Got Nature? Blog

The Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center (HTIRC) was conceived in 1998 to address a perceived void in hardwood tree improvement research in the Central Hardwood Forest Region (CHFR) and is committed to enhancing the productivity and quality of CHFR trees and forests for the economic and environmental benefits they provide. Scientists at the HTIRC are using conventional tree improvement breeding as well as molecular and genetic technologies to improve the wood quality, growth characteristics, and insect and disease resistance of trees like black walnut, black cherry, red and white oaks, butternut and American chestnut. Research in tree breeding, tree nursery practices, tree plantation establishment and management, and Central Hardwoods silvicultural systems is aimed at increasing the regeneration success rate for high-quality hardwood trees and forests.

In this Fall 2023 HTIRC Newsletter you will find current research happenings that include:

• Douglass Jacobs Co-leader on Assessment of At-Risk Forest Trees – Douglass Jacobs of the HTIRC and Kasten Dumroese of the U.S. Forest Service led a team of 19 co-authors, including scientists, land managers and regulators, in presenting their findings on biotechnological risk assessment and forest tree restoration
• Annual Report Available for 2022 – The annual report outlining HTIRC research projects, strategic directions and accomplishments is now available on the HTIRC website at Annual Report.
• Indiana Conservation Partnership Training – In August of 2023, Extension and Property Management staff from HTIRC and Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources provided hands-on training days at the Purdue FNR Martell Forest and Southeast Purdue Ag Center properties for members of the Indiana Conservation Partnership, including USDA NRCS, Indiana SWCD, Indiana DNR, and Purdue Extension employees.
• HTIRC Participates in Walnut Council Annual Conference – Several members of the HTIRC staff helped organize and presented at the annual National Walnut Council conference in Columbia, Missouri in July or 2023. This year was a unique event with three organizations joining forces for an impressive array of presentations an field tours.
• Forgey Wins “Sagamore of the Wabash” Award – Michael Forgey, a resident of New Palestine and a seasoned Rush County farmer, was honored with the prestigious “Sagamore of the Wabash” award by Governor Eric Holcomb at the Forgey Tree Farm in Rush County, Indiana on November 1, 2023.
• The HTIRC 2023 Seed Harvest – Seed production is a crucial component of the HTIRC’s improvement program, for without it there is no progeny testing or distribution of improved genetics to the public. This year, a droughty spring and early summer was followed by an unusually wet July, stimulating a bumper crop in the HTIRC’s orchards.

View the full Fall 2023 HTIRC Newsletter and meet the new administrative assistant, learn more about the awards received and current research.

Resources:
HTIRC 2020 Annual Report
Hardwood Tree Improvement & Regeneration Center (HTIRC)
Tropical Hardwood Tree Improvement & Regeneration Center (tropHTIRC)
Partners, Purdue Forestry & Natural Resources
An Introduction to Trees of Indiana, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store
ID That Tree, Playlist, Subscribe to Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Finding help from a professional forester, Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association
District Foresters for 10 plus acres, Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Wood Products, FNR Concentration

Hardwood Tree Improvement Regeneration Center (HTIRC)