The Macon County Conservation District and the Macon County Conservation Foundation are celebrating milestone anniversaries with a community tree planting event next month.
The groups will host the “Rooted in Community 1,000 Tree Planting Event” on Saturday, April 18th beginning at 9 a.m. The event will take place on newly acquired property connecting Fort Daniel Conservation Area and Woodbine Farm near Dalton City.
The conservation district is marking 60 years, while the foundation celebrates its 45th anniversary. The event also ties in with Earth Day and Arbor Day.
Organizers say the 1,000 trees will help convert about 220 acres of former farmland back into native habitat. The project will create a 34-acre oak savanna, a once common ecosystem across Illinois and the Midwest that has nearly disappeared due to fire suppression and the loss of grazing animals like bison and elk.
Officials say less than one-hundredth of one percent of the original savanna landscape remains today.
Community members can take part by purchasing trees for 20 dollars each, volunteering to help plant, or supporting the project through fundraising and sponsorships. Organizers say individuals, families, businesses, schools, churches and community groups are all invited to participate.
