Why Woodlands Matter
Indianapolis is one of the fastest-growing metros in the Midwest. The woodlands being cleared today cannot be replaced in our lifetimes.
What We’re Losing
Central Indiana has lost significant woodland cover over the past two decades as suburban development has pushed outwards from Indianapolis. What looks like a small subdivision approval on a planning commission agenda often means the permanent loss of 50-year-old trees, wildlife corridors, stormwater filtration, and neighborhood cooling. Once a mature woodland is cleared, it takes a century to recover — if it ever does.
Why Woodlands Are Irreplaceable
Tree Canopy
Mature trees reduce urban heat, filter air, and anchor ecosystems. Once gone, they take generations to replace.
Wildlife Corridors
Suburban woodlands connect fragmented habitat, allowing birds, pollinators, and mammals to survive in developed landscapes.
Stormwater & Soil
Woodland root systems absorb runoff, prevent erosion, and protect waterways that feed central Indiana’s drinking water supply.
Our Approach.
Hoosier Woodlands Land Trust uses conservation easements — permanent legal agreements that protect land from development in perpetuity. We also accept direct land donations and work cooperatively with homeowners associations, municipalities, and private landowners to identify and protect high-value woodland parcels before development pressure makes it too late. Every acre we protect is protected forever — not just until the next owner decides otherwise.
Where It Started.
Our founding act was the protection of the Eyas Nest property — a woodland parcel in Carmel that faced imminent development. Neighbors came together, raised funds, and have chosen to prevent it from being another wooded victim to overdevelpment. That effort became the inspiration for Hoosier Woodlands Land Trust and our proof of concept. Organized neighbors can save the woods in their backyard.
Help Us Protect What’s Left.
Every donation, every easement, and every acre matters. The window to act is narrow.