Got Nature? Blog

MyDNR, Indiana’s Outdoor Newsletter: Each year, Indiana DNR invites the public to provide feedback on the management of white-tailed deer via the Deer Management Survey.

This electronic survey gathers opinions on deer management at both the county and state levels, covering deer population management, trends in deer populations, and other relevant topics.

The survey will include questions about this past year’s epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) event in southern Indiana, as well as questions regarding Indiana DNR’s approach to managing EHD outbreaks.

Anyone can sign up to receive the survey by visiting the Deer Management Survey webpage. If you have previously filled out the survey, you will automatically receive one in future years.

Resources:
Purdue Extension Pond and Wildlife Management
Introduction to White-tailed Deer Impacts on Indiana Woodlands
Understanding White-tailed Deer and Their Impact on Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Monitoring White-tailed Deer and Their Impact on Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Managing White-tailed Deer Impacts on Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Ask an Expert: Wildlife Food Plots, video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
How to Build a Plastic Mesh Deer Exclusion Fence, The Education Store
Managing Your Woods for White-Tailed Deer, The Education Store
Bovine Tuberculosis in Wild White-tailed Deer, The Education Store
Handling Harvested Game: Episode 1, Field Dressing, video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Deer Harvest Data Collection, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
How to Score Your White-tailed Deer, video, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
White-Tailed Deer Post Harvest Collection, video, The Education Store
Age Determination in White-tailed Deer, video, The Education Store
Handling Harvested Deer Ask an Expert? video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Subscribe to Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources YouTube Channel, Wildlife Playlist

Division of Fish and Wildlife
Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IN DNR)

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Explore the latest newsletter updates on the Indiana Woodland Steward website. Stay up-to-date with forestry news and receive their free e-newsletter by subscribing at IWS Subscribe.

Highlights from the new Newsletter include:

• The First 20 Years of The Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment
  By Scott Haulton
  “This summer, the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment – Indiana’s largest and most comprehensive study of forest management effects…”
• Information on Indiana’s New Prescribed Burning Law
  By Rob McCrea
  “On July 1st, 2025, Indiana’s newly enacted law on prescribed burning took effect. This law does not..
• Opinion: The Future of Forestry
  By Liz Jackson
  “For decades the approach to forestry in Indiana has been one of restoration and recovery from the years of overcutting and abandonment…”
• Purdue Extension Forestry Course Celebrates Over 100 Classes
  “Forest Management for the Private Woodland Owner Course,” sometimes referred to as the Purdue Forestry short course…”
• Forestry for the Birds: A Tale of Two Woodlands
  By Dr. Jessica Outcalt
  “Once upon a time, a few centuries ago, a woodland grew in a river valley of central Indiana. The people who managed this grove…”
• Purdue Researchers Seeking Landowners
  “In natural resource management, there is a need to understand the densities of wildlife species to determine hunting quotas, issue take permits, and predict…”
• Ask the Steward
  by Dan Ernst
  “Question: Why does my glyphosate foliar treatment sometimes seem ineffective?”

The Indiana Woodland Steward Newsletter is a resource offering a wealth of valuable information for foresters, woodland owners, timber marketing specialists, woodland and wildlife enthusiasts. The Indiana Woodland Steward Institute (IWS) is an entity made from 11 organizations within the state including Purdue University, Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association (IHLA), that works to promote best usage practices of Indiana’s woodland resources through their Woodland Steward publication.

Resources
Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE) website
Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment – Wildlife Responses to Timber Harvesting, Purdue Extension
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Invasive plants: impact on environment and people, The Education Store
Managing Your Woods for White-Tailed Deer, The Education Store
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, Purdue University Press
Virtual Tour Brings Forest Management for Birds to Life, Got Nature? Blog Post, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR)
Breeding Birds and Forest Management: the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment and the Central Hardwoods Region, The Education Store
Deer Impact Toolbox, Purdue Extension
Grassland Management Series, Purdue Extension Pond and Wildlife Management
Birdfeeder tips, The National Audubon Society
Explore the Rich World of Oaks with Purdue FNR Extension & Partners, Purdue Extension – FNR
Managing Woodlands for Birds Video, Purdue Extension-Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
Subscribe: Deer, Forest Management, ID That Tree, Woodland Management Moment, Invasive Species and many other topic video playlists Purdue Extension-Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel

Dan McGuckin, President
Indiana Woodland Steward

Dr. Brian MacGowan, Extension Wildlife Specialist
Department of Forestry & Natural Resources, Purdue University

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Do you want to learn more about trees, forests and how to better manage your woodlands for a variety of purposes?

Sign up for one of four upcoming editions of the award-winning Forest Management for the Private Woodland Owner course in Spring 2026. The course received the 2024 Family Forests Education Award from the National Woodland Owners Association (NWOA) and the National Association of University Forestry Resources Programs (NAUFRP).

Forest Management for the Private Woodland Owner introduces forest landowners to the biology and management of forests. Topics covered include tree identification, forest biology and history, forest management planning and practices, wildlife management, considerations for selling timber, forest economics and taxation, and resources and assistance available to forest landowners.

According to survey results from course participants in 2021, “94.4% stated that the information was useful to help them make future decisions and 92.5% stated that the information was useful to help act to manage their property objectives.”

Ron Rathfon is set to teach an eight-week version of the course at the Southern Indiana Purdue Agricultural Center (SIPAC) in Dubois, Indiana, from January 26 to March 16.

The course will meet on Monday evenings (6-9 p.m.) at 11371 East Purdue Farm Rd., and also will include one Saturday field session. Class size is limited to 40 registrants. Advanced registration is required by Jan. 16. Cost is $50 with couples/family registration available for $30 for each additional person.

Those interested should contact Amity Traylor, District Coordinator with the Pike County Soil & Water Conservation District at 812-354-6120 ext. 3 or pikecoswcd@gmail.com to receive a brochure and registration form as well as payment information.

Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee will teach two iterations of the course in Tippecanoe County, beginning on Feb. 18 and March 5 respectively.

• A virtual course is slated to begin on Wednesday Feb. 18. The course will feature three live online meetings during which participants may ask questions and receive updated information from the course instructor related to the recorded videos available to view at any time by the registrants. Live meetings are set for Feb. 18, March 11 and April 1. Full registration fee is $15. Registration for this virtual edition is available online through Feb. 13.
• Farlee also will teach an in-person edition of the course, meeting on Thursday evenings from March 5 to April 23 at the John S. Wright Center (1007 N 725 W, West Lafayette, IN 47906). In addition to the eight evening meetings (from 6-9 p.m. ET), the course will include two Saturday field days, which will provide in-person experience with forest biology and management demonstrations and instruction. Full registration fee ($50) includes handouts, flash drive with class reference resources and a tree measuring stick. Guest registration fee ($30) includes class handouts. Visit Forest Management for the Private Woodland Owner Event webpage to learn more and register by February 28th.

Veronica Bullock and Dave Osborne will be teaching a program in Franklin County from Feb. 10 to March 31.

The course will take place on Tuesdays from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. ET at the Franklin County Public Library – 919 Main Street, Brookville, IN 47012. This course also will include a field tour at the Southeast Purdue Agriculture Center (4426 County Road 360 North, Butlerville, IN 47223) on March 21. Registration is available online. Contact Bullock with any questions at bullockv@purdue.edu.

To view this article along with other news and stories posted on the Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources website view: FNR Extension Set to Offer Four Editions of Forest Management for the Private Woodland Owner Course in Spring 2026.

Resources:
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners YouTube Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR
Wildlife Habitat Hint YouTube Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR
Woodland Management Moment YouTube Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR
Invasive Species YouTube Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR
Forest Management for the Private Woodland Owner Course – Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
Report Invasive Species, Purdue Invasive Species
Finding help from a professional forester, Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Indiana Woodland Steward Institute
Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE)
Hardwood Tree Improvement & Regeneration Center (HTIRC)
Help the Hellbender
The Nature of Teaching
Pond and Wildlife Management, Website
Sustainable Communities and Community Planning, Purdue Extension
Subscribe Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel

Wendy Mayer, FNR Communications Coordinator
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 us to sugarberry, a native relative of hackberry that can be found throughout Indiana. Often overlooked among other hardwoods, this species has its own distinctive features and ecological role. Learn about where it grows, how it fits into our woodland landscapes and what sets it apart from its close cousins. Whether you’re a student, landowner or simply interested in the rees you see along rivers and lowlands, this video provides a quick introduction to sugarberry in Indiana.

 

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 – Video Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Channel
Purdue Arboretum Explorer
Conservation Tree Planting: Steps to Success, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Fifty Common Trees of Indiana, Purdue Extension – FNR
Indiana Invasive Species Council
Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA)
Report Invasive, Purdue Extension
Habitat University, Episode 12 – Exploring the challenges of Invasive Species, Habitat University-Natural Resource University
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, Purdue University Press
Native Trees of the Midwest, Purdue University Press
Professional Forester, Indiana Forestry Woodland Owners Association
District Forester, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, 10+ acres
Find an Arborist, International Society of Arboriculture
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store

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

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Institute for Sustainable Future News:  Rural communities across the Midwest, whose agricultural economies and energy infrastructure are frequently threatened by extreme weather events such as hailstorms, heat waves and high winds, are getting a new lifeline through a National Science Foundation–funded project at Purdue University.

The NSF’s Regional Resilience Innovation Incubator (R2I2): Midwest Agrivoltaics for Resilient Communities (MARC), supported under grant #2519425, is designed to help these communities become more resilient by combining agriculture with solar energy — to improve resilience from local to national levels. This phase 1 grant positions the team to compete for a Phase 2 grant worth up to $15M for an additional 5 years.

Agrivoltaics, which allows the dual use of land for agricultural production and solar energy generation, holds great promise to diversify farm income, reduce power outages, and increase energy production as energy demand soars. But agrivoltaics systems have seen slow adoption in the Midwest due to uncertainties about land use trade-offs, lack of trusted information about community impacts and benefits, and concerns from farmers and communities about economic viability and performance under extreme weather. The incubator intends to bring together community members, stakeholders and experts to fill those gaps.

“When hail ruins a harvest, heat strains livestock, or windstorms cut electricity, farmers and their communities are hit hard. Our goal is to understand how agrivoltaics can make our nation’s rural communities more resilient and prosperous,” stated Dr. Dan Chavas, principal investigator.

This project is an ambitious interdisciplinary effort that brings together experts across atmospheric science, agriculture, energy systems, economics, and social science – all housed here at Purdue University across the Colleges of Science, Engineering, Polytechnic and Agriculture, including Extension. Purdue’s Institute for a Sustainable Future (ISF) played an integral role in the development and continued support of the project. ISF provided strategic research teaming support, helping assemble an initial interdisciplinary team of faculty address the complex social, economic and technical aspects of agrivoltaics. This collaborative approach strengthened the project’s ability to meet NSF’s goals for resilience, innovation and community engagement.

The project is led by Purdue University experts across multiple disciplines:

Dr. Dan Chavas is a Professor of atmospheric science in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at Purdue University and is part of the leadership team for the Purdue Institute for a Sustainable Future. Dan is the principal investigator and will lead the project’s effort on extreme weather and its risks to agriculture and solar energy systems.

Dr. Aaron Thompson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Purdue University and Director of the Center for Community and Environmental Design. Dr. Thompson is also part of the leadership team for the Purdue Institute for a Sustainable Future. His research applies social-ecological science to sustainable landscape development, focusing on agricultural conservation and nature-based solutions. He teaches courses in ecological planning, research methods, and sustainable development.

Dr. Xiaonan Lu is an Associate Professor in the School of Engineering Technology and the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (by courtesy) at Purdue University, also holding a joint appointment with Argonne National Laboratory. Xiaonan will lead the efforts of resilience quantification and energy modeling of rural electric power grids considering impacts of distributed energy resources and microgrids.

Dr. Kara Salazar is Assistant Program Leader for community development with Purdue Extension and sustainable communities extension specialist with Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources. Kara will co-lead community engagement and social science efforts.

Dr. Juan Sesmero is a Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. He will lead the economic modeling of agrivoltaics technology deployment and assess its economic impacts on community resilience.

The team is also comprised of additional Purdue and industry collaborators. Key project activities include:

• Building Trust & Community Engagement: Working directly with community, agriculture, and energy partners in co-designing strategies for agrivoltaics deployment to support local communities in the rural Midwest.
• Quantifying Extreme Weather Resilience Benefits: Analyzing how extreme weather events—hail, heat, wind—impact both agriculture and the power grid and how agrivoltaics may be able to reduce these impacts on communities.
• Economic and Power Grid Models & Community Tools: Developing tools, metrics and models that incorporate local conditions to help farmers, planners and communities understand risks and potential benefits to make informed decisions about agrivoltaics.
• Identifying Agrivoltaics Pathways: Evaluating which agrivoltaic configurations are suitable under different land, climatic, and economic conditions.
• Roadmap & Policy Framework: Producing a dynamic roadmap and a policy/planning framework aimed at facilitating broader, community-supported adoption of agrivoltaics.

By the end of the initial funding period, the incubator expects to deliver viable agrivoltaics models and pathways tailored to varying Midwest geographies and farming systems; decision-support tools for landowners, communities, and policymakers; as well as strengthened partnerships among academia, industry, government and local communities.

“For farmers, adapting to changing conditions, markets, and policies has always been crucial for success. Agrivoltaics offers an opportunity to maintain land in production while diversifying revenue by tapping into a growing segment of the energy market,” stated Dr. Aaron Thompson. “This initiative focuses on answering key questions about balancing reliable energy income with the production of food and fiber that are essential for maintaining the strength of Indiana’s agricultural economy.”

For more information about the NSF Regional Resilience Innovation Incubator, and the Midwest Agrivoltaics Incubator, visit the project website.

View the original article here: Purdue Leads NSF-Funded Midwest Agrivoltaics Incubator to Boost Rural Energy and Economic Resilience to Extreme Weather.

Resources:
Community Development, Purdue Extension
Wind Energy, Purdue Community Development
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
Environmental Planning in Community Plans, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
Enhancing the Value of Public Spaces Program, Purdue Extension YouTube Channel
Enhancing the Value of Public Spaces: Creating Healthy Communities, The Education Store
Conservation through Community Leadership, The Education Store
Conservation through Community Leadership, Purdue Extension You Tube Channel
Implementation Examples of Smart Growth Strategies in Indiana, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
Conservation Through Community Leadership, The Education Store
Community Planning Playlist, Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Channel
One Water Approach to Water Resources Management, The Education Store
Rainscaping Education Program, Purdue Extension
Rainscaping and Rain Gardens, Purdue Extension YouTube Channel
Indiana Creek Watershed Project – Keys to Success, Partnerships and People, Purdue Extension You Tube Channel
Sustainable Communities Extension Program
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
Subscribe – Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
Purdue Extension-Forestry and Natural Resources Calendar, workshops and Conferences

Institute for a Sustainable Future
Purdue University

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Uncover the challenges posed by reed canarygrass, an invasive perennial grass that threatens conservation plantings, wetlands and low-lying areas. This guide details control options for reed canarygrass. Essential for conservationists and land managers dedicated to preserving native ecosystems: Reed Canarygrass Control.

Check out the Managing Conservation Plantings Series which include details on how to control invasive species and other problematic plants in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) plantings and native warm-season grass and wildflower conservation plantings.

Publications in this series include:

• Golden Rod Control
• Thinning Native Warm-Season Grasses
• Sericea Lespedeza Control
• Woody Encroachment and Woody Invasives
• Jonhsongrass Control
• Reed Canarygrass Control
• Teasel Control (Common and Cut Leaved)
• Controlling Introduced Cool-Season Grasses
• Crownvetch, Sweetclover and Birdsfoot Trefoil Control

Resources:
Deer Impact Toolbox & Grassland Management, Purdue Extension Pond and Wildlife Management
Pond and Wildlife Management, Purdue Extension
Forestry for the Birds Virtual Tour and Pocket Guide, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Frost Seeding to Establish Wildlife Food Plots and Native Grass and Forb Plantings – Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube channel
Wildlife Habitat Hint: Tips for Evaluating a First Year Native Grass and Forb Plantings, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Drone Seeding Native Grasses and Forbs: Project Overview & Drone Setup, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube channel
Ask an Expert: Wildlife Food Plots, video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Handling Harvested Game: Episode 1, Field Dressing, video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Managing Your Woods for White-Tailed Deer, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Forest Management for Reptiles and Amphibians: A Technical Guide for the Midwest, The Education Store
A Template for Your Wildlife Habitat Management Plan, The Education Store
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube channel
Nature of Teaching Unit 1: Animal Diversity and Tracking, The Education Store
Nature of Teaching, Purdue College of Agriculture
Invasive Species Playlist, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Report Invasive, Purdue Extension
Subscribe Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel

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

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Discover how to manage non-native cool-season grasses like tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass in native conservation plantings. This guide reveals how these invasive species form dense sod layers, which limits wildlife mobility, and also provides control options for these invasive species. Controlling Introduced Cool-Season Grasses is essential for anyone dedicated to preserving native ecosystems and enhancing biodiversity.

Check out the Managing Conservation Plantings Series which include details on how to control invasive species and other problematic plants in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) plantings and native warm-season grass and wildflower conservation plantings.

Publications in this series include:

• Golden Rod Control
• Thinning Native Warm-Season Grasses
• Sericea Lespedeza Control
• Woody Encroachment and Woody Invasives
• Jonhsongrass Control
• Reed Canarygrass Control
• Teasel Control (Common and Cut Leaved)
• Controlling Introduced Cool-Season Grasses
• Crownvetch, Sweetclover and Birdsfoot Trefoil Control

Resources:
Deer Impact Toolbox & Grassland Management, Purdue Extension Pond and Wildlife Management
Pond and Wildlife Management, Purdue Extension
Forestry for the Birds Virtual Tour and Pocket Guide, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Frost Seeding to Establish Wildlife Food Plots and Native Grass and Forb Plantings – Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube channel
Wildlife Habitat Hint: Tips for Evaluating a First Year Native Grass and Forb Plantings, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Drone Seeding Native Grasses and Forbs: Project Overview & Drone Setup, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube channel
Ask an Expert: Wildlife Food Plots, video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Handling Harvested Game: Episode 1, Field Dressing, video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Managing Your Woods for White-Tailed Deer, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Forest Management for Reptiles and Amphibians: A Technical Guide for the Midwest, The Education Store
A Template for Your Wildlife Habitat Management Plan, The Education Store
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube channel
Nature of Teaching Unit 1: Animal Diversity and Tracking, The Education Store
Nature of Teaching, Purdue College of Agriculture
Invasive Species Playlist, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Report Invasive, Purdue Extension
Subscribe Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel

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

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Once the leaves have fallen and the landscape is dominated by shades of brown and gray, bright colors like red catch our attention. There are several red fruits that we may encounter in the late fall and winter here in Indiana that add some color to the landscape. These fruits are retained on trees and shrubs for a variety of reasons. Some are not as palatable to wildlife, so they are eaten later in the season. Some are more resistant to freeze damage and thus cling to branches longer than delicate fruits. There may also be an advantage to their appearance. Many of these plants have seeds dispersed by wildlife like birds, which eat the seeds and excrete them later, providing an opportunity to produce new plants away from the parent. Many birds can see much of the same color spectrum we do, plus enhanced vision in the ultra-violet bands. Brightly-colored seeds with waxy skins may reflect more ultra-violet light and be more noticeable to the birds.

What are some of those red fruits?
One family of plants accounts for several red fruit we can see in late fall and winter, the rose family. This family includes apples, plums, cherries, hawthorns, pears and others as well as the roses. In Indiana we have several hawthorns (Crataegus species) that produce a fruit resembling a tiny apple. These vary in size by species but are typically ¼ to ½ inch diameter and often held in clusters. Hawthorns are typically small trees and may have long thin thorns on the twigs.

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Discover how to effectively manage the invasive common and cut-leaved teasel, which threatens open areas like prairies, savannas, sedge meadows, roadsides and conservation plantings. This publication provides essential information for exploring effective control options. Essential reading for conservationists and land managers interested in grassland ecosystems: Teasel Control (Common and Cut Leaved).

Check out the Managing Conservation Plantings Series which include details on how to control invasive species and other problematic plants in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) plantings and native warm-season grass and wildflower conservation plantings.

Publications in this series include:

• Golden Rod Control
• Thinning Native Warm-Season Grasses
• Sericea Lespedeza Control
• Woody Encroachment and Woody Invasives
• Jonhsongrass Control
• Reed Canarygrass Control
• Teasel Control (Common and Cut Leaved)
• Controlling Introduced Cool-Season Grasses
• Crownvetch, Sweetclover and Birdsfoot Trefoil Control

Resources:
Deer Impact Toolbox & Grassland Management, Purdue Extension Pond and Wildlife Management
Pond and Wildlife Management, Purdue Extension
Forestry for the Birds Virtual Tour and Pocket Guide, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Frost Seeding to Establish Wildlife Food Plots and Native Grass and Forb Plantings – Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube channel
Wildlife Habitat Hint: Tips for Evaluating a First Year Native Grass and Forb Plantings, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Drone Seeding Native Grasses and Forbs: Project Overview & Drone Setup, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube channel
Ask an Expert: Wildlife Food Plots, video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Handling Harvested Game: Episode 1, Field Dressing, video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Managing Your Woods for White-Tailed Deer, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Forest Management for Reptiles and Amphibians: A Technical Guide for the Midwest, The Education Store
A Template for Your Wildlife Habitat Management Plan, The Education Store
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube channel
Nature of Teaching Unit 1: Animal Diversity and Tracking, The Education Store
Nature of Teaching, Purdue College of Agriculture
Invasive Species Playlist, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Report Invasive, Purdue Extension
Subscribe Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel

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

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The Purdue FNR extension team was named as a recipient of the Family Forests Comprehensive Education Program Award presented by the National Woodland Owners Association (NWOA) and National Association of University Forest Resources Programs (NAUFRP).

The award, which is the nation’s top honor for forestry extension programming, recognizes superior performance across nine rigorous criteria, celebrating the standard of excellence for the profession. Drs. Zhao Ma and Mike Saunders received the award on the team’s behalf at the NAUFRP annual meeting at the 2025 Society of American Foresters (SAF) national convention in Hartford, Connecticut, in October.

The Family Forests Comprehensive Education Program Award criteria includes:

• Faculty involved (including number and multi-disciplinary involvement)
• Educational needs assessment (including involvement of clients)
• Educational materials, events and other resources used
• Applied research incorporated
• Collaborations among disciplines, agencies and organizations
• Results, impacts or outcomes
• Evidence of program quality
• Degree of innovation
• Emulation of the program by others

NAUFRP extension chair Bill Hubbard, who oversaw the competition said “After a thorough review by our three judges and myself, the committee determined that both the University of Minnesota and Purdue University programs demonstrated such profound and differentiated excellence across the nine core criteria that it was decided to recognize them both.”

According to the NAUFRP announcement, “Purdue’s program was honored for its massive scale, its deep connection to a long-term research asset, and its commitment to building future workforce capacity.”

Program highlights include:

• HEE Integration: The program directly integrates findings from the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE)—a 100-year research study—into its curriculum, providing landowners with unbiased, real-time data on management issues like oak/hickory regeneration and wildlife response to timber harvest.
• Economic & Ecological Scale: The program supports the multibillion-dollar hardwood industry by having an impact on over 57,000 acres and engaging a network of tens of thousands of landowners through its extensive publications.
• Curricular Innovation: Purdue was recognized for its pioneering move to formally incorporate Extension training into its undergraduate and graduate curricula, ensuring the next generation of forestry professionals is equipped with crucial outreach skills.

The Purdue team includes five faculty and nine professional staff members. Over the past five years, the group boasts many standout accomplishments including:

• Development of publications that have been downloaded more than 2.1 million times
• Publication and dissemination of the Indiana Woodland Steward newsletter, which has reached more than 31,000 family forest owners, impacting more than 1.2 million acres
• Creation of 215 training programs, which reached more than 50,000 landowners, impacting more than 57,000 acres of woodlands
• Production of 249 videos, downloaded more than 750,000 times, and 38 podcast episodes, reaching more than 50,000 listeners in the United States alone. Videos can be accessed on the FNR Extension YouTube channel. The Habitat University podcast is available as part of the Natural Resources University network.
• Awarded more than $4.4 million in extramural funding for faculty and staff
• Formally incorporated undergraduate and graduate students in Extension at the programmatic level

In the nomination packet, team personnel stated “We aim to address family forest owner needs through collaboration with many stakeholders. Our family forest education serves family forest owners, professional advisors, an industry that receives most of their product base from family forests and the general public who influence policy decisions affecting family forest owners. Our program focuses on adoption or maintenance of stewardship practices (e.g., invasive plant control, timber harvesting), developing or improving forestland planning, and engaging peer and professional advice. In doing these, family forest owners can make informed decisions that meet their personal land management objectives while enhancing the resource for all residents.”

Team members include:

• Jarred Brooke – Extension wildlife specialist; Specializing in wildlife conservation, habitat management and deer impact
• Diana Evans – Extension and web communications specialist; Specializing in website design and communications
• Lenny Farlee – Extension forester; Specializing in forest regeneration, hardwood management and genetics
• Dr. Rado Gazo – professor of wood processing and industrial engineering; Specializing in secondary wood products manufacturing processes
• Dr. Eva Haviarova – professor of wood products; Specializing in strength design and product engineering of furniture and product sustainability
• Liz Jackson – engagement specialist with the Indiana Forestry and Woodland Owners, Walnut Council and Purdue Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center; Specializing in black walnut, oaks and landowner engagement
• Dr. Doug Jacobs – Fred M. van Eck professor of forest biology; Specializing in forest ecology, silviculture, regeneration and restoration
• Dr. Brian MacGowan – Extension wildlife specialist and extension coordinator; Specializing in wildlife habitat management, wildlife conservation and wildlife damage
• Wendy Mayer – communications coordinator; Specializing in social media and communications
• Jessica Outcalt – natural resources training specialist; Specializing in natural resources, conservation and professional development
• Henry Quesada – professor, assistant director of Extension and ANR program leader; Specializing in wood products, hardwood lumber, biomaterials, hardwood markets and industry
• Ron Rathfon – regional extension forester; Specializing in forest management, timber marketing, tree planting, oak regeneration and ecology and invasive vegetation management
• Dr. Mike Saunders – professor of ecology and natural resources; Specializing in disturbance-based silviculture, growth and yield, modeling, disturbance ecology and management effects on wood quality.
• Kat Shay – HEE forest project coordinator; Specializing in environmental science and restoration

From 2020 to 2024, the FNR Family Forest Education extension team conducted 788 programs, covering 1,005 sessions and including more than 50,000 individual contacts.

To view the original article along with other news and stories posted on the Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources website view: FNR Extension Team Receives Family Forests Comprehensive Education Award.

Resources:
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners YouTube Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR
Wildlife Habitat Hint YouTube Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR
Woodland Management Moment YouTube Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR
Invasive Species YouTube Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR
Forest Management for the Private Woodland Owner Course – Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
Report Invasive Species, Purdue Invasive Species
Finding help from a professional forester, Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Indiana Woodland Steward Institute
Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE)
Hardwood Tree Improvement & Regeneration Center (HTIRC)
Help the Hellbender
The Nature of Teaching
Pond and Wildlife Management, website
Sustainable Communities and Community Planning, Purdue Extension
Subscribe Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel

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

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