Grant Helps Replace Trees Lost In 2021 Tornado In Naperville

NAPERVILLE, IL — Naperville has gotten a little greener thanks to a $15,000 grant that was used to help replace hundreds of trees that were damaged in the June 2021 tornado.

The tornado damaged 240 parkway trees that then had to be removed. In January, Naperville received the $15,000 grant from the from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and used the funds to replace 50 trees.

In total, 260 new parkway trees were planted by summer of 2022.

“Naperville residents showed enormous courage and resilience the days and weeks after the storm,” Naperville Director of Public Works Dick Dublinski said in a news release.

Dublinski added, "We’re grateful this grant gave us the opportunity to restore some normalcy in the hardest hit area by regaining the tree canopy that was lost during the tornado."