Got Nature? Blog

With large amounts of white-tailed deer populating the area around forest land, getting your hardwood seedlings established can be difficult.

Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee, sustainable hardwood extension specialist, offers some tips on how to protect newly planted seedlings from browsing deer using plastic mesh fencing to exclude the animals from the area. He also mentions tree tubes and electrified fencing as potential options. Learn more in the video below.

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
USDA Cost Assistance Programs for Conservation Practices
How to Build a Plastic Mesh Deer Exclusion Fence, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
Electric Fences for Preventing Deer Browse Damage by White-Tailed Deer, The Education Store
Managing Your Woods for White-Tailed Deer, The Education Store
How to Score Your White-Tailed Deer, Video, Purdue Extension Youtube Channel

Lenny Farlee, Sustaining Hardwood Extension Specialist
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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Purdue Forestry & Natural Resources extension specialists gathered for a Facebook LIVE event held May 5th to answer questions on a wide range of topics from woodland management to wildlife habitat, ponds to invasive species and more.

Topics ranged from what to do about moles, voles and Canada geese causing damage in your yard, to how to pick the right tree for your landscape and how to measure the worth of your trees. The presentation also included segments on what to do about algae in your pond to how to know if you need to restock it as well as what to do about invasive plant species and how to protect your trees from deer damage.

Get advice from extension specialists Jarred Brooke, Lenny Farlee, Brian MacGowan, Lindsey Purcell, Rod Williams and Mitch Zischke in the video below.

If you have any further questions feel free to send your questions by submitting our Ask An Expert form.

Resources mentioned:
Purdue Extension – The Education Store
Purdue Report Invasive Species Website
Midwest Invasive Species Network Database
TreesAreGood.org
Find a Forester in Indiana
Improve My Property for Wildlife, Purdue Extension
Online Mole Program, Event May 14th, Purdue FNR Extension
Have you seen a hairless squirrel, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue FNR Extension
Stocking Fish, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
Tree Selection for the “Un-natural” Environment, The Education Store
Selecting a Nuisance Control Operator, The Education Store
Forest Products Price Report (pdf), Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
Indiana DNR Nuisance Goose Control Options (pdf), Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
Turtles of Indiana, The Education Store
Salamanders of Indiana, The Education Store
Frogs and Toads of Indiana, The Education Store
Snakes and Lizards of Indiana, The Education Store
Aquatic Plant Management, The Education Store
Native Grasses, The Education Store
Preventing Deer Browsing on Trees/Shrubs, Video, Purdue Extension Youtube Channel

Brian MacGowan, Wildlife Extension Specialist
Purdue University, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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Our recent cold mornings resulted in late freeze damage to many trees and shrubs. This damage to newly emerging shoots and leaves follows a few hours of temperatures below the freezing mark. Damage is usually characterized by wilting browning of new growth, particularly leaves and needles. It may take a few days, or until temperatures begin warming again, for damage to become evident.

The photos below reveal some late freeze damage in southern Indiana, shared by a concerned tree owner. It is often dramatic and can cause concern for homeowners and landscapers. Fortunately, the damage is largely aesthetic, and plants will quickly resume growth.

 

 

 

 

What can you expect? Typically, the damaged or dead leaves will fall and new leaves will emerge, although somewhat slowly. A reduction in growth and leaf size can be anticipated as well. Just remain calm and wait for the tree to recover. If the tree was vigorous going into winter and had a good store of carbohydrates, it can withstand an environmental hit such as these cold extremes.

If branches or stems don’t show any evidence of bud or leaf emergence, lightly scratch the bark with your thumbnail. If the green cambial layer is revealed, the tree is likely just slowly emerging from dormancy. If there is no green tissue evident, it is likely dead. Prune out the dead branches to a living later branch and assess the plant.

Resources
Question: What are these pretty green flower shaped growth spots? Will they damage the tree?, Got Nature? Post, Purdue FNR Extension
Iron Chlorosis of Trees and Shrubs, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Tree Diseases: Oak Wilt in Indiana, The Education Store
Tree Diseases: White Pine Decline in Indiana, The Education Store
Mechanical Damage to Trees: Mowing and Maintenance Equipment, The Education Store
Surface Root Syndrome, The Education Store
Tree Appraisal and the Value of Trees, The Education Store

Lindsey Purcell, Urban Forestry Specialist
Purdue University, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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Question:
Are these pretty green flower shaped growth spots lichens? It just appeared on my tree this year. With this type of fungus should I be worried that it could damage the tree?

Answer:
Lichen is common on trees and not bad either. Those grayish-green patches, come in all sizes and shapes and sometimes covering much of the tree, are not feeding on your woody plants. Lichens grow on the surface of the tree, and do not penetrate any tissue. Instead, they make use of the trunk or branches for support. They can be aesthetically pleasing for many. Lichens play a very significant role as a bio-indicator. They only grow where the air quality is good and have a favorable growing environment. They help filter the air as well… so, don’t worry, be happy!

Resources:
Lichens, Purdue Botany & Plant Pathology
Purdue Plant & Pest Diagnostic Lab, Purdue Botany & Plant Pathology
Diseases of Landscape Plants: Leaf Diseases, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Surface Root Syndrome, The Education Store
Tree Installation: Process and Practices, The Education Store
Purdue Landscape Report, Purdue University

Lindsey Purcell, Urban Forestry Specialist
Purdue University, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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Mark your calendar for four upcoming Facebook LIVE events from Purdue FNR Extension specialists.

On April 30, tune in at 3 p.m. to expand your knowledge about the Hellbender husbandry program as Dr. Rod Williams chats live with Dr. Stephen Spear from The Wilds, who is going to talk about captive rearing, different age groups of hellbenders and some of their research using EDNA to sample for hellbenders across the country. This Facebook LIVE event will take place on the Help the Hellbender page. https://www.facebook.com/HelpTheHellbender

Check back in a few hours later at 6 p.m. for a live Q&A with extension wildlife specialist Jarred Brooke. He will offering habitat help and offering tips and tricks about establishing native grasses and forbs for wildlife. Tune in on the Purdue FNR Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/PurdueFNR/

On May 5, a host of Purdue extension specialists will be available to answer your questions on a variety of topics during a noon ET Ask the Expert session on the Purdue FNR Facebook page .  Have a question about woodlands, wildlife, fish, or ponds you want to ask a Forestry and Natural Resource Specialist? We will be discussing wildlife habitat management, prescribed fire, forest management, invasive plants, wildlife conflict management, wildlife damage, amphibian and reptile identification, wildlife ecology, pond management and fish ecology.  This Q&A session will put you in touch with:

• Jarred Brooke, Extension Wildlife Specialist, wildlife habitat management, prescribed fire
• Lenny Farlee, Extension Forestry Specialist, forest management, invasive plants
• Brian MacGowan, Extension Wildlife Specialist, wildlife conflict management, wildlife damage
• Rod Williams, Extension Wildlife Specialist, amphibian and reptile identification, wildlife ecology
• Mitch Zischke, Extension Fisheries Specialist, pond management and fish ecology

On May 7 at 3 p.m., in Episode 3 of our Help the Hellbenders Facebook LIVE series, Dr. Rod Williams will talk with the keepers at the Mesker Park Zoo and Botanical Gardens about their efforts to breed hellbenders in captivity. Viewers will also have a tour of the facility and see interactive exhibits.

All Facebook LIVE sessions will be archived on Facebook. Go back and watch Episode 1 of the Help the Hellbender series.

To access a Facebook live feed, go to the page at the established time. When the event is live, a LIVE icon will show up next to the word video on the left hand side of the page. Click the video link and a new page will open. The video that is live will be the first video in the list. Click that to begin watching.

Resources:
Report Invasive, Purdue Extension
Effective Firebreaks for Safe Use of Prescribed Fire, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue University Forestry and Natural Resources Extension
Renovating native warm-season grass stands for wildlife: A Land Manager’s Guide, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Invasive plants: impact on environment and people, The Education Store
Pond and Wildlife Management, Purdue Extension
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center

Wendy Mayer, FNR Communications Coordinator
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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The Purdue Extension Pond and Wildlife Management website has been updated with a contact search function to better help you find the right professional biologist or conservationist in your county to serve your needs.

The newly created County and Habitat Management Contacts page allows individuals to search for experts within their county by simply selecting it from a dropdown menu. Within each individual county is a listing of Indiana Department of Natural Resources contacts, extension specialists and more.

In addition, the contacts page lists various agencies and services that can also help with questions about pond or habitat management. These resources include the Indiana DNR, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Pheasants and Quail Forever, Purdue Extension, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Soil and Water Conservation Districts and event private consultants.

As fishing, hunting and other wildlife recreation continues to be popular in Indiana, Purdue Extension has developed this new program to help Indiana landowners manage their ponds and wildlife.

Along with the search features to help you find professional contacts, you will also find these topics and resources on the website:

• The Pond Ecosystem
• Fish Population Management
• Pond Construction and Maintenance
• Aquatic Vegetation Management
• Evaluating Your Property
• Forest Management
• Grassland Management
• Habitat Management Planning

To better understand and manage pond ecosystems in Indiana for fishing and wildlife habitat this website provides detailed information to help you reach your goals.

Resources:
Salmon and Trout of the Great Lakes: A Visual Identification Guide, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
Pond Management: Stocking Fish in Indiana Ponds, The Education Store
The Nature of Teaching: Adaptations for Aquatic Amphibians, The Education Store
Illinois & Indiana Sea Grant, using research, outreach, and education to bring the latest science to communities and their residents
How to Score Your White-tailed Deer, Video, The Education Store
How to Build a Plastic Mesh Deer Exclusion Fence, The Education Store
Assessing Your Land’s Potential for Wildlife, The Education Store

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

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While our FNR Purdue Extension specialists can’t be with you in person at workshops, meetings or in the field right now, they are still here to assist you. Don’t hesitate to reach out.

Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources, purdue.edu/fnr/extension
Ask An Expert

Wendy Mayer, Communications Coordinator
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Diana Evans, Extension & Web Communications Specialist
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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Have you heard of a Hellbender? No? Have you been living under a rock?

Eastern hellbenders are the largest salamander in North America, a rare species that has been getting a lot of conservation attention over the past two decades. If you would like to learn about Hellbenders, how you can help protect aquatic wildlife, and have the opportunity to ask Purdue biologists questions about Hellbender conservation, then please join us on our Help the Hellbender-Facebook Live question and answer time, www.facebook.com/HelpTheHellbender/.

Thursday, April 23rd
3:00 pm ET

We hope to see you there and please bring your questions!

Resources:
Help the Hellbender website, Purdue Extension-Forestry and Natural Resources
Hellbender Decline, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Zoos Work with Purdue University for Hellbender Conservation Efforts, Got Nature? Blog, FNR
The Nature of Teaching: Adaptations for Aquatic Amphibians, The Education Store

Nick Burgmeier, Project Coordinator, Research Biologist & Wildlife Extension Specialist
Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Shelby Royal, Husbandry Lab Coordinator
Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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

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Many trees, shrubs, and other ornamental plantings in Indiana and throughout the Midwest suffer from iron deficiency caused by high pH (alkaline) soil. Soil pH affects plant growth directly and indirectly by affecting the availability of essential nutrients and microbial activity. One of these nutrients is iron, an essential plant nutrient that is required for the production of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is necessary for photosynthesis and gives plants their green color. Iron (and manganese) deficiency results in leaf yellowing (chlorosis); over time, scorching of foliage, dieback and even death of the tree or shrub can result.

Iron Chlorosis of Trees and Shrubs talks about the symptoms, the cause and the managing of iron chlorosis. One of the authors is Lindsey Purcell, an urban forestry specialist from the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University.

This 5-page publication is part of the Plant Pathology in the Landscape Series and is a free download from the Purdue Extension resource center, The Education Store. View other tree disease publications and video resources as you place keywords in the search field located on The Education Store website.

Resources
Tree Diseases: Oak Wilt in Indiana, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Tree Diseases: White Pine Decline in Indiana, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Mechanical Damage to Trees: Mowing and Maintenance Equipment, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Surface Root Syndrome, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Tree Appraisal and the Value of Trees, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center

Lindsey Purcell, Urban Forestry Specialist
Purdue University, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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Many woodland landowners are interested in improving their properties for one of Indiana’s most abundant game animals, white-tailed deer. This publication titled Managing Your Woods for White-Tailed Deer outlines different options landowners have to enhance white-tailed deer habitat in their woodlands. Learn the pros and cons of mature forests vs. young forest stands along with finding answers to these and other questions you may have:

• Can mature forests cause less forage?
• What does lacking oak trees mean for managing deer?
• Which plants do deer eat?

This 16-page publication filled with plants and forest photos is a free download from the Purdue Extension resource center, The Education Store. View other deer publications and video resources as you place keywords in the search field located on The Education Store website.

Resources
Renovating native warm-season grass stands for wildlife: A Land Manager’s Guide, The Education Store, Purdue University
Bovine Tuberculosis in Wild White-tailed Deer, The Education Store
How to Score Your White-tailed Deer, Video, The Education Store
How to Build a Plastic Mesh Deer Exclusion Fence, The Education Store
Frost Seeding to Establish Wildlife Food Plots and Native Grass and Forb Plantings, Video

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

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