Following heavy storms, Yorkville launches $50K tree planting program

Sometimes rebounding after a damaging storm takes an act of resilience, even if the future starts with 2-inch saplings.

Following the havoc of hard-hitting storms, Yorkville plans on investing $50,000 to replant trees along the parkways on the north side of town.

Public Works Director Eric Dhuse said the replanting program is about establishing a legacy that will benefit the town for decades to come.

“We’ve had to remove several mature trees over the years due to heavy storm damage and natural die off,” Dhuse said. “Mayor (John) Purcell wanted us to replant the parkways and help make the whole area more beautiful. We’re trying to spruce the area up a little bit. We are planting around 120 saplings this spring in the parkways throughout town.”

Planting trees increases residents’ quality of life and help serves the community by cleaning the air, capturing rainwater and preventing run-off, reducing erosion, and helping to cool the neighborhood.

Up until this program, the city would encourage residents to purchase their own trees, and then city workers would plant the tree, mulch it, and water the saplings. Dhuse said this program differs because these 120 trees are completely paid for by the city as part of the tree replacement program.

“For the most part, we are focusing on planting native trees, but we also wanted to keep some variety as well with some non-native species,” Dhuse said. “Each species was selected because it performs well in parkway environments.”

The town’s parks department previously partnered with local students to plant several native trees along the downtown riverbank.

Dhuse said after his three decades in the town’s public works department, it’s funny to think the future starts with 2-inch saplings that will take several years to mature.

“It feels great; it’s a wonderful feeling planting them,” Dhuse said. “Planting trees and maintaining them will really benefit our parkways.”