Got Nature? Blog

With the holidays over the needles are beginning to fall from your natural Christmas tree, continue to spread holiday cheer by returning your tree to nature.

Jarred Brooke, Extension wildlife specialist, shares a few creative ways you can repurpose and recycle your tree this year.

“Before you throw your used natural Christmas tree in the trash, think about recycling it on your property. Instead of taking up space in the landfill, your tree could decompose naturally while providing cover and food for fish, wildlife or insects,” said Brooke.

No matter how you choose to repurpose your tree, make sure it is free from ornaments and decorations. Do not recycle trees that have been sprayed with “fake” snow or treated with chemicals.

Create a habitat for fish
Throwing used Christmas trees in ponds is a great way to recycle the tree and provide a fish habitat to your pond. The small branches provide hiding spots for small fish to escape from larger predators.

If the pond is frozen with more than four inches of ice, you can drag your tree onto the ice. The tree will fall into place once the ice melts.

You should only add Christmas trees to your ponds or other private ponds with the permission of the pond owner. While they do provide great habitats for fish, they can be a nuisance for fishing as hooks and lines may get caught on branches. It is recommended that you keep trees away from popular fishing areas like docks.

Full article > > >

Resources:
Selecting a Real Christmas Tree, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension-Forestry and Natural Resources
A Choose-and-Cut Pine and Fir Christmas Tree Case Study, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
Living Christmas Trees For The Holidays and Beyond, The Education Store
Growing Christmas Trees, The Education Store
Selecting an Indiana-Grown Christmas Tree, The Education Store
Forest/Timber Playlist, subscribe to Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
Aquatics & Fisheries, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
Ask an Expert: Pond Wildlife Management, Video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Ask an Expert: Pond Management: What to Do in Winter, How to Plan for Spring, Video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Aquatic Plant Management: Identifying and Managing Aquatic Vegetation, The Education Store
Pond and Wildlife Management, Purdue Extension-Forestry and Natural Resources

Jarred Brooke, Wildlife Extension Specialist
Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources

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The 2021 issue of Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s magazine, The Helm, is now available. This annual publication is a collection of program research, outreach and education success stories as well as ongoing activities to address coastal concerns.

This issue is focused on rain gardens, aquaculture, marine debris and more, including a Chicago artist who photographs things he finds while walking along Lake Michigan beaches.

Headlines from this issue:

• Great Lakes Litter Contributes to Larger Microplastic Problem
• IISG Helps Aquaculture Producers Diversify Their Marketing Opportunities
• Purdue Rainscaping Program Brings Rain Garden Training to Illinois Extension

The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) program is funded through National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the University of Illinois and Purdue University, but IISG also works in partnerships with key organizations, institutions, and agencies in the region to reach more audiences and multiply opportunities for success. IISG brings together scientists, educators, policy makers, community decision makers, outreach specialists, business leaders, and the general public to work towards a healthy environment and economy.

More Resources:
Ask An Expert: Rainscaping, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Channel
Rainscaping Education Program, Purdue University
Climate Change: How will you manage stormwater runoff?, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Largemouth Bass Workshops Now Available By Video, Purdue Extension – FNR
Salmon and Trout of the Great Lakes: A Visual Identification Guide, The Education Store
Rainbow Trout Farm Fish Fact Sheet, The Education Store
Pond Management: Stocking Fish in Indiana Ponds, The Education Store
What plants can I landscape with in area that floods with hard rain? Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR

Hope Charters, Communications Coordinator
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

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Find the answer in this free downloadable publication titled Rainbow Trout Farmed Fish Fact Sheet, FNR-622-W, along with culinary characteristics, cooking tips and a recipe for Grilled Rainbow Trout with Apricot Salsa.

This is the fourth in a series of consumer guides that describe fish and shellfish farmed in the Midwest region of the United States. (See FNR-608-W, Walleye Farmed Fish Fact Sheet, FNR-618-W, Yellow Perch Farmed Fish Fact Sheet and FNR-621-W, Tilapia Farmed Fish Fact Sheet).

Resources:
Fish: Healthy Protein Handout, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Walleye Farmed Fish Fact Sheet: A Guide for Seafood Consumers, The Education Store
Fish Cleaning with Purdue Extension County Extension Director, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR)
Eat Midwest Fish, Website
Sustainable Aquaculture: What does it mean to you?, The Education Store
Best Practices Guide for Charter Fishing and COVID-19, The Education Store
Pond Management: Managing Fish Populations, The Education Store
Aquatics & Fisheries, YouTube Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR

Amy Shambach, Aquaculture Marketing Outreach Associate
Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources/Illinois Indiana Sea Grant Program

 

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Pacific white shrimp, also known as whiteleg shrimp, is a variety of prawn in the order Decapoda. Pacific white shrimp have ten legs on the underside of their carapace (head), ten appendages (pleopods) on their abdomen for swimming, a pair of antennae, and can reach a maximum length of 9 inches (230 mm). Shrimp color can vary slightly depending on habitat, feed, and water turbidity, and tend to range in color from translucent white to reddish-brown. When cooked, they turn pink.

Shrimp is the most popular seafood product in the United States. However, the majority of farmed shrimp is grown in Asia. The Pacific white shrimp is the most common farm-raised shrimp species in the world, and it is well suited for pond and indoor production. In the Midwest and other parts of the U.S., Pacific white shrimp are grown in indoor environmental controlled systems. U.S. farm raised shrimp can be purchased at farmers markets, restaurants, and directly from farmers.

This publication, Pacific White Shrimp, FNR-623-W, is the fifth in a series of consumer guides that describe fish and shellfish farmed in the Midwest region of the United States. The fact sheet also includes culinary characteristics, cooking tips and a recipe for Sautéed Old Bay® Shrimp.

Resources:
Walleye Farmed Fish Fact Sheet, The Education Store
Yellow Perch Farmed Fish Fact Sheet, The Education Store
Tilapia Farmed Fish Fact Sheet, The Education Store
Rainbow Trout Farmed Fish Fact Sheet, The Education Store
Eat Midwest Fish, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant online resource hub
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG), Illinoi-Indiana Sea Grant

Amy Shambach, Aquaculture Marketing Outreach Associate
Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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Join fisheries specialist Dr. Mitch Zischke and Fred Whitford from the Purdue Pesticide program as they share about pond vegetation, from what is pond vegetation and why is it useful, to how you prevent negative effects from aquatic plants and what can you do to control problem plants.

If you have any questions regarding trees, forests, wildlife, wood products or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.

Resources:
Aquatics & Fisheries, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
Ask an Expert: Pond Wildlife Management, Video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Ask an Expert: Pond Management: What to Do in Winter, How to Plan for Spring, Video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Aquatic Pest Management, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Pond Management: Stocking Fish in Indiana Ponds, The Education Store
Aquatic Plant Management: Identifying and Managing Aquatic Vegetation, The Education Store
Aquatic Vegetation Management, College of Agriculture – Purdue Extension
Pond and Wildlife Management, College of Agriculture – Purdue Extension
Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab, College of Agriculture – Purdue Extension
Find your county extension educator, College of Agriculture – Purdue Extension
Purdue Pesticide Program eLearning Aquatic Vegetation Module, Purdue Pesticide Program, Purdue Extension
Part 1: Know Your Pond, Video, Purdue Extension YouTube Channel
Part 2: Selecting the Right Equipment for the Job, Video, Purdue Extension YouTube Channel
Part 3: Proper Placement of the Herbicide, Video, Purdue Extension YouTube Channel
Part 4: Stopping the Hitchhikers Boat Cleaning, Video, Purdue Extension YouTube Channel

Mitch Zischke, Clinical Assistant Professor
Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Fred Whitford, Clinical Engagement Professor
Purdue Department of Botany and Plant Pathology

 

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Did you know that the majority of tilapia grown in the Midwest region of the United States are sold live in ethnic markets? And the majority of tilapia eaten in the United States are imported from Asia and Latin America?

Farmed tilapia is considered safe to eat. In fact, they are identified as a “Best Choice” fish for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and children according to the EPA and FDA.

This publication, “Tilapia Farmed Fish Fact Sheet“, is the third in a series of consumer guides that describe fish and shellfish farmed in the Midwest region of the United States. The fact sheet also includes culinary characteristics, cooking tips and a recipe for Sauteed Tilapia.

To view other consumer guide publications and video resources, check out Purdue Extension’s The Education Store website.

Resources:
Fish: Healthy Protein Handout, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Walleye Farmed Fish Fact Sheet, The Education Store
Yellow Perch Farmed Fish Fact Sheet, The Education Store
Salmon and Trout of the Great Lakes: A Visual Identification Guide, The Education Store
Eat Midwest Fish, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant online resource hub

Amy Shambach, Aquaculture Marketing Outreach Associate
Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

 

 

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Join Purdue FNR’s own professor of wildlife science, Dr. Rod Williams, along with Mike Lodato, member of the Indiana Technical Advisory Committee for Herpetology, and Nate Engbrecht, herpetologist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, to learn tips on the how’s, when’s and where’s of herping in Indiana, including what gear to take, where to go and what you might see in different parts of the state.

If you have any questions regarding wildlife, trees, forest management, wood products, natural resource planning, or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.

Resources:
What’s a Herp? Indiana Department of Natural Resources YouTube Channel
Appreciating Reptiles and Amphibians in Nature, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
The Nature of Teaching, Unit 3: Reptiles, Amphibians, and the Scientific Method, The Education Store
A Moment in the Wild: Eastern Newt Video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Help the Hellbender, Purdue Extension

Rod Williams, Professor of Wildlife Science
Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Nate Engbrecht, Herpetologist
Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Mike Lodato, Member of the Indiana Technical Advisory Committee for Herpetology

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Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG), serving communities in the Great Lakes region, has largemouth bass workshops now available as videos on the IISG YouTube Channel. Presenters from Illinois and Kentucky share their expertise with largemouth bass production, marketing trends and best management practices.

Indoor Larval Largemouth Bass Rearing Video
Presenter: Giovanni Molinari, Research Assistant, Center for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Science, Sothern Illinois University-Carbondale
Learn about larval largemouth bass rearing in an indoor recirculating aquaculture system from Southern Illinois University graduate student Giovanni Molinari.

Largemouth Bass Production Video
Presenter: Dr. James H. Tidwell, Chair for School of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, Aquaculture Research Center, Kentucky State University
Gain an overview of largemouth bass production from Dr. Tidwell, including stocking and food fish production.

Largemouth Bass Fingerling Production Video
Presenter: Shawn Coyle, Research Associate with the School of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, College of Agriculture, Kentucky State University
Learn about the production of feed trained largemouth bass fingerlings through the first year.

Largemouth Bass Market Trends Video
Presenter: Paul Hitchens, Aquaculture Specialist, Southern Illinois University
Learn about the marketing trends to the food fish market and live market. Paul shares what they gather and how they analyze the numbers there at SIU.

Through workshops, educational materials, and one-on-one interactions, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant provides people with the tools they need to help incorporate fish into their diet, aid aquaculture producers in defining markets and create value-added opportunities for their products.

Resources:
Eat Midwest Fish website launches fresh fish finder, Illinois – Indiana Sea Grant
Walleye Farmed Fish Fact Sheet: A Guide for Seafood Consumers, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Yellow Perch Farmed Fish Fact Sheet, The Education Store
Tilapia Farmed Fish Fact Sheet, The Education Store
Fish: Healthy Protein Handout, The Education Store
Fish Cleaning with Purdue Extension County Extension Director, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) YouTube Channel and IISG website, IISG grant combines research, education, and outreach to empower southern Lake Michigan communities to secure a healthy environment and economy.

Amy Shambach, Aquaculture Marketing Outreach Associate
Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources/Illinois Indiana Sea Grant Program

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Resources:
Nature of Teaching, Purdue Agriculture
Natural of Teaching YouTube Channel
Indiana 4-H Youth Development, Purdue Extension
4-H Academy, Purdue Extension
College of Agriculture PK-12 Council Outreach and Engagement Awards, Purdue Agriculture
National Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP), Teaching Youth Valuable Skills

Jarred Brooke, Wildlife Extension Specialist
Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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In this episode of Ask an Expert, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant‘s aquaculture marketing outreach associate Amy Shambach and Purdue Aquaculture Lab Manager Bob Rode share more about aquaculture, a growing method to increase the food supply.

If you have any questions regarding trees, forests, wildlife, wood products or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.

Resources
Aquaculture Research Lab, Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources
Local Farmers, Local Fish: Shrimp, Video, Purdue Extension YouTube channel
Aquaculture Industry in Indiana Growing, Video, Purdue Agriculture YouTube Channel
Aquaponics, Video, Purdue University YouTube channel
Aquaculture: Cage Culture, Video, Purdue University YouTube channel
Eat Midwest Fish
Indiana Department of Natural Resources Commercial Fish Suppliers Database
IN Fish Stocking, Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
Fish & Wildlife Properties – State Fish Hatcheries, IN DNR
Indiana Aquaculture Association
North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC)
Southern Regional Aquaculture Center (SRAC)
Commercial Fisher Suppliers, IN DNR
Indiana Fish Entry Requirements, Indiana State Board of Animal Health

Amy Shambach, Aquaculture Marketing Outreach Associate
Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources/Illinois Indiana Sea Grant Program

Bob Rode, Extension Aquaculture Specialist
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University

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