Twenty-five new oak trees will be planted at the Parklands Foundation's Chinquapin Bluffs in Woodford County and the University of Illinois Extension is looking for volunteers to help.
Blaine Troyer is the head of the project known as the 4-H Green Communities Trees Program.
Curt Sinclair, a 4-H environmental education and shooting sports specialist, said the project will plant the new trees to combat carbon neutrality and nutrient runoff.
“We need to become ‘carbon neutral’ by producing less CO2 gas and finding new ways to absorb and hold these carbon molecules so they don’t get trapped in the atmosphere which adds to the warming of our planet,” said Sinclair. “At the same time, we need to reduce storm water runoff to improve water quality.”
At one time, the extension said, Illinois was home to 14 million acres of trees. He said the number dwindled to 3 million before conservation efforts of 50 years ago and the number has since grown to 5 million acres.
“More trees will move us closer to cleaner water, healthier soils, more animals and birds, greater biological diversity and cleaner air,” Sinclair said. “All these are critical to people’s health and quality of life.”
Sinclair said more than 40 other counties across the state (including Peoria, Tazewell, Livingston and McLean) will join Woodford County to plant 25 trees each on public property, totaling 1,025 trees. Trees will be planted in groups called a savanna, where they will join other oak-hickory forests under threat.
Parklands land was chosen because of previous conservation efforts there and the desire to continue the ongoing restoration of its natural landscape and public accessibility.
Registration to volunteer can be found on the Extension’s website.
