April 25, 2005

Purdue site for public meeting on Hoosier National Forest's future

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University will be the site for northern Indiana's only public meeting of the Hoosier National Forest planning staff, where citizens will learn how to become involved in drafting the next Hoosier National Forest Management Plan.

The meeting, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 2-4:45 p.m. Thursday (April 28) in the Pfendler Hall auditorium on the Purdue campus. Forest Service staff will present five different alternatives for the next forest management plan and also will explain how people can prepare and submit effective comments on the plan.

"Only 3 to 4 percent of Indiana is in public ownership, and much of that is in the Hoosier National Forest," said Brian Miller, Purdue Extension wildlife specialist. "People who attend this meeting will learn about options for the future management of the forest and how to make sure their opinions are heard."

Under federal law, the Hoosier National Forest must prepare a new management plan, subject to public comment, every 10 to 15 years. The current plan has been in effect since 1991. Once approved, the new plan will guide all forest and wildlife habitat management activities that will be conducted in the forest over the next decade. The Hoosier National Forest covers 200,000 acres in the south-central portion of the state.

The plan updates are intended to reflect changes in both habitat conditions within the forest as well as social, environmental and economic issues, said Frank Lewis, a spokesman for the Hoosier National Forest.

The plan alternatives and associated environmental impact statements are available online.

Writer: Jennifer Cutraro, (765) 496-2050, jcutraro@purdue.edu

Source: Brian Miller, (765)496-6026, bmiller3@purdue.edu

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