Got Nature? Blog

Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee brings another new video to the ID That Tree series. Enjoy the gorgeous red fall color of the black gum on this special fall foliage edition of ID That Tree.

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
Black Gum and Tupelo, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Fall Color Pigments, Video, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
Black Gum/Tupelo, Native Trees of Indiana River Walk, Purdue Fort Wayne
Black Gum & Tupelo, Purdue Arboretum Explorer
ID That Tree, Playlist
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist
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 Resource

MyDNR Newsletter, Indiana Department of Forestry and Natural Resources (IDNR): Indiana residents are more likely to see coyotes during wintertime, but sightings are no cause for alarm. Coyotes become more active during winter as young coyotes leave their families to find a new home and coyotes begin breeding. Coyotes may look larger than they are due to their thick winter coats, but the average coyote only weighs 20-30 pounds.

General characteristics

• The coyote closely resembles a German shepherd dog in height and shape but it carries its tail below the level of its back instead of curved upward and is generally half the weight of a German shepherd.
• Coyotes have a long slender snout and large, pointed ears.
• The upper body is a grizzled gray or buff, with a reddish brown or gray muzzle and legs. The belly is white, cream-colored or reddish yellow.
• The coyote has a bushy tail, which it carries below the level of its back.
• Coyotes average 25 pounds (ranging from 20 to 50 pounds), and they measure 40 to 50 inches long from nose to tail tip.
• Coyotes are elusive and normally avoid humans.
• They can be active day or night, but are typically most active at dawn and dusk.
• The coyote communicates by barking, yipping and howling.

Distribution and abundance

Coyotes are present in all sections of the state. There are records of coyotes in Indiana as early as 1816, though they likely inhabited Indiana well before that time. Bounties were in place in Indiana on coyotes from at least 1849 through the late 1960s. Despite this persecution by early European settlers, coyotes persisted in Indiana. Historically, coyote populations were limited in range to the prairie regions of the state, and expansion may have partially been limited because wolves suppress coyote populations, and both red and gray wolves were once abundant in Indiana. However, with the eradication of wolves and conversion of habitat to farmland, coyotes have been able to expand and adapt to new habitats.  Statewide coyote abundance has slowly increased as coyotes continued to expand into previously unoccupied habitat.  Today, coyotes occupy all of Indiana, no matter the habitat type or amount of development.

Detour Coyote

If you see a coyote and want it to go away, try to make it uncomfortable:

• Yell.
• Wave your arms.
• Spray it with a hose.
• Throw tennis balls or small stones at it, but don’t throw anything that could be food, like apples.
• Carry a jar of coins to shake or a small air horn to make noise.

For more information, please visit Indiana Department of Forestry and Natural Resources (IDNR).

To subscribe for the monthly newsletter view: MyDNR Email Newsletter.

Resources
Coyotes, IN DNR
Coyotes (PDF), Wildlife Conflicts, Department of Entomology, Purdue University
Should I Be Worried About Coyotes in My Yard?, Purdue Extension – Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) Got Nature? Blog
Coexisting With Coyotes, Wild Bulletin, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife
Ask the Expert: Coexisting with Coyotes , Purdue Extension – FNR Got Nature? Blog
Urban Coyotes – Should You Be Concerned?, Purdue Extension – FNR Got Nature? Blog
Pets Disappearing? The Cause May Be Coyotes, Purdue Extension – FNR Got Nature? Blog
Question: Which is the correct species of coyotes I have on my land here in Indiana, coyote or coywolf?, Purdue Extension – FNR Got Nature? Blog

Indiana Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Hickories aren’t often thought of for their fall foliage, with some exceptions. Meet the shagbark hickory and its stunning golden leaves. Learn more in this edition of ID That Tree with Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee.

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
Hickory and Pecan Species, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Shagbark Hickory, Native Trees of Indiana River Walk, Purdue Fort Wayne
Shagbark Hickory, The Purdue Arboretum Explorer
Fall Color Pigments, Video,  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

Leaning trees can be a risk to neighboring property owners.

Purdue Landscape Report: I hear this complaint or issue more frequently, “what can I do about the neighbor’s tree?” or “my neighbor just butchered my tree!”.  Often, we see issues with a neighboring tree that may threaten safety or appears to be an elevated risk.  For example, from the view of your window, you see your neighbor’s tree dropping dead branches all over your driveway. Or, you can’t see a favorable view at all because of that tree or unruly hedge. Or you are certain that the neighbor’s tree will eventually fall onto your garage.

Before you take any action, establish ownership of the tree, and find out if you have rights to work on the offending vegetation. Otherwise, it can land you into a contentious legal situation.

Some questions to consider include:

When tree limbs or even the trunk of the tree crosses property line, are you within your rights to prune or remove it?

Check with local government websites for property maps which can help identify boundaries.

Boundary laws vary with every state. Often the boundary lines are uncertain or assumed based on local information. However, in contentious situations that may result in major modifications to a tree, it is advised to get a survey to establish exactly who owns the tree.

Rights are determined by who owns the tree. Check with your town, city, county and state municipalities for regulations about trees and property lines. The rights and responsibility for care and maintenance of trees are assigned to its owner, and ownership is determined by the location of the tree’s trunk. If the trunk is located entirely on the neighbor’s land even if its limbs or branches overhang onto your land, the neighbor is the tree’s owner. The neighbor has the sole right to preserve the tree or cut it down. This is true regardless of the neighbor’s motivation or the impact the tree removal would have on your land.

An ISA certified arborist can provide mitigation options that are best for the tree and helpful for the tree owner.

It is always best practice and considerate to first ask your neighbor if you can arrange to have it removed or pruned. They might actually appreciate it.

When tree work is required to remove or prune the tree and neighbor conflict exists, have a qualified tree care provider determine the work specifications on exactly how the tree issue should be mitigated. It is usually a bit more complex than simply stating, “cut limbs back to property line.” The work order must reference the ANSI A300 tree pruning standards to assure the procedures being proposed take into consideration the tree’s future health. Ensure that your tree care provider has a copy of their current liability insurance policy on hand. Check their references as well, not all tree care companies are guaranteed to provide the best results for you or your tree.

The best advice is to hire a tree care professional with the experience, expertise, and equipment to assess and safely prune, remove or otherwise care for your or your neighbors’ trees. Search for a tree care provider in your area. Also, consider hiring an ISA Certified Arborist which can be found here.

According to most attorneys, open-minded communications with the neighbor can result in an acceptable resolution for any situation. This will help to avoid contentious, expensive, time consuming, and unpredictable lawsuits.

Resources
Find An Arborist, Trees are Good
Tree Pruning Essentials, video and publication, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Forestry and Natural Resources
Construction and Trees: Guidelines for Protection, The Education Store
Question: Can tree roots cause damage to a home’s foundation?, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural

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

Calling all teachers and parents: Do you need some new ideas on how to get students out in nature or teach them science lessons?

We’ve got you covered with our Nature of Teaching program. We’ve created more than 40 sneak peek videos that introduce you to our lesson plans, offering a quick way for teachers and other K-12 leaders to view the lessons as well as the related activities.

Many of the lesson plans meet state specifications for Next Generation Science Standards and/or Core Standards, while also offering informal curriculum items and fun activities for all K-12 leaders.

The Nature of Teaching program offers three areas of formal and informal activity-based curricula centered around getting youth outside: wildlife, health and wellness, and food waste.

Sneak Peeks videos include topics ranging from producers, consumers and natural resources and food waste from farm to fork, to exploring nature with your senses and emotional vocabulary exploration, to trees of the Midwest and healthy water/happy home.

Subscribe to the Nature of Teaching YouTube Channel for more Wildlife, Food Waste, and Health and Wellness information.

Resources
Nature of Teaching Website
Nature of Teaching YouTube Channel
Nature of Teaching Program Receives Environmental Education Award, College of Agriculture, Purdue University
Resourceful Animal Relationships, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
The Nature of Teaching: Food Waste Solutions, The Education Store
Benefits of Connecting with Nature, The Education Store

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

The Purdue Landscape Report, a blog which provides science-based, timely information regarding Midwest landscapes to commercial growers, garden centers, landscapers, arborists and the general public, was recognized with the Extension Division Education Materials Award for Outstanding Blog at the American Society of Horticultural Science convention in August.

The Purdue Landscape Report is a collaborative effort between Purdue Extension specialists and diagnosticians in the areas of horticulture, entomology, plant pathology, urban forestry and turf science. Articles cover everything from tree maintenance to pest and disease problems and management to plant selection.

“Our Purdue Green Industry Team brings together many disciplines and expertise for the industry and homeowners as well as any other university in the country,” Nursey and Landscape Outreach Specialist Kyle Daniel said. “The research and outreach efforts of each member of the team contributes to helping the industry be more sustainable, efficient, environmentally conscious, and profitable. The Purdue Landscape Report is one way that we present science-based information to our stakeholders around the state. In addition to this information being distributed locally, there are many subscribers from across the country.”

The PLR team includes:

• Kyle Daniel – Nursey and Landscape Outreach Specialist, Purdue Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
• Rosie Lerner – Extension Consumer Horticulturist, Purdue Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
• Cliff Sadof – Professor, Entomology Extension Specialist
• Tom Creswell – Clinical Engagement Professor, Director of the Plant & Pest Diagnostic Laboratory; Purdue Botany and Plant Pathology
• Janna Beckerman – Professor of Botany and Plant Pathology
• John Bonkowski – Clerk, Purdue Botany and Plant Pathology
• Lindsey Purcell – Purdue Extension urban forester, Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources
• Gail Ruhl – Visiting Scholar, Purdue Biological Sciences
• Elizabeth Barnes – Exotic Forest Pest Educator, Purdue Entomology
• Todd Abrahamson – Purdue Plant & Pest Diagnostic Lab Secretary
• Lori Jolly-Brown – Extension Events and Communications Coordinator, Purdue Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
• Kirby Kalbaugh – Application and Systems Administrator, Purdue Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

Since launching in February 2018, the Purdue Landscape Report has included more than 144 articles. The website boasted more than 75,000 unique article downloads in 2019. PLR is also sent out in a bi-weekly email newsletter to more than 4,000 subscribers nationwide. The blog has brought in 137,000 unique visitors thus far in 2020.

In August, the Purdue Landscape Report staff also began a live, virtual series every other Wednesday, which addresses articles and hot topics. In just two months, that series has had more than 1,100 views.

Resources
Purdue Landscape Report Team Begins New Virtual Series, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
The Purdue Landscape Report Issues, Purdue Landscape Report
Tree wounds and healing, Got Nature? Blog
Fall webworms: Should you manage them, Got Nature? Blog
Purdue Landscape Report Facebook Page

The Purdue Landscape Report

Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee says we can thank wildlife, especially birds, for the spread of wild black cherry trees. This tree-sized cherry tree has shiny, elongated leaves with finely toothed margins, and a very dark, flaky bark to go with tiny berries.

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
Black Cherry, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Beware of Black Cherry Toxicity; It’s Weedy, Too, Indiana Yard and Garden – Purdue Consumer Horticulture
Black Cherry, Native Trees of Indiana River Walk, Purdue Fort Wayne
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

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

Small mammals, such as chipmunks and mice aren’t just cute to look at, they actually serve a purpose in our forest ecosystems. Check out what small mammals are found on the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment and the mutually beneficial relationship they have with the forest.

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
Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE), Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment, Website
Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment – Wildlife Responses to Timber Harvesting, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
The Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment: Indiana Forestry and Wildlife, The Education Store
The Nature of Teaching: Unit 4, Mammals and Ecosystems, The Education Store

Charlotte Owings, Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment Project Coordinator
Purdue University, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Purdue Extension: Sycamore and Tulip Poplar tree seeds orbited the Earth on the US space shuttle Atlantis STS more than 30 years ago, from December 2-6, 1988, as part of a Purdue Extension 4-H project with Astronaut Jerry Ross.

The seeds were grown into saplings on Purdue University’s campus and one was donated to each county Extension Office in Indiana in 1989 to celebrate the diamond anniversary of Purdue Extension Service. These trees continue to grow in many Indiana communities, today.

Kristi Whitacre, Purdue Extension Educator, and Daniel Walker, Purdue Community Planning Extension Specialist, have documented the story and gathered information on the remaining trees in an interactive story map.

Visit  Space Tree Story Map (STS-M) to view the map, to learn about the history of the project, receive tips on harvesting the seeds and to learn more about astronaut Jerry Ross.

Resources
Purdue Extension
Sycamore, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Tree Planting Part 1: Choosing a Tree, video
Tree Planting Part 2: Planting Your Tree, video
State tree a popular landscape choice, Morning AgClips, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
The Tree from Space at Fox Island, Purdue Extension

Jesica Hollinger, Extension Communication Specialist
Purdue Extension

Purdue Landscape Report: Trees are incredible survivors in spite of the challenges from pests of all kinds, including us! They are vulnerable to injuries such as mechanical wounds from lawn equipment, vehicles and ice. Pruning results in an intentional wound which is of importance to consider. Tree owners and managers need to prune trees to maintain aesthetic characteristics, remove infected limbs, reduce risk, or improve structural stability. Proper pruning practice and understanding tree wounds can minimize the impact of creating wounds on trees.

Wounds attract pests due to the phytochemicals dispersed from exposed tissue. When tree tissue is damaged or wounded, the newly uncovered tissue is exposed and that is when to expect an attack. Insect pests are drawn to trees in distress, feeding on the tissue and weakening the tree. Diseases affecting trees will introduce enzymes into the cells, digesting living tissue responsible for food and water translocation (phloem and xylem) or structural support resulting in unhealthy, unsightly, or unsafe trees.

Wound wood Formation
Trees attempt to close wounds by sealing or compartmentalizing the affected area, naturally.

Tree trunk damaged by construction equipment developing wound wood around the edges to eventually seal the wound.

Pruning cuts will develop callus tissue on the exposed tissue giving rise to wound wood.

Wound recovery rates vary widely for different tree species. The speed of recuperation is greatly affected by developmental environmental conditions, vigor and health of the tree. Some trees may never completely close their wounds due to their genetic capacity or perhaps inadequate resources to keep the tree vigorous. However, numerous studies reveal that faster wound closure results in fewer health issues for the tree. Quick healing is always better!

A healthy tree will seal wounds faster and the same for younger trees as well. Trees that are planted in well-drained, quality soils, with good texture, structure, and containing adequate nutrition levels, grow in a way that favors the healing process. Thus, when planting trees, homeowners should be aware of the effects of site selection, soil quality, and other site factors that may impact tree growth.

Wound dressings slow closure and can prevent healing.

Complete wound closure improves tree health and slows decay.

Basically, the best way to help insure proper wound closure and quick and effective sealing of the tissue is a proper pruning cut and preventing damage whenever possible.

Find a professional
Be sure to always hire an insured, tree care professional, preferably and ISA Certified Arborist with the experience, expertise, and equipment to provide proper tree care. Require proof of liability insurance to protect yourself as well.

Another easy way to find a tree care service provider in your area is to use the “Locate Your Local Tree Care Industry Association Member Companies” program. For more information refer to the publication Trees and Utilities at the Purdue Education Store.

Find an ISA Certified Arborist in your area by visiting the Trees Are Good website.

Resources
Tree Pruning Essentials, Publication & Video, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Tree Pruning: What Do Trees Think?, The Education Store
Mechanical Damage to Trees: Mowing and Maintenance Equipment, The Education Store
Tree Installation Process and Practices, The Education Store
Tree Pruning for the Landscape, Webinar, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Youtube channel

Lindsey Purcell, Chapter Executive Director
Indiana Arborist Association