MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers issued an executive order Thursday directing the Department of Natural Resources to plant 75 million trees and conserve 125,000 acres of forestland by the end of 2030.
Evers said in the order that planting trees in urban and rural areas is one of the best ways to combat climate change. He said in a news release that when the order is fully realized it will result in 28.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide stored over the next 50 years, the equivalent of the amount of carbon dioxide produced by 6 million passenger vehicles annually.
Trees pull carbon dioxide out of the air to aid with photosynthesis.
Evers issued the order in recognition of Earth Day.
