Park District Receives Grant For Heritage Knolls Naturalization

FRANKFORT, IL — Frankfort Park District has been awarded a grant for its Heritage Knolls Naturalization Project through ComEd and Openlands. According to a release from ComEd, 26 public agencies received grants through the annual ComEd Green Region program.

The park district's project will help naturalize a 3/4-acre area along an existing trail. The area is currently mowed turf and a swale area for water runoff from a nearby subdvision, the release states.

Each grantees will receive a one-time grant of up to $10,000 to support and improve open space projects. According to the release, many of the projects this year focus on enhancing pollinator habitats and protecting species, such as butterflies, bees, and others, to address the recent decline in pollinators.

ComEd provides the funding for the Green Region Program and Openlands, one of the oldest
metropolitan conservation organizations in the nation, administers the grants to local
communities.
“Every year, the Green Region Program reminds us of the power of investment in local
environmental projects to provide customers and communities with their own, unique green
spaces,” Melissa Washington, senior vice president of governmental and external affairs at
ComEd, said in a release. “With each grant, ComEd, alongside Openlands, helps ensure the enhancement of green space and biodiversity, while creating a lasting impact in the communities we’re so privileged to serve.”

“Over the past seven years we’ve seen the incredible impact the ComEd Green Region Program
has made in communities across northern Illinois,” said Jerry Adelmann, Openlands’ President
and CEO, in a release. “Now more than ever we know how vital open natural areas are for our health and well-being. Through the leadership and cooperation of ComEd, we’ve supported the creation and sustainability of 189 sites, and protected and restored more than 1,000 acres for residents to enjoy. We extend our gratitude to ComEd and thank the many partners who have implemented these projects across the region.”