OAKBROOK TERRACE – Salt Creek Primary School in Elmhurst and Stella May Swartz Elementary School in Oakbrook Terrace have received Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Grants to fund the creation of butterfly gardens at each school, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) announced. 

“Creating interactive, educational spaces at our schools will teach children the importance of taking care of their environment,” Glowiak Hilton said. “Butterfly gardens will provide students with a hands-on learning opportunity about many aspects of nature including insects, pollination and native plants in Illinois.”

The Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant program is administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Illinois Conservation Fund (ICF) to support the development or enhancement of wildlife habitat on the school grounds or other public places. 

Funding for the program is provided through donations to the ICF. More than $329,000 in Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant funding has been distributed since the program’s inception. 

Applications for the next round of Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Grants will be open soon, with an application deadline of Nov. 30, 2021. More information on applying for the next round of grants can be found on the IDNR website.