Got Nature? Blog

In this edition of Wildlife Habitat Hint, Purdue wildlife extension specialist Jarred Brooke shares methods to control the invasive sericea lespedeza. This plant species, though was once used for erosion control and mineland reclamation, is too invasive and of little wildlife value.

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
Sericea Lespedeza: Plague on the Prairie, Purdue Extension
Wildlife Habitat Hint, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resouces
Invasive Species, Playlist
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners, Playlist
Habitat Help LIVE Q&A – Native Grasses and Forbs for Wildlife, Video, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Youtube channel
Renovating Native Warm-Season Grass Stands for Wildlife: A Land Manager’s Guide, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center

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

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The Purdue Rainscaping Education Program team is offering a virtual Purdue Rainscaping Education Program workshop as a five week series. This workshop will teach master gardeners, landscape professionals, and agency staff how to promote community awareness and education for bioretention/rain garden planning, installation, and maintenance.

Landscapes with rainscaping capture stormwater, which reduces polluted runoff from homes and communities. When plants and soils of a rainscaped landscape absorb water from storms, they keep pollution from reaching streams, rivers, and lakes. Learn more by attending this virtual program with resources and live webinars.

Cost: $50.
Registration: for online registration visit https://www.cvent.com/d/v7qpml.
You can also register by contacting the Purdue Education Store at 765-494-6794.
The registration deadline is September 11.
Registration is open to a maximum of 50 participants.

Program Agenda
September 21
2:30 – 5:00 pm (all times Eastern)
Introduction and Overview of Rainscaping

September 23
2:30 – 5:00 pm (all times Eastern)
Site Selection and Analysis

September 30
2:30 – 5:00 pm (all times Eastern)
Plant Selection and Design

October 5
2:30 – 5:00 pm (all times Eastern)
Installation and Maintenance

October 7
2:30 – 5:00 pm (all times Eastern)
Rainscaping and Community Engagement.

If you have questions regarding the program contact: John Orick, orick@purdue.edu, 765-496-7956 or Kara Salazar, salazark@purdue.edu, 765-496-1070

For more information, please view Purdue Rainscaping Education Program Flyer.

Resources
Rainscaping Program
Master Gardeners Program
Rain Gardens Go with the Flow, Indiana Yard and Garden, Purdue Horticulture
Rainscaping Education Program Highlighted in NOAA Annual Report, Got Nature? Post, Purdue Extension
What is Rainscaping? Purdue Rainscaping Education Program Video, Purdue Extension

John Orick, Purdue Master Gardener State Coordinator
Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

Kara Salazar, Assistant Program Leader and Extension Specialist for Sustainable Communities
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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Join alumna Megan Benage, a regional ecologist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and Bee Redfield, a postgraduate research assistant, as they explore the world of pollinators. They cover the who’s, the what’s and how’s of pollination as well as how you can help bring pollinators to your yard and help the pollinator population in general. They also share about ongoing research and cool projects related to pollinators.

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
Protecting Pollinators: Biology and Control of Varroa Mites in Bee Hives, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
The Complex Life of the Honey Bee: Environmental, Biological, and Chemical Challenges to Colony Health, The Education Store
Youth Pollinator Packet, The Education Store
Pollinator Protection, Website, Purdue Extension
Gardening for Pollinators, Purdue Graden Articles

Megan Benage, Regional Ecologist
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Bee Redfield, Postgraduate Research Assistant
Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources

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Purdue Extension forester  Lenny Farlee introduces you to one of Indiana’s most common trees, the sugar maple. This species, which is often used to produce maple syrup, is easily identifiable by its five-lobed leaves, opposite leaf and branch arrangement, and ability to thrive in the understory.

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
The Story Behind a Sugar Maple Scar, Purdue Extension
Sugar Maple, The Purdue Arboretum
Hard or Sugar Maple, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Tree Appraisal and the Value of Trees, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
ID That Tree, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Youtube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Youtube Channel

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

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Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee tells you where to find and how to identify a species that clings to many of our trees, poison ivy. Protect yourself from the itch by recognizing this species before it is a problem.

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
Poison Ivy, Purdue Landscape Report
Poison Ivy, Purdue Extension
Poison Ivy, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Tree Appraisal and the Value of Trees, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
ID That Tree, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Youtube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Youtube Channel

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

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August IDNR Wildlife Bulletin Newsletter: Fascinated with the natural world? Tag along with an Indiana DNR biologist on one of their upcoming excursions to learn more about wildlife and their habitats. Hone your identification skills while enjoying the outdoors.

Aug. 8 – Bike with a Biologist, Amo

For those who are new to hunting and fishing, DNR also hosts workshops through the Learn to Fish and the Learn to Hunt, Shoot, & Trap programs. Find more upcoming educational events.

Aug. 7 – Learn to Hunt: Frogs, Martinsville
Sept. 12 – Learn to Stream Fish, Atterbury Fish & Wildlife Area
Sept. 26 – Family Learn to Fish, Cicero

Resources
Ask an Expert: Wildlife Mythbusters, Video, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Youtube channel
Best Practices Guide for Charter Fishing and COVID-19, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Resourceful Animal Relationships, The Education Store
Considerations for Trapping Nuisance Wildlife with Box Traps, The Education Store
Handling Harvested Game From Field to Table, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources

Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IN DNR)

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Purdue Landscape Report: The Purdue Landscape Report Team will begin a new, free online series that will start every two weeks on Wednesdays at noon Eastern time zone. The topics and speakers will vary each session, so check out the newsletter every two weeks to find out what follows the next day. You’ll have three ways to attend each session, which you can find below.  During each session you’ll be able to ask questions to the speakers on Zoom and Facebook Live. Hope you will join us!

To join the chat on Zoom:
https://purdueextension.zoom.us/j/98937266342

To join the chat via telephone:
US: +1 312 626 6799

To join the chat on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/PurdueLandscapeReport

Resources
Purdue Landscape Report
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Youtube Channel
Invasive Species, Playlist
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners, Playlist
Ask The Expert, Playlist
Surface Root Syndrome, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Tree Pruning Essentials, The Education Store

Kyle M Daniel, Nursery & Landscape Outreach Specialist
Purdue Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

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In this edition of ID That Tree, Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee introduces you to the American Sycamore, one of Indiana’s largest deciduous trees. You can identify the tree from the upper part of the canopy, which glows with smooth white/light green bark.

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

Resources
Sycamore, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Tree Appraisal and the Value of Trees, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
American Sycamore, The Purdue Arboretum
What is happening to the local sycamore trees?, Purdue Extension
Sycamore Anthracnose, Purdue Extension
ID That Tree, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Youtube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Youtube Channel

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

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Receive tips and tricks about establishing native grasses and forbs for wildlife. Don’t miss the question and answer time with our Purdue Extension Wildlife experts.

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

Resources
Natural Resources Conservation Service Indiana
Pheasant Forever
Quail Forever
Pure Live Seed: Calculations and Considerations for Wildlife Food Plots, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
Seed Fillers and Carriers for Planting Native Warm-season Grasses and Forbs, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
Calibrating a No-Till Drill for Conservation Plantings and Wildlife Food Plots, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Youtube channel

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

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It’s time for another dendrology lesson from Lenny Farlee. This time, he introduces you to one of the native coniferous trees in Indiana, the Eastern Red Cedar.

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

Resources
Eastern Red Cedars Volunteer Way Too Often, Purdue Garden Articles
Orange ‘Koosh’ Galls on Eastern Red Cedar, Purdue Landscape Report
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Tree Appraisal and the Value of Trees, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
ID That Tree, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Youtube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Youtube Channel

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

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