Chambana Sun

URBANA, Ill. – University of Illinois Extension 4-H specialist Curt Sinclair has proposed a straightforward solution to the intricate issues of carbon neutrality and nutrient runoff: plant trees. The 4-H Green Communities Tree Program, launched in 2021, aimed to augment Illinois' tree population, with a particular emphasis on oak savannas, crucial for the state’s ecological health.

“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,” Sinclair said at the program’s inception. “At the same time, we need to reduce storm water runoff to improve water quality.”

The 2020-2030 Illinois Forest Action Plan, a component of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, details the benefits trees bring 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 stated. “All these are critical to people’s health and quality of life.”

Over the past three years, Sinclair and Illinois 4-H members have collaborated with the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts (AISWCD) to bolster this number. The initiative is backed by grant funds from the Illinois Forestry Development Council and concentrates on action, education, and conservation.

Three years into this project, it has achieved notable success. Since its commencement in 2021, nearly 3,000 oak trees have been planted at over a hundred sites across dozens of counties in Illinois. These efforts are supported by grant funds from the Illinois Forestry Development Council and have made significant progress towards achieving the goals set out in the 2020-2030 Illinois Forest Action Plan.

Sinclair's team is committed to maintaining this positive momentum. “Our vision is to continue the tree planting program until we have planted at least one oak savanna in every county in the state,” Sinclair stated. The AISWCD Forestry Committee, SWCDs, and Extension 4-H view this project as a resounding success and plan to seek funding for a similar planting in spring 2025.

The 4-H Green Communities Tree Program adheres to the "learn-by-doing" philosophy of 4-H and is guided by the priorities of the Illinois Forest Action Plan. The program is funded by a mix of sources, including corporate and individual donors matching grant funding.

SOURCE: Curt Sinclair, 4-H Youth Development Specialist, Sinclair@illinois.edu

WRITER: Carissa Nelson, Media Communications Manager, 4-H State Office, carissa7@illinois.edu

About Illinois 4-H: Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension and administered through the College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences. Independent research confirms the unparalleled impact of the 4-H experience.