Got Nature? Blog

The Tipping Point Planner project, a joint effort by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and Purdue Extension, has been selected as a 2020 recipient of the Purdue College of Agriculture’s TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) Award.

“The TPP program stands out because of its value and impact in assisting local communities in the Great Lakes Region,” Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources department chair Bob Wagner said in his nomination. “The program is unique in that it is composed of community activities dovetailed with a decision support system (DSS) that is based on user needs assessment. The TPP program has been in existence for nearly 10 years and has demonstrated outstanding innovation and impact. As an example, Esri recently showcased TPP as a model system that uses Esri technology to assist communities in important ways. This program highlights the success that both research and extension efforts can have when working closely together.”

The program was also recognized for its accomplishments in the Sustainable Use and Stewardship of Ocean and Coastal Resources segment of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 2019 Science Report, released in March.

The Tipping Point Planner was created to assist community leaders throughout the Great Lakes Basin in making long-term management decisions that affect environmental health of local resources and a community’s quality of life. The program, which includes a web-based decision support system, helps identify the status of watershed health by exploring land use, natural resources and environmental concerns, before determining the impacts of land-use decisions and management practices and, in turn, enables communities keep coastal ecosystems from reaching critical environmental limits, or tipping points, and becoming unstable.

In 2019, the Tipping Point Planner team worked with communities in Au Gres, Michigan; and Perrysburg, Ohio, to create action plans regarding conservation and ecological resource management. All told, more than 100 people in these areas utilized the Tipping Point Planner and collaborated in making the community decisions.

The science supporting TPP stems from multidisciplinary, collaborative work across several Big Ten universities and their associated Sea Grant and Extension offices. Lead researchers came from Purdue University, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, the University of Illinois-Chicago, the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.

Team members secured more than $14 million in extramural funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Great Lakes Fishery Trust, EPA’s Science to Achieve Results Program, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United States Geological Survey (USGS) Climate Change Program, Wege Foundation, and the Kellogg Foundation to enable the necessary data collection, modeling, survey work, and stakeholder interviews. The project also was funded as part of Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources’ (FNR) Signature Areas (2005-2011), which supported five FNR students working on various aspects of the project.

The project also includes representatives from Purdue Agricultural and Biological Engineering, NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory and the Michigan State University Hydrogeology Lab. Other collaborators include the Eureka Aquatic Research, LLC; Michigan State University Center for Water Sciences, Michigan State College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Michigan School for the Environment and Sustainability, the University of Albany College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the University of Minnesota Duluth Natural Resource Research Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center.

The full Tipping Point Planner Team consists of:
NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory

• Dr. Edward Rutherford – Research Fishery Biologist

Purdue University Human-Environment Modeling & Analysis Laboratory

• Dr. Bryan Pijanowski – Professor
• Dr. Kristen Bellisario – Post-Doctoral Research Associate
• Dr. Kimberly Robinson – Former Graduate Student
• NahNah Kim, JD – Former Graduate Student

Purdue University Agricultural & Biological Engineering

• Dr. Bernard Engel – Professor and Department Head
• Dr. Larry Theller – Research Associate (Retired)
• Dr. Yaoze Liu – Postdoctoral Research Assistant
• Dr. Jingqiu Chen – Postdoctoral Research Associate

Michigan State University Hydrogeology Lab

• Dr. David Hyndman – Professor and Department Chair
• Dr. Anthony Kendall – Research Assistant Professor
• Dr. Sherry Martin – Research Associate
• Emily Luscz – Former Graduate Student
• Quercus Hamlin – Graduate Student
• Luwen Wan – Graduate Student

Michigan State University Center for Water Sciences

• Dr. R. Jan Stevenson – Professor and Co-Director of CWS

Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability

• Dr. Mike Wiley – Professor (Retired)
• Dr. Catherine Riseng – Professor

Eureka Aquatic Research LLC

• Dr. Hongyan Zhang – Aquatic Ecologist

USGS Great Lakes Science Center

• Dr. Yu-Chun Kao – Research Associate

University of Minnesota Duluth Natural Resource Research Institute

• Dr. Lucinda Johnson –Associate Director for Water

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

• Dr. Brian Miller – Director (Retired) and Project Manager
• Kara Salazar – Assistant Program Leader and Extension Specialist for Sustainable Communities
• Dan Walker – Community Planning Extension Specialist
• Lydia Utley – Data Analyst
• Ben Wegleitner – Former Outreach Assistant

Resources
Tipping Point Planner
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Tipping Point Planner
With GIS, Communities See How Land-Use Changes May Affect Local Water Quality
Tipping Point Planner curriculum available from Purdue Extension Education Store
Tipping Point Planner Online course
Tipping Points: What are they? Why are they important?
Tipping Point Planner

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

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In this episode of FNR Ask the Expert, Purdue Extension wildlife specialist Jarred Brooke and Dr. Mike Saunders, associate Professor of Ecology and Natural Resources, talk about prescribed fire and how you can use this technique to manage your fields and woodlands.

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
Ask An Expert, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube channel
Wildlife Habitat Hint: Prescribed Fire Techniques – Backing Fire, Purdue Extension – FNR Video
Wildlife Habitat Hint: Prescribed Fire Techniques – Flanking Fire, Purdue Extension – FNR Video
Wildlife Habitat Hint: Prescribed Fire Techniques – Strip Head Fire, Purdue Extension – FNR Video
Wildlife Habitat Hint: Prescribed Fire Techniques – Spot Fire, Purdue Extension – FNR Video
Wildlife Habitat Hint: Prescribed Fire Techniques – Ring Fire, Purdue Extension – FNR Video
Wildlife Habitat Hint: Late Growing Season Prescribed Fire, Video
Renovating Native Warm-Season Grass Stands for Wildlife: A Land Manager’s Guide, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Prescribed fire: 6 things to consider before you ignite, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – 4Forestry and Natural Resources
Indiana Prescribed Fire Council

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

Mike Saunders, Associate Professor of Ecology and Natural Resources
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

 

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In this edition of ID That Tree, Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee introduces you to the chinkapin oak, a member of the white oak family that has leaves that appear sharp like red/black oaks, but really are not. Learn more inside as well as other easier to identify characteristics.

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
Chinkapin Oak, Native Trees of Indiana River Walk, Purdue Fort Wayne
Quercus muehlenbergii, The Purdue Arboretum Explorer
White Oak, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension – Forestry & Natural Resources Playlist
A Woodland Management Moment, Purdue Extension – Forestry & Natural Resources Playlist
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store

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

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In this edition of ID That Tree, Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee introduces you to a rebel of the oak family, the shingle oak. Unlike its relatives, the shingle oak’s shiny leaves do not feature any lobes and have a complete margin. Learn more about this oddity and other ways to identify this species inside.

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
Shingle Oak, Native Trees of Indiana River Walk, Purdue Fort Wayne
Quercus imbricaria, The Purdue Arboretum Explorer
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension – Forestry & Natural Resources Playlist
A Woodland Management Moment, Purdue Extension – Forestry & Natural Resources Playlist
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store

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

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In this edition of ID That Tree, Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee introduces you to the white oak group. In addition to identifying four common varieties of white oak by their leaves and acorns, he also explains how to differentiate them from their cousins, the red oaks.

 

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
White Oak, The Education Store, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
FNR Hardwood – White Oak, The Purdue Arboretum Explorer
White Oak, Native Trees of Indiana River Walk, Purdue – Fort Wayne
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
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Tree Appraisal and the Value of Trees, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store

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

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In this edition of ID That Tree, Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee introduces a whole family of trees, the red oak group. He identifies four common species and shows how to differentiate between them as well as how to keep the red and white oak groups separated.

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
Red Oak, The Education Store, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
FNR Hardwood – Red Oak, The Purdue Arboretum Explorer
Red Oak, Native Trees of Indiana River Walk, Purdue – Fort Wayne
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
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Tree Appraisal and the Value of Trees, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store

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

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Did you know that pecan is a relative of the native bitternut hickory? Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee shares more about this species, which features relatively narrow leaflets, strong sulphur yellow colored elongated bud and a tight light gray colored back with small interlacing ridges.

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
Carya cordiformis, The Purdue Arboretum Explorer
Hickory and Pecan Species, Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Bitternut Hickory, Native Trees of Indiana River Walk, Purdue – Fort Wayne
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
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Tree Appraisal and the Value of Trees, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store

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

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Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant: Freedom Seekers were environmentalists who learned to navigate the land as they escaped slavery. Songs like “Wade in the Water” and “Follow the Drinking Gourd” remind us that history has always been connected to the land we occupy. The lessons featured in this free curriculum, Freedom Seekers: The Underground Railroad, Great Lakes, and Science Literacy Activities, acknowledge the enslaved Africans who had to rely on environmental science principles in their quest for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These lessons provide educators with cross-curricular teaching opportunities for middle and high school students.

“I didn’t realize that the Great Lakes were linked to the Underground Railroad at all,” said Megan Gunn, aquatic education specialist with Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and Purdue University Forestry and Natural Resources. Gunn worked with partners across the region to finalize the curriculum. “I grew up near Lake Michigan and never learned how my cultural roots were so closely connected to the natural world, so I’m excited for the next generation to have this educational opportunity.”

The Freedom Seekers curriculum is a collaborative project between several organizations and schools throughout the Great Lakes. It is part of a professional development effort for educators to increase their knowledge of the Great Lakes and environmental issues while incorporating Environmental Justice Education (EJE) approaches to K-12 teaching. These EJE approaches leverage cross-curricular connections that focus on increasing the awareness of local issues and history in the Great Lakes region.

Full article >>>

Resources
Center For Great Lakes Literacy (CGLL), Website
Ask An Expert: Hot and Cold, Video, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube channel
Diets of Lake Michigan Salmonids, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Informing the Development of the Great Lakes Region Decision Support System, The Education Store
Salmon and Trout of the Great Lakes: A Visual Identification Guide, The Education Store
New website: Eat Midwest Fish, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
Scientists bring the Great Lakes to students learning from home, Got Nature? Blog
ID That Tree: Alternate Leaved Dogwood, Got Nature? Blog

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG)

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Do you want to learn how to manage and keep your woodlands healthy and prosperous? A new online offering from Purdue Extension will offer the chance to do just that from the comfort and safety of your own home or computer screen.

Join Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee on Tuesdays from March 2 to April 13 for a virtual Forest Management for the Private Woodland Owner course. Online meetings will take place from 6-8 p.m. each Tuesday on zoom.

Registration is available online (https://www.cvent.com/d/2jqlz6) through Feb. 23 and is limited to the first 300 applicants. The cost of participation is $10. All presentations and supporting materials will be supplied electronically.

“This course is designed for woodland owners who may be wondering how to manage their woodlands to promote good health, sustainability, and to meet their ownership objectives,” Farlee said. “We will examine the biology of woodlands, basic management planning and practices, and where to go for additional information and assistance.”

Schedule of events:
Tuesday, March 2 – Tree identification techniques and resources
Tuesday, March 9 – Forest history and ecology
Tuesday, March 16 – Forest management planning
Tuesday, March 23 – Forest management practices
Tuesday, March 30 – Considerations for selling timber
Tuesday, April 6 – Forest economics and taxation
Tuesday, April 13 – Resource and assistance for woodland owners and course wrap-up

Contact Lenny Farlee with any further questions or needed accommodations at lfarlee@purdue.edu.

Resources
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners, Purdue Extension – FNR playlist
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension – FNR playlist
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Resources and Assistance Available for Planting Hardwood Seedlings, The Education Store

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

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Some trees just don’t follow the rules. Case in point, the alternate leaved dogwood. As Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee explains, this native tree has an alternate leaf arrangement unlike its dogwood cousins in North America, which have an opposite leaf arrangement. It is still recognizable, however, by the venation running parallel to the outside edge of the leaf, and very large, egg-shaped leaves. It also has clusters of small white flowers in the spring.

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
Cornus alternifolia, The Purdue Arboretum Explorer
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension – Forestry & Natural Resources Playlist
A Woodland Management Moment, Purdue Extension – Forestry & Natural Resources Playlist
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store

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

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