The suburban Chicago village of Romeoville, Illinois announced Monday that it will plant 2,500 native trees under a tree replacement program.
Many of the trees will be brand-new plantings, but some will be replacements for trees that belong to invasive species — which will be cut down because they are either already dying or are a threat to the environment, the village said.
New plantings will fill open spaces where trees have been lost due to storms, or will replace trees that are damaged or dying. They will be planted in residential subdivisions, roadside rights-of-way, and park sites and village owned properties, the Village of Romeoville said.
The program is set to begin this fall, with 55 trees scheduled for removal, the village said. In the spring of 2026, 470 new trees will be planted in the following residential subdivisions — Poplar Ridge, Heritage Place, Malibu Bay, Marquette Estates/Landing, and Lakewood Estates.
The trees will be sourced from The Fields on Caron Farm, six miles from Romeoville Village Hall, the village said.
“Native trees are better suited to grow in our soil and climate,” Romeoville Mayor John D. Noak said in a news release. “Non-native species can have fragile wood prone to breaking, causing a danger to the environment around them. This program not only beautifies Romeoville, but restores the balance of native trees that have grown in this area for generations.”
The tree replacement program is one of several environmental initiatives in Romeoville, which also include urging residents to plant monarch butterfly waystations, promoting rain barrel use, and forging partnerships and support for local events such as the Forest Preserve District and the Will County Nature Foundation’s native plant sale.
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