sealPurdue News
____

July 24, 2002

Purdue research property designated as nature preserve

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Stout Woods, a 34-acre Purdue University research property located in Henry County, has been designated a nature preserve by the Natural Resources Commission.

The wooded property, which was given to Purdue in 1964 by Sam and Stella Stout, was kept from farming and grazing use through five generations of the family. Stout Woods is located 1.5 miles south of Sulphur Springs, Ind., west of County Road 300 West and south of County Road 400 North.

A public ceremony dedicating the Stout Woods Nature Preserve will be at the site on Sunday, July 28, beginning at 2 p.m. Representatives of Purdue, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the Red-tail Conservancy and the Stout family will participate.

"Stout Woods is one of the few remaining relatively undisturbed remnants of the central till flatwoods left in Indiana," said John A Bacone, director of the Division of Nature Preserves in the IDNR.

"We've been told it's a rare piece of land," said Jane Stout Fribley, daughter of Sam and Stella Stout. "My family's purpose in giving the woods to Purdue was so that the property would be used for forestry and wildlife conservation purposes and for furthering the education of the public, especially young people."

In the past year, an interpretive trail for school children was developed on the property by the Purdue departments of Forestry and Natural Resources and 4-H, in cooperation with the Red-tail Conservancy and the Division of Nature Preserves. The preserve also is open to the public.

"The trail provides children a rare opportunity to see firsthand a relatively undisturbed, mature woodland," said Dennis C. LeMaster, professor and head of Purdue's Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.

Purdue doctoral student in forestry and natural resources, Brenda Potter, is adding educational stations to the trail that identify various trees, plants and natural processes. She also is conducting research to determine the effectiveness of these educational tools.

Writer: Beth Forbes, (765) 494-2722; forbes@purdue.edu

Sources: Dennis LeMaster, (765) 494-3590

Jane Stout Fribley, (317) 299-2930

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, bforbes@aes.purdue.edu; https://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/AgComm/public/agnews/

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu


* To the Purdue News and Photos Page