Officials begin planting trees at Illinois State Fairgrounds

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - An effort is underway to plant more than 200 trees at the Illinois State Fairgrounds after dozens of trees were killed by pests.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture announced Thursday it is partnering with the Illinois Green Industry Association to replace the trees. The association is donating 50 trees each year until 2019.

Acting Agriculture Director Warren Goetsch says the trees being planted this year include 25 types of evergreens.

Earlier this year the department identified 73 trees at the fairgrounds that had been impacted by the Emerald Ash Borer.

Gov. Bruce Rauner on Thursday helped plant seedlings grown from acorns collected from an oak tree planted years ago by a friend of Abraham Lincoln. That tree was planted to honor the nation's 16th president.