On May 13th, the Indiana Forest Alliance will officially launch the 2024 Forests for Indy campaign. Demand #1 is for the city council and the Mayor of Indianapolis to place $6M into the upcoming city budget to purchase Indianapolis’s urban forests.
Our first organizing meeting, held a week ago, was a resounding success. The Indiana Forest Alliance was thrilled to see fifty people, including many of you, stepping up to learn more and how to take a leading role in this critical effort to improve our city and preserve our urban forests.
As we gear up for the 13th, we want to be well-prepared. I, or other IFA staff, want to meet 1:1 with as many possible supporters and volunteers as possible. And then, on May 13th, we want at least 100 people to attend our city council kickoff.
Please use this link to schedule a 1:1 meeting. These meetings will be instrumental in ensuring that we are all organized and ready for what will be a pivotal 3-month long campaign for our urban forests.
I recently visited an at-risk Indianapolis urban forest on E. 30th Street and I-465. This urban forest borders neighborhoods that would love a park instead of a prison-style barbed wire fence surrounding the 68-acre parcel.
Imagine this property transformed into a landmark city park with serene ponds, lush wetlands, and thriving forests. Instead, a proposed development threatens to industrialize the property, turning it into a noisy, dusty construction storage site with concrete crushing operations and rock piles scattered everywhere. Here, 32 acres of urban forest are at risk of being clear-cut.
Thankfully, the city’s planning department has taken a stand against the proposed plan, a move that underscores the importance of initiatives like Forests for Indy. This zoning case serves as a powerful reminder of the need to protect our urban forests and advocate for their preservation.
This is why the May 13th launch is a pivotal moment in our campaign. Please save the date. Just down the street from these woods is another 30-acre parcel the owner wants to sell to the city for preservation.
We aim to have 100 people attend the city council meeting on the 13th, all wearing Forests for Indy T-shirts. We are getting the shirts ordered as we speak.
This is not just a meeting; it’s a powerful demonstration of our unity and strength. The council starts at 7:00 PM, and we will hold a press event and live stream at 6:15 PM ET. Free parking will be available at the Indiana Forest Alliance building, and we will walk over as a group to the City-County Building, a 15-minute walk. Let’s show our solidarity and commitment to the cause.
Over the next 20 days, we have a lot of outreach work to do. To ensure this, I would like to meet with you and set up one-on-one conversations with you and as many campaign volunteers and leaders as possible. These conversations will serve to clarify any questions, address concerns, and strengthen our campaign. I’ll contact you directly, but please use this form to schedule time with me or the IAF staff.
Click here for a 1:1 conversation with Mike or other IFA staff.
