Volunteers replace tornado-damaged oaks in Hainesville

Volunteers were in Hainesville Saturday to plant young oak trees to replace those felled by an August tornado that raced through central Lake County.

Organizers said at least 18 trees would be planted at the Cranberry Lake subdivision, where stumps are still a visible sign of how the EF-1 tornado came within 10 to 30 yards of several houses. Many of the trees that were knocked down were 200 years old, officials said.

On Aug. 2, a tornado sliced a narrow path across several central Lake County communities, including Hainesville, Round Lake Park, Grayslake and unincorporated Wildwood. Emergency officials said no fatalities or injuries were reported.

The volunteers for Saturday's planting included National Honor Society students from Round Lake and Grayslake Central high schools, village residents and others.

Officials from Native Restoration Services in Round Lake, a company that specializes in replacing damaged plantings, donated their services to oversee the planting of the young, skinny oak trees. As part of the effort, company officials briefed the crew on the proper way to plant the baby oaks so they have a good chance to survive - a process that included placing wire cages around them to protect against deer and other potentially damaging creatures.