February 25, 2019
Proper pesticide to highlight forest owner workshop
Honeysuckle, an invasive species in Indiana forests, will re-sprout once cut. An herbicide application can safely and effectively prevent or kill resprouting.
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – There are safe and effective ways to use herbicides to manage forests and fend off invasive species. That’s the message Fred Whitford, director of Purdue Pesticide Programs, wants to communicate to forest owners at the upcoming Ohio River Valley Woodlands and Wildlife Workshop.
“We want to get beyond the perception that many people have about forest herbicides, show how the products are tested and what we know about their effects on wildlife and the environment,” said Whitford, featured speaker at the workshop. “If a property owner can manage their forest without the use of herbicides and prefers to do so, that’s great. But there are many who may need to use herbicides and have misconceptions about them. We want to give them the best information to make informed decisions.”
Whitford said herbicides can be especially helpful for forest managers trying to eliminate invasive species like honeysuckle or trees that are likely to resprout from trunks after being cut down. Proper use can eliminate risks to wildlife and their habitats, and effective use can reduce the need for herbicides in the future.
“By getting the problem under control, it gives you options to use other management practices in the future,” Whitford said.
Brian MacGowan, Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources Extension coordinator and workshop co-organizer, said Whitford and the workshop’s other speakers offer a wealth of knowledge for forest owners, whether they’ve been managing their properties for a long time or recently acquired them. Anyone who owns forested land and wants to learn more about management techniques is welcome to attend.
“We’re bringing together resource experts on a variety of topics so that woodland owners can learn from them and network to share their experiences,” MacGowan said. “There’s no substitute for learning about this from people who have experience and have done it.”
Registration is $45 per person through March 12 and $55 after. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://2019orvww.eventbrite.com.
For registration questions, contact Liz Jackson at 765-583-3501 or jackson@purdue.edu.
Writer: Brian Wallheimer, 765-532-0233, bwallhei@purdue.edu
Sources: Fred Whitford, 765-494-1284, fwhitford@purdue.edu
Brian MacGowan, 765-647-3538, macgowan@purdue.edu
Agricultural Communications: (765) 494-8415;
Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu
