Plant a tree in Woodford County

Woodford County is looking for volunteers to help with planting a grouping of 25 oak trees at Parklands Chinquapin Bluffs in Woodford County with the goal of tackling global issues at the local level. Carbon neutrality and nutrient runoff are complex issues facing our environment that can be combatted through planting new trees. 

“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,” says Curt Sinclair, University of Illinois Extension 4-H natural resources and shooting sports specialist. “At the same time, we need to reduce storm water runoff to improve water quality.” 

The 2020-2030 Illinois Forest Action Plan, part of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, outlines the benefits of trees to Illinois residents. 

“More trees will move us closer to cleaner water, healthier soils, more animals and birds, greater biological diversity, and cleaner air,” Sinclair says. “All these are critical to people’s health and quality of life.” 

Illinois once held 14 million acres of trees, according to Sinclair. That number dropped to 3 million acres before intentional efforts 50 years ago began to reverse the decline. Today, Illinois has 5 million acres of trees. 

In the spring of 2026, 4-H youth in Woodford County and 40 other counties throughout Illinois will each plant a grouping of 25 oak trees on public properties in their county. The groups, called savanna, will bring new life to oak-hickory forests currently under threat in Illinois with total plantings across the state anticipated to hit 1000 new trees.