To the editor:
On behalf of the board, staff and supporters of the Central Indiana Land Trust, we congratulate Gov. Eric Holcomb for the leadership he demonstrated by announcing in his State of the State announcement that Indiana will plant a million trees over the next five years. Planting trees at such a large scale in a state that lost most of its forest in the 19th Century will do more for our children and our state’s future than many of us can imagine.
Obviously, this project will deliver climate benefits at a time when climate is a growing concern. Trees naturally scrub carbon from the air, helping to mitigate the negative impact airborne carbon has on our planet. But that benefit is complemented by others.
For example, young forests provide habitat for niche species that need these wooded areas’ unique attributes to thrive. Our grandparents might remember days long gone when certain birds were more common. Elusive species such as the yellow-breasted chat, blue-winged warbler and ruffed grouse lived in forests that sprouted during the depression and drought years of the 1930s. New forests might give those species opportunities to return and raise several generations while the wooded areas mature into homes for a different suite of wildlife.
Strategically placed trees also can help to restore forests and connect current natural areas, creating larger and better habitat for plants and wildlife. This will support declining wildlife species in Indiana that need large blocks of forest to thrive, species such as the Eastern box turtle, whose eggs don’t stand a chance from predators if they can’t be laid far from a wood’s edge.
Converting idle floodplain farmland back to forest also offers benefits. In times of flooding, floodplain forests slow water’s spread, meaning water infiltrates into the groundwater system more efficiently and sediment falls onto the forest floor. The result: less flooding downstream and cleaner water.
Over the next decade, the Central Indiana Land Trust is committed to complementing the State’s efforts by planting another million trees buffering our most iconic natural areas. By planting in places like Shrader-Weaver Nature Preserve in Fayette County, Meltzer Woods Nature Preserve in Shelby County, and Calvert & Porter Nature Preserve in Montgomery County – all National Landmarks – we can create even bigger blocks of wildlife habitat and, again, help to offset the effects of a changing climate.
I encourage all Hoosiers to join in these efforts. Certainly, plant trees at your homes, but also be aware that the benefits of planting trees increase when we all work strategically. Become a member of your local land trust (for Indianapolis, that would be the Central Indiana Land Trust), and donate to strategic tree-planting campaigns (it costs one dollar per tree to plan and maintain a tree long enough for it to mature on its own).
By working together, we can plant trees this year that serve as unparalleled gifts for our children and grandchildren: a cooler planet with abundant wildlife and cleaner air to breath and water to drink. Gov. Holcomb is leading the way, and for that, we thank and applaud him.
Cliff Chapman
Carmel
