The Central Indiana Land Trust will plant the first of its promised 1 million trees in Johnson and Parke Counties.

The trust said it will plant 10,500 oak, hickory and other trees at its Glacier’s End Nature Preserve in Johnson County and another 4,500 trees at Mossy Point Nature Preserve in Parke County.

“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,” said Cliff Chapman, executive director of CILTI. “Trees naturally scrub carbon from the air, helping to mitigate the negative impact airborne carbon has on our planet, and the increased forest lands will provide a home for endangered species, natural havens for Hoosiers and countless other invaluable benefits.”

The trust promised to get 1 million trees planted as part of its strategic conservation plan.

Soon after, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced the Indiana Department of Natural Resources would plant 1 million trees in the state over the next five years.

Trees provide many positive effects for humans and the environment.

A single tree can absorb about 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen in exchange. In one year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the amount of carbon dioxide produced by a car driven 26,000 miles.

Trees also provide vital wildlife habitats for many animals.

Currently, the state of Indiana has 4.7 million acres of forest land and 4.6 million acres of timberland.