Got Nature? Blog

Tree-of-heaven (ToH), also known as Chinese sumac, varnish tree, or stink tree, is a large, rapidly growing deciduous tree native to parts of China. Tree-of-heaven was introduced to North America as early as the late 1700s and has since become invasive in most areas of the United States. Tree-of-heaven can be found, sometimes in abundance, in both urban and rural environments. The tree spreads through abundantly produced wind-scattered seeds from female trees, and sprout colonies arising from established trees, in some cases producing monoculture stands of the species. ToH has also been shown to produce allelopathic chemicals that can inhibit the growth of neighboring plants, providing an additional competitive advantage.

Tree-of-heaven is a serious threat as an invasive species in many habitats or untended areas. It can reach 80 feet or more, its growth rate outpaces most native tree species, and wind scatters seeds that female trees produce in abundance. Controlling ToH is a challenge. In this publication, Purdue University extension specialists and property managers explain herbicide options, application techniques and strategies to control and manage ToH.

To receive the free download visit the Purdue Extension’s resource center: The Education Store – Invasive Plant Series – Tree of Heaven, Ailanthus altissima.

View Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Video: ID That Tree: Invasive Tree of Heaven.

Resources:
Invasive Species, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Report Invasive Species, Purdue Invasive Species
What are invasive species and why should I care?, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
Invasive plants: Impact on Environment and People, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) Youtube Channel
Conservation Tree Planting: Steps to Success, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Tree Risk Management – The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Woodland Invaders, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Indiana Department of Natural Resources: Invasive Species
Invasive Plant Species Identification, Video, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
Mile-a-minute Vine, The Education Store

Lenny Farlee, Extension Forester
Hardwood Tree Improvement & Regeneration Center (HTIRC) & Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Ron Rathfon, Regional Extension Forester, Southern Indiana Purdue Agriculture Center (SIPAC)
Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources

Purdue Landscape Report: Despite the sublime name, tree-of-heaven, Ailanthus altissima, is a particularly bad actor when it comes to trees encountered in the Midwest. This native of Asia was introduced to North America more than 150 years ago and has since become a widespread invasive pest. Rapid growth, extremely high seed production (hundreds of thousands from a mature female tree), and root sprouting that can turn one tree into dozens makes this a formidable competitor with our native plants. Tree-of-Heaven can sprout and grow almost anywhere, including cracks in streets and sidewalks or building foundations, resulting in infrastructure damage and increased costs of maintenance. It is also the preferred host for a new and destructive invasive insect pest, the spotted lantern fly.

Reducing tree-of-heaven numbers on the landscape is a worthy goal, but can be a difficult task. Seed is windblown and can disperse for hundreds of yards or further, producing new populations. Tree-of-heaven will produce dozens of root sprouts if the stem is cut or girdled, even when herbicides are applied to the cuts. Both seedlings and root sprouts can grow rapidly, outpacing the native trees. However, there are effective control methods and even a potential biological control agent, a native wilt fungus, on the horizon. If you have tree-of-heaven or know of those who do, here are some methods to control this invasive tree.

Young seedlings and sprouts may be controlled with foliar applications of herbicides containing glyphosate during the summer growing season. Apply the herbicide and water mixture according to label directions, covering the entire leaf area. Pulling seedlings is an option, but any root fragments left in the soil may produce new sprouts.

Larger tree-of-heaven too tall for foliar spray may be controlled with a couple of other techniques. The basal bark technique applies an herbicide and oil mixture to the lower 15-18 inches of the stem of the tree. The oil carries the herbicide into the tree stem and kills the tree while also limiting the amount of root sprouting. This method is recommended for stems up to 6 inches in diameter, but larger stems have been controlled effectively with this approach. The best seasons for application are summer to winter, but avoid days where temperature is over 85 degrees F as the herbicide and oil mix can volatilize and damage non-target plants. Also discontinue applications if stems are wet or when snow cover is present. Recommended herbicides are the triclopyr ester herbicides and a commercially available basal oil mixed in a ratio of 20% herbicide and 80% oil.

Trees three or more inches in diameter may also be controlled using the “hack and squirt” method, also referred to as the injection method in some cases. A narrow cutting tool like a shingle hatchet is used to make 45 degree angled cuts through the bark of the tree around the circumference, with equal-sized uncut spaces between the cuts. Herbicides like glyphosate or triclopyr amine formulations are applied as directed on the label into the pockets created by the cuts. This treatment results in very few root sprouts as compared to cutting down or girdling the tree. The number of cuts should approximately equal the diameter of the tree in inches, and be sure to leave the uncut spaces between the cuts.

If the tree stems need to come down for safety or other reasons, apply the basal bark or hack and squirt treatments and wait approximately 30 days before cutting down the stem. This should allow time for the herbicide to impact the root system and  limit the amount of root sprouting.

Work safely for yourself and the environment by reading and following the herbicide label, wearing the required personal protective gear, and working carefully with cutting tools.

To view this full article and other Purdue Landscape Report articles, please visit Purdue Landscape Report.

Subscribe and receive the newsletter: Purdue Landscape Report Newsletter.

Resources:
ID That Tree: Invasive Tree of Heaven, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resource (FNR) YouTube Channel
Control & Management — State of Indiana Cooperative Invasives Management (sicim.info)
Invasive Plant Control Database (wisc.edu)
Invasive Species, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Report Invasive Species, Purdue Invasive Species
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
Conservation Tree Planting: Steps to Success, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Tree Risk Management – The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Woodland Invaders, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Indiana Department of Natural Resources: Invasive Species
Invasive Plant Species Identification, Video, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel

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

Question: I have 2,700 young white oak and hickory trees that were planted in 2017 that now have black locust creeping in. Should I try to remove them by cutting them down and treating the stumps? What is the best treatment to control the brush?

Cut stumps treated with herbicide including a dye to show application. Photo by Lenny Farlee.

Answer:  Whether eliminating black locust competing with oaks in a tree planting, or controlling invasive woody shrubs like autumn-olive or Asian bush honeysuckles, cutting the stems near ground-line and treating the stumps with an appropriate herbicide provides a one-two punch to the target plant. Severing the stems from the roots cuts off the flow of photosynthesis-produced food to the roots, and may prevent production and ripening of seed, if done early enough in the growing season. The stump left behind provides a small target area for herbicide application, limiting the damage to nearby native plants that can result from foliar herbicide overspray and drift. The herbicide application should kill the roots and limit re-sprouting. While it requires two sequential operations, cutting and spraying, it may be one of the most efficient methods to control many smaller-diameter woody plants due to the high rate of control achieved when done correctly and limited damage to surrounding desirable vegetation.

So how do you do the “cut-stump” treatment correctly? Several factors need to be considered, but some common elements to effective and efficient treatments include a cutting tool you can operate safely, effective herbicide type and application, and correct timing for the site and situation. Tools can be powered by fuel or electric motors or by your muscles. Be sure you know how to operate them safely and wear appropriate safety gear. I prefer brush saws for near-ground cutting as it limits bending over and is safer to operate than a chainsaw, but they will struggle with some larger diameter or denser stems a chainsaw could cut easily. Handsaws, loppers, pruners, or blade-tools like machetes and brush-hooks are hand-tool options, but larger stems will require more time and effort to cut or will be too large for some hand-tools to handle. Herbicides should be applied immediately after you have cut off the stems. A good choice for many applications is herbicide containing the active ingredient Glyphosate. Glyphosate concentrate herbicides containing 42% or more active ingredient are widely available at many garden and farm stores. Read the label before using the herbicide to confirm the active ingredients, concentration, and requirements for safe and effective applications, including the appropriate safety gear during dispensing and application. Apply the concentrate straight or mixed with up to 50% water to the cut surface immediately after the cut is made. For stems over 3 to 4 inches in diameter, you can apply a band of spray around the perimeter of the stump so the bark, cambium and some sapwood is treated. If you wait to apply the spray to cut surfaces a dozen minutes to hours after the cut is made, two things will happen that can impact the effectiveness of the spray. The surface of the stump will seal as it dries, preventing the entry of the water/herbicide mixture into the plant. You may also have difficulty tracking down the cut stumps if the area is weedy and brushy.

Hand-cutting tools suited for small diameter woody plants. Photo by Lenny Farlee.

Some cautions about timing and locations of this application method. Many plants are pumping lots of sap up from the roots in spring. That sap can flush herbicides out of the application area and result in herbicide failure and re-sprouting from the root system. If the stem is frozen, usually 25 degrees F or colder, herbicide may also not penetrate and evaporate off the frozen stump. Also avoid applications when rain could wash off the herbicide within two or three hours of application.

Several other herbicides are available for this treatment including Triclopyr and 2-4-D/Picloram herbicides. Be sure to read the labels and understand the safety requirements and application instructions before using.

For additional information see the Purdue Extension-FNR webinar Invasive Plants Threaten our Forests Part 2: Control and Management.

More resources:
District Forester, Indiana DNR Division of Forestry, for over 10 acres of woodlands
Directory of Professional Foresters, Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association (IFWOA)
Indiana Woodland Steward E-newsletters, Eleven Member Organization
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) Youtube Channel
Conservation Tree Planting: Steps to Success, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Invasive Species, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
Invasive Plant Species Identification, Video, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
Report Invasive Species, Purdue Invasive Species
The GLEDN Phone App – Great Lakes Early Detection Network
EDDMaps – Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System
Indiana Department of Natural Resources: Invasive Species
Indiana Invasive Species Council
Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA)
Invasive plants: impact on environment and people, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
A Landowner’s Guide to Sustainable Forestry: Part 7: Managing for a Diversity of Value-Added Forest Products, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Woodland Invaders, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center (place keywords in search bar, for ex: invasive, forest, timber)

Lenny Farlee, Extension Forester
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Question: Once I’ve pulled or cut, and have treated the bush honeysuckle stumps, can it be left to decay, particularly if not piled directly on the ground in a woodland?

Figure 1. Invasive brush cut and left in place to decay. (click to enlarge)

Figure 2. Kershaw Hydroax brush cutter. (click to enlarge)

When deciding what methods to use to control invasive brush on your property, one of the questions often asked is “what should I do with the cut tops?” (Fig. 1) A similar question we often get from landowners planning to have timber harvested from their woods is “what should I or the loggers do with the tree tops that are left?” The simple answer is just leave them where they are and they will decay over time and gradually disappear. If you have many acres to treat for invasive brush infestation, then this is good news. But there may be other factors to consider. In this blog post I will try to unpack those other considerations to help you decide what to do.To start let’s do a quick review of the more common methods of controlling invasive brush and the resulting ground conditions left in their aftermath. By invasive brush, I am primarily talking about non-native brush species that have invaded our native habitats, including the woods, and that are wreaking ecological havoc and degrading the productive potential of those lands for wildlife, timber, and recreation. The more common species include Asian bush honeysuckle, autumn olive, multiflora rose and callery pear (aka Bradford, Cleveland, ornamental pear).There are a variety of methods, tools, equipment, and chemicals used for invasive brush control. Other blog posts cover many of these methods, so I will not describe their use except to show what a site looks like in their wake. Large equipment like skid steer mounted mulchers or brush cutters or the industrial size Hydroax (Fig. 2) thoroughly chop up or mulch all that brush material and leave a fairly clean site (Fig. 3). In this case, there are no brush tops to dispose of. If you are wanting a very “clean” site, then hiring a dozer may be what you’re after. All those tops can then be piled and burned. The bare soil can then be planted in desired vegetation.Most forest landowners are going to use smaller scale methods and equipment, especially in the woods. Spraying herbicide on the foliage (Fig. 4) or applying it as a basal bark application to the lower stems leaves dead standing shrubs. Using brushsaws and chainsaws to cut the shrubs close to the ground and then applying a concentrated herbicide to the stump (commonly called cut-stump treatment, Fig. 5) leaves severed brush tops lying about. Even the less conventional prescribed fire will almost always leave standing dead shrub tops.

Figure 3. Once dominated by large non-native bush honeysuckle shrubs, this site was recently cleared by large brush cutting equipment. (click to enlarge)

Figure 4. Dead non-native bush honeysuckle recently sprayed with herbicide. (click to enlarge)

For many people, the problem with all these dead shrubs lying about is aesthetic – it makes the property look cluttered, at best, if not downright unsightly. If aesthetics were the only concern, we might be able to talk ourselves into putting up with it for several years until the dead shrub tops begin to decay and break down and new vegetation grows up to mask them.

But are there other concerns that would justify expending time and money to dispose of the dead tops?
Access may be another consideration, especially in high use areas such as those used frequently for recreation like hunting or hiking. Depending on habitat restoration plans, you may want access to those areas to seed or plant native trees, shrubs, forbs or grasses. Especially if you are using specialized planting or seed drill equipment, the site may need to be relatively clear of obstructions and debris.

How does leaving dead invasive shrub tops impact this restoration process?
The removal of invasive species should not be the end goal in managing habitat, but only an important step in restoring a healthy native plant community. How does leaving dead invasive shrub tops impact this restoration process? Researchers in Ohio found in the short term that cutting and applying herbicide to the stumps of Amur honeysuckle (Asian bush honeysuckle) and leaving the tops in place allowed more sunlight to reach the forest floor than the basal bark treatment which left dead tops standing in place (Cipollini et al. 2009). This resulted in greater height growth for native herbaceous plant growth. However, in the presence of deer browse, the native plants suffered less deer damage in the basal bark treatment area, due to the greater protection afforded by the standing dead tops, compared to the areas where tops were cut. One might surmise that even leaving cut tops in place may provide some protection from deer browse compared to complete removal of the tops. Joshua Shields and fellow researchers at Purdue University (2014) studied the impact of clearing bush honeysuckle in a forest environment on white footed mice populations. They found that where bush honeysuckle was cut and the tops removed from the site that white footed mice numbers increased, compared with mice numbers in nearby standing live bush honeysuckle. They did not, however, test how leaving cut honeysuckle tops on site would affect mice populations.

Figure 5. Cut stump of bush honeysuckle. (click to enlarge)

Many people may cringe at the thought of increasing numbers of mice, but mice in their natural environment are an important source of food for many predators, including hawks, owls, fox, mink, weasels, and bobcats. In a study comparing the cut stump method (cutting the stems and treating the stump with herbicide) and the use of a mulching head attachment on a skid steer for controlling bush honeysuckle, Purdue researchers found no difference in the growth and recovery of the native plants (Graham et al. 2018). However, the mulching head treatment resulted in a greater abundance of garlic mustard, a non-native invasive biennial herb. Invasive brush control treatments resulting in greater soil disturbance often lead to a second wave of invasive plants that need follow-up treatment.

So what can we conclude from all this?
There are benefits and drawbacks to removing invasive brush tops when managing invasive species on your property. It really depends on your management objectives. It can even vary depending on the specific location on your property. In some select areas it may be very beneficial to remove the tops while in most other areas you can just let them rot in place. The important thing is that you have a well thought out plan for managing the invasive species on your property and that you are working your plan. As you work your plan you will begin seeing the positive results as native plant communities begin to make a comeback.

Resources:
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) Youtube Channel
Conservation Tree Planting: Steps to Success, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
Invasive Species, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
Invasive Plant Species Identification, Video, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
Report Invasive Species, Purdue Invasive Species
The GLEDN Phone App – Great Lakes Early Detection Network
EDDMaps – Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System
Indiana Department of Natural Resources: Invasive Species
Indiana Invasive Species Council
Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA)
Invasive plants: impact on environment and people, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
A Landowner’s Guide to Sustainable Forestry: Part 7: Managing for a Diversity of Value-Added Forest Products, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Woodland Invaders, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR

Ron Rathfon, Regional Extension Forester, Southern Indiana Purdue Agriculture Center (SIPAC)
Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources

This exotic invasive tree species is commonly found in Indiana landscape, callery pear. Callery pear has been planted as an ornamental tree in the midwest for decades. The original selection bradford pear was actually infertile and would not spread from seed but additional varities have been planted and have crossed with the original Bradford and those are producing fertile seed. Find out how the seed spreads and what we can do to help our forest.

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:
ID That Tree, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel (Invasive White Mulberry, Siberian Elm, Tree of Heaven)
Invasive Species Playlist, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel (Asian Bush Honeysuckle, Burning Bush, Callery Pear, Multiflora rose)
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel (Against Invasives, Garlic Mustard, Autumn Olive)
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel (Common Buckthorn, Japanese Barberry)
Report Invasive Species, Purdue Invasive Species
The GLEDN Phone App – Great Lakes Early Detection Network
EDDMaps – Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (Report Invasives)
How long do seeds of the invasive tree, Ailanthus altissima remain viable? (Invasive Tree of Heaven), USDA Forest Service
Indiana Department of Natural Resources: Invasive Species
Indiana Invasive Species Council
Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA)
Aquatic Invasive Species, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG)
Episode 11 – Exploring the challenges of Invasive Species, Habitat University-Natural Resource University
What are invasive species and why should I care?, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store

Lenny Farlee, Extension Forester
Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center
Purdue Department of Forestry & Natural Resources

Tree-of-heaven is native to Asia but has been widely planted in North America and now spreads naturally as a serious invasive tree threat.

In this episode of ID That Tree, Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee identifies the invasive tree of heaven, also known as stinking sumac, due to the foul odor that permeates from nearly all parts of the tree. The alternately held compound leaves have teeth at the base of the leaflets on stout stems, while the bark is a medium gray with white wormy marks. This tree spreads through the seeds of its female trees and from suckers off its root system, and it is also the preferred host of an invasive insect, spotted lanternfly, now found in Indiana. Learning to recognize invasive pests a good first step to limiting their spread.

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:
ID That Tree, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel (Invasive White Mulberry, Siberian Elm, Tree of Heaven)
Invasive Species Playlist, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel (Asian Bush Honeysuckle, Burning Bush, Callery Pear, Multiflora rose)
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel (Against Invasives, Garlic Mustard, Autumn Olive)
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel (Common Buckthorn, Japanese Barberry)
Report Invasive Species, Purdue Invasive Species
The GLEDN Phone App – Great Lakes Early Detection Network
EDDMaps – Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (Report Invasives)
How long do seeds of the invasive tree, Ailanthus altissima remain viable? (Invasive Tree of Heaven), USDA Forest Service
Indiana Department of Natural Resources: Invasive Species
Indiana Invasive Species Council
Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA)
Aquatic Invasive Species, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG)
Episode 11 – Exploring the challenges of Invasive Species, Habitat University-Natural Resource University
What are invasive species and why should I care?, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Spotted Lanternfly Feeds on Over 70 Plus Plant Species, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store

Lenny Farlee, Extension Forester
Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center
Purdue Department of Forestry & Natural Resources

Wild Bulletin, Indiana Department of Natural Resources: As you prepare your boat or recreational equipment to get back on the water this spring, remember to look for aquatic hitchhikers. Zebra mussels, aquatic plants like Eurasian watermilfoil or starry stonewort, and many other invasive species continue to be a threat to Indiana’s waters by degrading fish habitat and negatively affecting recreational boating and fishing. The most common locations where plants, mussels, and animals hitch a ride include:

• Transom well near the drain plug
• Axle of the trailer
• Lower unit and propeller on the boat motor
• The rollers and bunks that guide the boat onto the trailer
• Anchor and lines
• Bait bucket and live well

Boat owners are asked to drain water from bait buckets, live wells, and boats before leaving the boat landing; leave drain plugs out while travelling on land; clean and dry anything that came in contact with water; and dispose of unwanted bait in the trash. Learn more about aquatic invasive species and how to prevent their movement.

Learn how to stop aquatic hitchhikers.

Find more information about  aquatic invasive plants and aquatic invasive invertebrates. Subscribe and receive the Wild Bulletin, Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Resources:
Invasive plants: Impact on Environment and People, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR)
Report Invasive Species, Purdue Invasive Species
The GLEDN Phone App – Great Lakes Early Detection Network
EDDMaps – Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System
Indiana Department of Natural Resources: Invasive Species
Indiana Invasive Species Council
Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA)
Aquatic Invasive Species in the Great Lakes: The Quagga Mussel, Purdue Extension – FNR
Lampreys, Indiana Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Animal Informational Series
Aquatic Invaders in the Marketplace, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG)
Great Lakes Sea Grant Network (GLERL), NOAA – Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory
Purdue Researchers Get to the Bottom of Another Quagga Mussel Impact, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG)
Protect Your Waters, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service & U.S. Coast Guard
Nongame and Endangered Wildlife, Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources’ extension efforts over the past two years amidst the COVID-19 pandemic were recognized in the Purdue Extension Specialist Quarterly newsletter.

The transition to virtual content brought expertise across subject matter areas, ranging from forestry and wildlife, to aquatic sciences and entomology, to the masses in the form of several video series which collectively earned nearly 150,000 views.

The FNR Extension team included: Jay Beugly, Jarred Brooke, Nick Burgmeier, Barny Dunning, Diana Evans, Lenny Farlee, Jason Hoverman, Liz Jackson, Brian MacGowan, Patrick McGovern, Wendy Mayer, Charlotte Owings, Lindsey Purcell, Bee Redfield, Shelby Royal, Bob Rode, Kara Salazar, Mike Saunders, Amy Shambach, Rod Williams, Mitch Zischke, as well as frequent Entomology contributors: Elizabeth Barnes, Cliff Sadof.

The feature in the fourth quarter newsletter begins:
“While Covid caused limitations on travel and in-person events nationwide, across Indiana, many were spending more time in outdoor recreational activities, hiking, bird-watching, hunting and fishing, or managing natural resources properties. Adjusting to the pandemic, the FNR team created an innovative and team-oriented instruction approach through skill-building in video production with coordinated connection and crosspromotion of resources.

“Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) faculty, specialists, staff, and students, with invited partners across research and Extension, delivered 45-minute Ask an Expert Facebook Live programs for 35 weeks. Programs covered many FNR specialties: Animals & Insects (bats, bird, cicadas, coyotes, deer, fish, frogs, hellbenders, moles, pollinators, salamanders, snakes, toads, turtles, and wood pests); Plants & Ecosystems (invasive plant species, hardwood ecosystems, native grasses for wildlife, conservation tree planting, rainscaping, fall food plots, and selecting, planting and inspecting trees); and Management & Operations (prescribed fires, aquatic plant and pond management, and fish and wildlife management).

Resources:
Ask An Expert Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Channel
ID That Tree Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Wildlife Habitat Hint Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Subscribe to the Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel

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

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

The interdisciplinary faculty and staff behind the Purdue Landscape Report, which provides science-based, timely information regarding Midwest landscapes to commercial growers, garden centers, landscapers, arborists and the general public, has been named as the recipient of the Purdue Agriculture TEAM Award, which was created in 1995 to recognize interdisciplinary team achievements of faculty and staff.

In this episode of A Woodland Management Moment, Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee talks about a variety of hand tools you can use to assist with invasive species control and timber stand improvement on your property if you choose not to use power tools.

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:
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Channel
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, Purdue University Press
Native Trees of the Midwest, Purdue University Press
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners Video Series, Playlist, Indiana Department of Natural Resources YouTube Channel

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