INDIANAPOLIS (Mirror Indy) — Near Post Road and Rawles Avenue on the east side sit 76 acres of urban forestry. Lifelong eastsider Brian Miller knows the forest well. His dad would bring him to the woods as a kid, and he would explore with friends after school. As an adult, he enjoys watchin g the wildlife and taking his nieces and nephews for walks through the area. “It’s always been there. I just can’t imagine it not being there,” Miller said. Known as the eastside flatwoods, it’s the largest unprotected urban forest in Marion County. Now, a group affiliated with the Indiana Forest Alliance hopes to persuade the city to buy the property so it’s preserved for future generations. Forests for Indy‘s larger goal is to protect Indianapolis’ more than 4,000 urban forests — defined as a group of trees with a continuous canopy greater than 1 acre. Jonathan Munro, a volunteer with the group, said the eastside flatwoods are an “ecological gem.” “These woods are representative of what used to cover most of Indianapolis,” Munro said. Munro said the benefits of preserving urban forests are well documented. Urban forests improve air quality, reduce heat and reduce stormwater runoff. “But you look at how much urban forest we’re losing year on year, we’re at a kind of critical point,” Munro said. For the past year, volunteers have attended City-County Council meetings to urge councilors to save the forests. Last fall, the group campaigned for the city to set aside $6 million in the 2025 budget to purchase several urban forests. That money was not included in the final budget. This year, the group has been campaigning for the city to utilize unused budget funds to purchase the eastside flatwoods. Munro said the group wants to secure the funds as soon as possible. It fears the flatwoods, and the county’s other urban forests, will be lost to development if they continue to go unprotected. “But also, there seems to always be other priorities,” Munro said. “Last year’s budget, there was pay increases for public servants, which are really important and needed, but our priorities were sort of lost in a shuffle.” When asked to speak to someone in the Mayor’s Office about Forest for Indy’s hopes to get unused funds or 2026 budget dollars allocated toward the eastside flatwoods, a spokesperson said funding priorities will be determined later in the year. “At the end of every fiscal year, the city controller introduces a fiscal package that is then voted on by the City-County Council to reappropriate unused funds, largely within a particular department,” Emily Kaufmann said in a written statement. “Each year, the city accesses resources and needs when it comes to its annual operating budget, which is introduced in August with a final vote held in the beginning of October.” Mike Oles, the director of Forests for Indy, told community members at a Forests for Indy meeting in February that he was in the process of scheduling a meeting with someone from Hogsett’s office. Munro said the group is now focused on seeking city funds in any form — including in next year’s budget. The group is also seeking to partner with foundations to contribute to purchasing land next to the eastside flatwoods that is currently zoned for industrial use. Both the forest and the land next to it are owned by Indiana-based Dogwood Development LLC. Company owner Michelle Fall said she has met with Indiana Forest Alliance and supports the potential use of the land for a public park. Fall told Mirror Indy there are currently not any development plans for the property. “The first step is at least getting some commitment from the city for some money,” Munro said. “Then we will look for additional funds from donors or foundations and we try to get to a deal.” Munro is hopeful that city officials this year will recognize the importance of preserving the flatwoods. “If you consider the good on one hand and the small price tag on the other, it seems to be really compelling,” Munro said. This story was originally published by Mirror Indy on March 23, 2025. ...read more read less