.
The grant came from the Urban and Community Forestry Programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the USDA Forest Service Eastern Region, administered by The Morton Arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI). The grant has allowed Warrenville to increase the number of trees planted in 2024 and 2025. As of May 29, 2025, the city planted 280 new saplings, growing the diversity of species in the area. The grant also improves the city’s tree preservation ordinance, which further protects new growth. The increase of forestry will continue to improve air quality and manage stormwater in Warrenville.
“Emerald ash borer prevention and mitigation will help strengthen the health of our urban forests,” CRTI Interim Director Melissa Custic said in the press release. “From stormwater management to improved air quality, trees benefit us all. Projects like this are imperative to support urban forests.”
