Indiana within reach of goal to plant 1 million trees by 2025

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Just 35,100 trees to go.

Indiana Department of Natural Resources on Wednesday announced it’s nearing Gov. Eric Holcomb’s goal, set in his 2020 State of the State speech, to plant 1 million trees by the end of 2025.

This spring, 253,400 oak, black walnut and hickory seedlings were planted on Natural Resources properties, bringing the four-year planting total to 964,900.

Most of the plantings for the ForestIN program were done in state forests, and at Prophetstown State Park near West Lafayette, Summit Lake State Park near New Castle, the Hovey Lake Fish & Wildlife Area near Mount Vernon, the Bluffs of Beaver Bend Nature Preserve along the East Fork White River near Shoals, and the Spring Creek Seeps Natural Preserve in Montgomery County.

A complete year-by-year list of where trees were planted is posted online. The state also has a map of where plantings were done.

Hoosier students in third grade also have helped with the plantings.

Supporters of the project have included Clif Bar & Co., Duke Energy, the Hardwood Forestry Fund, Huston Solar, and the White Oak Institute for Growth and Wellness.