In Honor of National Public Lands Day
ROMEOVILLE, IL: Join Romeoville’s Conservation and Sustainability Committee and The Conservation Foundation to plant oak trees at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville. On Saturday, September 19th from 9:00 – 11:00 AM volunteers are needed to help dig holes, plant native oak trees, mulch and water them, and install deer-protection fences. All supplies provided. Please meet in the eastern parking lot off of Beverly Griffin Drive. Visit this webpage for more information and for updates if weather is questionable on the day of the event: O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve Workday: Tree Planting – The Conservation Foundation
This event is made possible through a donation by CITGO Petroleum Corporation to The Conservation Foundation in support of “O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve Partnership” efforts taking place through June of 2027. Funds also enable ecological contractors and staff of The Conservation Foundation to perform ecological restoration work in the Nature Preserve and support volunteer workdays and educational outreach.
“O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve is an important community asset that provides opportunities for education, recreation and environmental stewardship,” said Jim Cristman, Vice President and General Manager of the CITGO Lemont Refinery. “We are honored to partner with The Conservation Foundation to support restoration efforts and volunteer activities that will help ensure this natural area can be enjoyed by future generations.”
“It is exciting to see these community partners working together for the benefit of a tremendous natural resource,” said Romeoville Mayor Noak. “We hope the community comes to lend a hand and experience for themselves how special a place O’Hara Woods really is.”
This tree planting effort is planned in celebration of National Public Lands Day, a collective act of care that strengthens our connection to the landscape and to each other. Through service and celebration, we acknowledge our place as custodians of these shared treasures, ensuring the American tradition of public lands endures for those who will inherit them. National Public Lands Day is officially observed on September 26th, but no harm in starting the celebration early by planting native trees for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations.
About The Conservation Foundation
With more than 6,000 members, The Conservation Foundation is one of the region’s oldest and largest not-for-profit land and watershed conservation organizations. Since it was founded in 1972, The Conservation Foundation has helped preserve more than 36,000 acres of open space, restored and cleaned miles of rivers and streams, and educated thousands of kids by engaging them in nature and the outdoors.
The Conservation Foundation’s mission is to improve the health of our communities by preserving and restoring natural areas and open space, protecting rivers and watersheds, and promoting stewardship of our environment.
Work is focused in DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall LaSalle and Will Counties to preserve and restore nature in northeastern Illinois. Find out more at theconservationfoundation.org.
About CITGO
CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a recognized leader in the refining industry and operates under the well-known CITGO brand. CITGO owns and operates three refineries located in Lake Charles, La.; Lemont, Ill.; and Corpus Christi, Texas, and wholly and/or jointly owns 43 active terminals, eight pipelines and three lubricants blending and packaging plants. With approximately 3,300 employees and a combined crude capacity of approximately 829,000 barrels-per-day (bpd), CITGO ranks as the fifth largest and is one of the most complex independent refiners in the United States. CITGO transports and markets transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products, and supplies a network of approximately 4,000 locally owned and independently operated branded retail outlets, all located east of the Rocky Mountains. CITGO Petroleum Corporation is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc.