In celebration of Earth Day 2025, Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that Wisconsin planted 10.7 million trees and conserved over 57,000 acres of forestland in 2024 as part of the state’s Trillion Trees Pledge, according to a press release from the Governor’s Office.
Wisconsin’s Trillion Trees Pledge, launched on Earth Day 2021, commits the state to planting 100 million trees and conserving 125,000 acres of forest by 2030. Since then, Wisconsin has already planted 42 million trees and protected over 76,000 acres of forestland.
“I’m jazzed that just four years into our Trillion Trees Pledge, Wisconsin’s making significant progress toward our goal of planting 100 million trees by the end of 2030,” said Governor Evers in the press release. “Our forests are not only part of our heritage and our way of life here in Wisconsin, but they’re also an essential part of our state’s economy and future success.”
2024’s impressive numbers were largely driven by the completion of the Pelican River Forest project. The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program fully funded the initial 12,000-acre conservation easement in 2022. Then in January 2024, an additional 55,000-acre easement was acquired.
The project faced significant hurdles, Wisconsin Public Radio adds, noting that lawmakers initially blocked around $4 million in funding from the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. However, Governor Evers ultimately secured the forest’s protection through a Forest Legacy Program grant – making it one of the largest conservation projects in Wisconsin history.
Altogether, nearly 70,000 acres of the Pelican River Forest will remain open to the public in perpetuity for fishing, hunting, skiing, trapping, and hiking, while achieving more than half of the governor’s 2030 forest conservation goal.
DNR Secretary Karen Hyun stated: “This past year has included some huge wins for forest conservation, and we can’t wait to explore more opportunities to enhance our state’s abundant natural resources.”
These Earth Day conservation achievements coincide with Governor Evers’ proclamation of April 22 as Earth Day in Wisconsin and April 21-25 as Forest Appreciation Week.
Featured image by Daniil Yakovchik, 2022
