Village Receives Jane Foulser Habitat Award

The Village is proud to announce that it has received the Jane Foulser Habitat Award for its long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship and conservation. This honor recognizes the Village’s continued efforts to protect natural resources and enhance biodiversity, work that will guide future initiatives under the new Environmental Sustainability Plan (ESP).

Since establishing a stormwater utility in 2012, Downers Grove has led with innovation by investing in green infrastructure such as rain gardens, permeable pavers, and bioswales. The Village’s Bioswale Program transforms roadside ditches into pollinator-friendly landscapes through partnerships with homeowners, at no cost to participants. New bioswales are installed each year, with strong resident interest and a growing waiting list.

The Village has also advanced sustainable landscaping through projects like the Pollinator Garden near the Belmont underpass, which replaced turf with native plants that now attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.

Downers Grove’s Environmental Sustainability Plan, adopted in 2025, provides a roadmap for reducing the community’s ecological footprint through clean energy, naturalized landscaping, and biodiversity initiatives. The new Civic Center at 850 Curtiss Street exemplifies this commitment with solar panels, rain gardens, a green roofs, and native landscaping certified by Conservation@Work.

As the Village continues to build on its sustainability legacy, residents are encouraged to join the effort by taking the Greener Way Pledge, a community initiative that promotes simple, impactful actions such as planting native species and reducing turf grass and fertilizer.