For the second year in a row, the Arbor Day Foundation has recognized the Village of Romeoville as a Tree City USA, one of 3,600 in the US. In addition to that award, the Village also received a Tree City USA Growth Award for its commitment to effective urban forest management.

                To be named a Tree City USA recipient, four criteria must be met: Maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance, meet spending requirements on urban forestry, and celebrating Arbor Day. To receive a Growth Award, a number of tasks on a list must be completed with each task assigned a different point value. This must be done annually. These tasks range from the funding of forestry projects to hiring experts, inventory management, maintenance, and public education.

                “We recognize the importance of trees in our community and the benefits they provide,” said Mayor John Noak. “We are grateful to be honored twice by the Arbor Day Foundation for our continuing commitment to urban forestry and pledge to continue making Romeoville even more of a tree friendly village.”

                If residents would like to get involved in making their neighborhoods a bit greener, they can explore the Parkway Tree Replacement Program on romeoville.org. The program assists residents who wish to have trees planted in the parkway in front of their homes where trees do not currently exist or are in poor condition. Another way to help the trees of Romeoville is to join the monthly O’Hara Woods cleanup days. These workdays, organized by the Conservation Foundation, require no prior experience and see volunteers cutting invasive brush, burning brush piles, pulling garlic mustard, and more. You can find more details on romeoville.org.