About 315 acres of America’s heartland will be converted into woodlands.

The Story County Conservation board is organizing the planting of 6,000 seedlings on land that is currently farm ground, as part of the nationwide “Make A Difference Day” Saturday.

The planting will take place at West Peterson Pits, north of Ames. Organizers are seeking volunteers to help in the reforestation.

“We hope to see a lot of people turn out for the day,” said Carol Williams, Skunk River unit ranger at the conservation department. “We have a very active volunteer program, and it should be a fun day.”

The event starts at 10 a.m., and people can stay as long as they wish. Volunteers are asked to bring gloves, a garden rake and a long stick or broom handle to push the seeds into the ground.

The project will include seedlings from walnut, hickory and oak trees. “We have half of a pickup load full of just walnuts,” Williams said.

The conversation board had planned to turn its rented crop ground into woodlands, and organizers said that last month they decided to start the project on “Make a Difference Day.”

“We felt it’s important to put the area back into its natural state,” said Ledah Harrison, program support coordinator.

The conservation board had kept the ground as crop land because of the gravel pits beneath the surface, Williams said. However, since its engineer said the gravel wouldn’t be removed, the board decided to turn the land into a forest.

She also said the rented crop ground wasn’t providing enough revenue for the board, so the area might as well be returned to its natural habitat.

“We wanted to provide the public with a habitat to enjoy,” Williams said. “There will also be a natural prairie added to the park.”

She said the board was thinking of long-term conservation.

“We want to get it reforested as soon as possible,” Williams said. “It’ll take 20 to 30 years, but this is the first step.”

To get to West Peterson Pits, travel north of Ames on Dayton Road for four miles until it dead-ends at 180th St. Turn left, and go across the Skunk River bridge. Veer to the left at the fork in the road.

The park is about one and a half miles from the bridge, and there will be a sign marking the entrance to the park.

For more information or if you’re interested in volunteering, contact Harrison at (515) 232-2516 today.