Chicago-area Companies Honored for Native Landscaping

CHICAGO -- American NTN Bearing Manufacturing and Underwriters Laboratories are the first corporate winners of native landscaping awards for the Chicago area.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Chicago Wilderness made the announcement on Nov. 20.

The projects were recognized for their extensive and creative use of natural landscaping to support native plants and animals that contribute to the Chicago region's biodiversity.

American NTN Bearing Manufacturing, at 1500 Holmes Rd. in Elgin, has restored four acres of its property to native tallgrass prairie. Currently, there are 42 native species planted, including bergamot, mars blazing stars and wild columbine. The property's maintenance plan for 2003 includes a prairie burn.

Underwriters Laboratories, at 333 Pfingsten Rd. in Northbrook, converted seven acres of its property to native plants in 2002.  In a two-acre portion along a lake on the property, weeds were replaced by native plants such as black-eyed susans, little bluestems, nodding onions and purple prairie clover. Also, in a five-acre area bordering the North Branch of the Chicago River, a strip of lawn was replaced with butterfly weed, hoary vervain, rattlesnake master and rough blazing stars.  The company also plans to introduce white oak trees in this area to help absorb storm waterrun-off.

The two winners were honored in the corporate landscaping category, which was added for 2002 to the three-year-old native landscaping awards program. Additional winners, in the municipality and park district category, will be awarded in January 2003.

The announcement was made at the Chicago Wilderness Congress in Libertyville, Ill.