Got Nature? Blog

Posted on December 20th, 2022 in Wildlife, Woodlands | No Comments »

With winter upon us this is actually a good time to look for owls on your property.  Most owls breed from January to March. You can either listen for calls in the evening, or use owl calls or recorded calls to get responses from owls in the area. We have three common species in Indiana and one rare species. All are non-migratory.  However, each has different needs and habits. The following descriptions were written by Barny Dunning, professor of wildlife ecology at Purdue. These accounts were originally published in the Indiana Woodland Steward (www.inwoodlands.org).

Owls are among the most intriguing animals native to Indiana. They have been celebrated in story from the myths of the early Greeks to the books of Harry Potter. Owls are common across much of the state, but are relatively unknown, probably because of the nocturnal habits of these birds. But since they are efficient predators of mice and rats, among other things, owls are very useful birds to have around. Three species of owls are common year-round residents in Hoosier forests. The largest of these is the great horned owl, one of the dominant predators of our forests. Most people are surprised to learn that the great horned owl is as common as the familiar redtailed hawk even though the owl is much less likely to be seen.

Great horned owls (photo by Pennsylvania Game Commission)

Great horned owls hunt in open areas but nest in large trees, where they take over a nest abandoned by a hawk, crow or heron. They are common where both woods and fields mix. The owls start breeding in January and February, adding new sticks to an old nest and laying a clutch of three eggs. Most species of owls nest very early in the year so that there will be a lot of easily caught prey in the form of young mammals and birds when the owl chicks are learning to hunt on their own. Many nests of the great horned owl are in snags or trees with broken tops, therefore retaining some of these forest features will provide good nesting spots for this dominant bird.

A second species of large owl is found in the larger woodlands of Indiana. The barred owl is most common in the interiors of forests and spends less time along the woodland edge. One major reason for this is the presence of the great horned owls, which will kill and eat a barred owl. Barred owls usually nest in the cavities of deciduous trees, laying their eggs in deep winter. Their dependence on tree cavities means that barred owls are likely to respond well to land management activities that retain large trees on a property and increase the number of snags with cavities. They also do well when there are forest patches of a variety of ages on a property, in addition to the older trees that provide nest sites.

Eastern screech-owls are the smallest resident owl in the state. They nest in small tree cavities and readily make use of nest boxes made especially for them. More than the other two species, screech-owls are found in suburban backyards, urban parks and on college campuses – anywhere there is a variety of trees and shrubs. Screech-owls feed on small prey such as insects, songbirds and mice. They breed later than do the big owls and have active nests in March and April. In addition to nest boxes, these owls will use old cavities excavated by northern flickers, tree holes created by storm damage, and hollow trunks of snags. Their ready use of a wide variety of cavity types makes our screech-owls a prime beneficiary of snag retention and other habitat improvement activities. Indiana’s smallest owl does not breed here, but its numbers during the fall migration can be in the thousands statewide. The northern saw-whet owl breeds from the most northern states on into Canada and migrates from there when food becomes scarce. “Swets” are an irruptive species, meaning their populations rise and fall dramatically from one year to the next on a roughly four-year cycle. A group of volunteer researchers in Yellowwood State Forest began studying the movements of these owls in 2002 as part of the larger Project Owlnet (www.projectowlnet.org). Their first year produced 71 owls on just one ridge in Yellowwood. Since then, the annual numbers have averaged around 70, but nearly 200 owls were captured and banded on that same ridge in 2007. The low point in the cycle was in 2009 when only nine owls were captured. There are now eight such banding stations scattered around Indiana. Brookeville Reservoir had the largest number of captures in 2009 with 32; while an Indianapolis station tallied only six. Some northern saw-whet owls winter in Indiana where forests with an open understory provide good foraging opportunities throughout the winter months.

The rarest owl in Indiana is, paradoxically, the species with the largest geographic range. Barn owls are found across the globe, but in the Midwestern United States their populations have declined dramatically. The species is considered endangered in Indiana. Barn owls originally nested in tree cavities, but when early settlers built barns and other farm buildings, the owls were quick to adapt. They are not limited to barns however, as recent Hoosier nests have been found in old churches, silos, and within the walls of abandoned buildings. To be suitable, human structures must have openings that allow the owls to fly in and out and an interior area that is undisturbed and big enough for the nest. The biggest factor in their decline has been changing agricultural practices. Barn owls hunt in open areas such as pastures, but do not use row crop fields. As Hoosier farmers converted pastures to corn and soybean, the barn owl lost its hunting grounds. Farmers in the southern part of the state that still retain some open grassy fields on their land can contact the state Department of Natural Resources to have a barn owl nest box added to their outbuildings if they don’t have appropriate nest sites.

Resources
Learn how forests are used by birds new videos, Got Nature? Blog
Managing Woodlands for Birds, The Education Store-Purdue Extension resource center
National Audubon Society
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Brian MacGowan, Wildlife Extension Specialist
Purdue University, Forestry and Natural Resources

Posted on December 9th, 2022 in Aquaculture/Fish, Forestry, Wildlife | No Comments »

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it is awarding $197 million for 41 locally led conservation projects through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). RCPP is a partner-driven program that leverages partner resources to advance innovative projects that address climate change, enhance water quality, and address other critical challenges on agricultural land.

Adult Hellbender

“Our partners are experts in their fields and understand the challenges in their own backyards,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “Through RCPP we can tap into that knowledge, in partnership with producers and USDA, to come up with lasting solutions to the challenges that farmers, ranchers, and landowners face. We’re looking forward to seeing the results of public-private partnership at its best, made possible through these RCPP investments.”

The “Farmers Helping Hellbenders” project, led by Dr. Rod Williams and Purdue Extension wildlife specialist/Help the Hellbender project coordinator Nick Burgmeier, is among the projects set to receive funding through the RCCP Classic fund, which uses NRCS contracts and easements with producers, landowners and communities in collaboration with project partners.

Fourteen contributing partners will assist in the project:

With help from nearly $2.7 million in RCCP funding, the project aims to improve hellbender habitat in a four-county region in south central Indiana, the only remaining habitat for hellbenders in the state, by expanding the use of agricultural conservation practices that lead to decreased sedimentation in local rivers systems.

Sedimentation is a major cause of hellbender decline and reduced sedimentation will increase available habitat for hellbenders, mussels, and aquatic macroinvertebrates. This project also will address soil and nutrient loss, which are concerns for agricultural producers, as the targeted conservation practices and systems have been shown to have long-term benefits for agricultural systems and operations.

Hellbender Eggs“Through this initiative, focused on Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, and Washington counties, we expect to improve water quality and aquatic wildlife habitat,” Burgmeier said. “Simultaneously, we hope to improve soil retention and nutrient availability to crops by helping farmers implement practices such as cover crops, riparian buffers, grassed waterways, etc. Additional benefits will include increases in riparian and pollinator habitat and increased protection for karst habitat through the selected targeting of sinkholes.”

As part of each project, partners offer value-added contributions to amplify the impact of RCPP funding in an amount equal to or greater than the NRCS investment. Private landowners can apply to participate in an RCPP project in their region through awarded partners or at their local USDA service center.

“RCPP puts local partners in the driver’s seat to accomplish environmental goals that are most meaningful to their community.  Joining together public and private resources also harnesses innovation that neither sector could implement alone,” Indiana NRCS State Conservationist Jerry Raynor said. “We have seen record enrollment of privately owned lands in NRCS’ conservation programs and RCPP will be instrumental in building on those numbers and demonstrating that government and private entities can work together for greater impacts on Indiana’s communities.”

For much of the last 16 years, Williams and his team have been researching eastern hellbenders, spearheading regional conservation efforts and advancing hellbender captive propagation, or the rearing of this ancient animal in captivity and their eventual return to the wild.

Full article > > >

Additional Resources
Improving Water Quality by Protecting Sinkholes on Your Property video
Improving Water Quality Around Your Farm video
Adaptations for Aquatic Amphibians
Hellbenders Rock! Nature of Teaching Lesson Plan
Nature of Teaching – Hellbenders Rock Sneak Peek video
Nature of Teaching – Hellbenders Rock webinar video
Learn about hellbenders and take a tour of Purdue’s hellbender rearing facility video
Learn about the hellbender work at Mesker Park Zoo video
Learn about hellbender work at The Wilds video
Dr. Rod Williams’ 2017 TEDx Talk Help the Hellbenders video
A Moment in the Wild – Hellbender Hides video
A Moment in the Wild – Hellbender Release video 

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

Rod Williams, Assistant Provost for Engagement/Professor of Wildlife Science
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

The classic and trusted book “Fifty Common Trees of Indiana” by T.E. Shaw was published in 1956 as a user-friendly guide to local species.  Nearly 70 years later, the publication has been updated through a joint effort by the Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Indiana 4-H, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and reintroduced as “An Introduction to Trees of Indiana.”

The full publication is available for download for $7 in the Purdue Extension Education Store. The field guide helps identify common Indiana woodlot trees.

Each week, the Intro to Trees of Indiana web series will offer a sneak peek at one species from the book, paired with an ID That Tree video from Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee to help visualize each species as it stands in the woods. Threats to species health as well as also insight into the wood provided by the species, will be provided through additional resources as well as the Hardwoods of the Central Midwest exhibit of the Purdue Arboretum, if available. Drawing of swamp white oak leaf.

This week, we take a look at the third of our oak varieties in Indiana, the Swamp White Oak or Quercus bicolor.

The swamp white oak has leaves with wavy, uneven lobed margins with blunt teeth, which are wider toward the tip than at the base. The alternately-held leaves are typically dark green on top with a silvery-white underside, which turn orange, gold and yellow in the fall.

The bark on swamp white oak is similar to that of white oak and often peels back especially on younger trees. Mature bark is dark gray-brown with flaky/shreddy bark or blocky ridges that are consistent up and down the tree.

The fruit of the swamp white oak is an acorn held on a long stalk, typically an inch or inch and a half long, called a peduncle.

Swamp white oaks, which grow to 50 to 60 feet tall, are named for the fact that they often grow in wet places, such as line drawing of swamp white oak acorns and peduncle. upland swamps and lowlands. This species also can tolerate well-drained upland sites, making it a good option for landscape plantings. The natural range of swamp white oak is the northern half of the eastern United States, reaching as far south as Missouri, southern Illinois and Kentucky, and north into Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

The Morton Arboretum warns to plant swamp white oak in full sun and shares that the species is one of the easiest oaks to transplant and is more tolerant of poor drainage than other oaks. It also notes that oaks should be pruned in the dormant season to avoid attracting beetles that may carry oak wilt. Swamp white oak can be affected by pests such as anthracnose, powdery mildew, chlorosis in high pH soils, insect galls and oak wilt.

In general, lumber from the white oak group is among the heaviest next to hickory, weighing in at 47 pounds per cubic foot. It is very resistant to decay and is one of the best woods for steam bending.

White oak lumber has been used for a variety of purposes including log cabins, ships, wagon wheels and furniture. It also is preferred for indoor decorative applications ranging from furniture, especially in churches, to cabinets, interior trim, millwork and hardwood flooring and veneers. It also may be used for barrel making.

Its density and durability make white oak a favorite for industrial applications such as railroad ties, mine timbers, sill plates, fence posts and boards, pallets, and blocking, as well as industrial, agricultural and truck flooring.

For full article with additional photos view: Intro to Trees of Indiana: Swamp White Oak, Forestry and Natural Resources’ News.

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.

Other Resources:
ID That Tree: Swamp White Oak
ID That Tree: White Oak Group
Hardwood Lumber and Veneer Series: White Oak Group
Morton Arboretum: Swamp White Oak
Fifty Common Trees of Indiana
An Introduction to Trees of Indiana
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube playlist
Woodland Management Moment , Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube playlist

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

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

The classic and trusted book “Fifty Common Trees of Indiana” by T.E. Shaw was published in 1956 as a user-friendly guide to local species.  Nearly 70 years later, the publication has been updated through a joint effort by the Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Indiana 4-H, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and reintroduced as “An Introduction to Trees of Indiana.”

The full publication is available for download for $7 in the Purdue Extension Education Store. The field guide helps identify common Indiana woodlot trees.

Each week, the Intro to Trees of Indiana web series will offer a sneak peek at one species from the book, paired with an ID That Tree video from Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee to help visualize each species as it stands in the woods. Threats to species health as well as also insight into the wood provided by the species, will be provided through additional resources as well as the Hardwoods of the Central Midwest exhibit of the Purdue Arboretum, if available. Drawing of chestnut oak leaf.

This week, we take a look at the fourth of our oak varieties in Indiana, the Chestnut Oak or Quercus montana.

The leaves of the chestnut oak have small, evenly lobed rounded margins. The upper leaf surface is leathery in appearance and is dark green in color, while the lower surface is a duller green. In the fall, the leaves can range from red and orange to yellow and brown.

The bark may be its tell-tale characteristic. Unlike other members of the white oak group, the bark of Chestnut oak bark chestnut oak is dark and deeply ridged.

The fruit of the chestnut oak is a relatively-large dark brown acorn with a smooth edge on the outer margin of the cap.

Chestnut oaks, which grow to 60 to 70 feet tall, are often found on high, dry sites in Indiana. The natural range of chestnut oak is across the northeastern United States, extending south to the northern parts of Alabama and Georgia and west to the southern tip of Illinois.

The Morton Arboretum warns that chestnut oak is a difficult to transplant due to a deep taproot, but that it can tolerate most soils except those that drain poorly. It also notes that oaks should be pruned in the dormant season to avoid attracting beetles that may carry oak wilt. Chestnut oak can be affected by pests such as scale insects and two-lined chestnut borer. Chestnut oak acorns

In general, lumber from the white oak group is among the heaviest next to hickory, weighing in at 47 pounds per cubic foot. It is very resistant to decay and is one of the best woods for steam bending. Chestnut oak, however, is considered a poor lumber species.

White oak lumber has been used for a variety of purposes including log cabins, ships, wagon wheels and furniture. It also is preferred for indoor decorative applications ranging from furniture, especially in churches, to cabinets, interior trim, millwork and hardwood flooring and veneers. It also may be used for barrel making.

Its density and durability make white oak a favorite for industrial applications such as railroad ties, mine timbers, sill plates, fence posts and boards, pallets, and blocking, as well as industrial, agricultural and truck flooring.

For full article with additional photos view: Intro to Trees of Indiana: Chestnut Oak, Forestry and Natural Resources’ News.

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.

Other Resources:
ID That Tree: Chestnut Oak
ID That Tree: White Oak Group
Hardwood Lumber and Veneer Series: White Oak Group
Morton Arboretum: Chestnut Oak
Fifty Common Trees of Indiana
An Introduction to Trees of Indiana
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube playlist
Woodland Management Moment , Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube playlist
Chestnut Oak, Native Trees of Indiana River Walk, Purdue-Fort Wayne

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

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

The classic and trusted book “Fifty Common Trees of Indiana” by T.E. Shaw was published in 1956 as a user-friendly guide to local species.  Nearly 70 years later, the publication has been updated through a joint effort by the Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Indiana 4-H, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and reintroduced as “An Introduction to Trees of Indiana.”

The full publication is available for download for $7 in the Purdue Extension Education Store. The field guide helps identify common Indiana woodlot trees.

Each week, the Intro to Trees of Indiana web series will offer a sneak peek at one species from the book, paired with an ID That Tree video from Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee to help visualize each species as it stands in the woods. Threats to species health as well as also insight into the wood provided by the species, will be provided through additional resources as well as the Hardwoods of the Central Midwest exhibit of the Purdue Arboretum, if available. Drawing of Bur Oak

This week, we take a look at the second of our oak varieties in Indiana, the Bur Oak or Quercus macrocarpa.

The bur oak has rounded lobes on the end of the leaves, which have deep sinuses and are very broad across the top. Leaves are typically dark green that turn yellow or brown in the fall.

The bark on bur oak is medium to dark gray in color with heavy ridges and plates, often so thick that it is often fire resistant and resistant to damage from burning. Bur oak may have terminal buds that include small hairs and resemble bear claws.

The fruit of the bur oak is an acorn with a large cap that features a hairy fringe forming a burr along the outside edge. The acorns vary in size, but average one inch in length, and the cap covers half to two thirds of the acorn.

Bur oaks, which grow to 70-80 feet tall and up to five feet wide, are common in both bottomlands and prairie regions, and can tolerate many different sites. Bur oaks can be found in nearly any county and any habitat type in Indiana. The natural range of bur oak is the eastern Great Plains from the Dakotas to Ohio to the eastern Appalachians, except through the southeastern United States. The range also extends into southern Canada.

Lumber from the white oak group, which includes bur oak, is among the heaviest next to hickory, weighing in at 45 pounds per cubic foot. It is very resistant to decay and is one of the best woods for steam bending. Bur oak, however, is somewhat weaker than other species in the white oak group.

 

For full article with additional photos view: Intro to Trees of Indiana: Bur Oak

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.

Other Resources:
ID That Tree: Bur Oak
ID That Tree: White Oak Group
ID That Tree: Alternate Leaf Arrangement – Honey Locust/Bur Oak
Hardwood Lumber and Veneer Series: White Oak Group
Morton Arboretum: Bur Oak
Fifty Common Trees of Indiana
An Introduction to Trees of Indiana
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube playlist
Woodland Management Moment , Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube playlist
Bur Oak, Native Trees of Indiana River Walk, Purdue-Fort Wayne

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

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

Posted on November 16th, 2022 in Forestry, How To, Land Use, Urban Forestry | No Comments »

The new USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) website is designed for farmers, ranchers and forest landowners who use NRCS conservation programs, and our partners who help us deliver the conservation mission.

You will find information that includes:

  • Conservation Basics: find soil health, soil science, water, air, plants, animals, land, energy, climate, wildlife habitat and invasive species and pests
  • Getting Assistance: find your local service centerUrban Agriculture Tour photos
  • Programs & Initiatives
  • Resources
  • News & Events

For more than 80 years, NRCS has helped people make investments in their operations and local communities to keep working lands working, boost rural economies, increase the competitiveness of American agriculture, and improve the quality of our air, water, soil, and habitat.

As the USDA’s primary private lands conservation agency, NRCS generates, manages, shares data, technology and standards that enable partners and policymakers to make decisions informed by objective, reliable science.

Resources:
Consumer Horticulture: Collecting Soil Samples for Testing, The Education Store , Purdue Extension resource center
Soil Sampling Guidelines, The Education Store
Soil Testing for Lawns, The Education Store
Certified Soil Testing Laboratories, Purdue Extension – Master Gardener Program
Lawn to Lake Midwest, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Program
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Frost Seeding Native Grasses and Forbs with a Drone (UAV), Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR)
Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment – Wildlife Responses to Timber Harvesting, The Education Store
Invasive Plants: Impact on Environment and People, The Education Store
Urban Forestry, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel

USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

Posted on November 14th, 2022 in How To, Urban Forestry, Wildlife | No Comments »

Wild Bulletin, IN DNR Fish and Wildlife:  Indiana’s coyotes start to put on their winter fur this time of year. While this makes them look large and fluffy, they weigh in at less than your average sleepy beagle. Coyotes can be helpful to people by feasting on mice that invade homes in winter and voles that raid crops and stored feed. Most coyotes live near people, pets, and livestock, and never cause any problems. Wild Bulletin Coyotes

People can help ensure problems remain few and far between in a few ways. Licensed hunters and trappers can help maintain healthy coyote populations through regulated harvest, and people can also take steps around their homes and livestock to prevent coyotes from causing problems. Find a wealth of resources on the IN DNR Fish and Wildlife coyote page.

Subscribe to Wild Bulletin.

Resources:
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
Permitted Wildlife Rehabilitators, Indiana Department of Natural Resources
How do you eliminate a nuisance animal on your property?, Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IN DNR)-Fish and Wildlife
Urban Coyote Research Center, Urban Coyote Ecology & Management, Cook County, Illinois

Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Posted on November 3rd, 2022 in How To, Wildlife | No Comments »

On this episode of A Moment in the Wild, Purdue wildlife technician Zach Truelock introduces the southern leopard frog, which is found in the southern half of Indiana. Learn how to tell them apart from the northern leopard frog and plains leopard frogs in the state, how to identify their calls and their mating habits.

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:
Sounds of Frogs & Toads, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR)
Frogs & toads of Indiana, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Salamanders of Indiana Book, The Education Store
Amphibians: Frogs, Toads, and Salamanders, Purdue Nature of Teaching
The Nature of Teaching: Adaptations for Aquatic Amphibians, The Education Store
Hellbender ID, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
A Moment in the Wild, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Amphibian Photos & Sounds, Purdue Nature of Teaching

Zach Truelock, Hellbender Technician
Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources

Rod Williams, Assistant Provost for Engagement/Professor of Wildlife Science
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Posted on November 3rd, 2022 in Forestry, Forests and Street Trees, Woodlands | No Comments »

The White Oak Initiative – Landowners for Oaks series is now available! This series, made up of 11 publications, is geared toward landowners engaged in upland oak management with a focus on white oak. Three of the publications provide information on the importance of oaks, their biology, and an overview of common management practices to enhance oak regeneration and growth. Eight publications provide landowners with basic information on common upland oak species, how to identify them and important management and utilization information. All factsheets in the series are available for free download at Landowner Resources – White Oak Initiative.

Landowners for Oaks Series:White Oak Initiative website

Landowners Guide to Identification and Characteristics Series:

University of Kentucky Department of Forestry & Natural Resources/Extension authors:

Mike Saunders, associate professor of silviculture for Purdue Forestry & Natural Resources, continues adding his expertise with the white oak publications. “Personally, I think these are great resources for enlightening the public regarding the serious concerns natural resource managers have regarding the future of oak-hickory forests in the eastern U.S. They set a great tone in describing a complex issue. The impacts from the decades-long, persistent lack of oak regeneration are not easy for most to understand. For example, one may look up and see all the mature, large trees and think “hey, this is a healthy forest”. But the true future of the forest is at their feet, and whether they see it or their grandkids see it, that future is not great. There will be a dramatic shift to maple-dominance in our forests, something that will have profound, and potentially negative, impacts on all the values we associate with the forest (wildlife, water, recreation and timber),” states Dr. Saunders.

The White Oak Initiative is a diverse coalition of partners committed to the long-term sustainability of America’s white oak forests as well as the economic, social and environmental benefits they provide.

Resources:
Sustaining Our Oak-Hickory Forests – Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment, The Education Store
“The Nature of Oaks” Webinar With Author Doug Tallamy, Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Assocaition
Indiana Forestry and Wildlife: The Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment, The Education Store
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube playlist
Woodland Management Moment , Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube playlist
Indiana Woodland Steward, promoting wise use of Indiana’s forest resources

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

Posted on November 3rd, 2022 in How To, Wildlife | No Comments »

In this Moment in the Wild, Purdue wildlife technician Zach Truelock introduces you to the green tree frog. Learn about where this species lives, its physical characteristics, its call, and its breeding habits.

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:
Sounds of Frogs & Toads, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR)
Frogs & toads of Indiana, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Salamanders of Indiana Book, The Education Store
Amphibians: Frogs, Toads, and Salamanders, Purdue Nature of Teaching
The Nature of Teaching: Adaptations for Aquatic Amphibians, The Education Store
Hellbender ID, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
A Moment in the Wild, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel

Zach Truelock, Hellbender Technician
Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources

Rod Williams, Assistant Provost for Engagement/Professor of Wildlife Science
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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