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Steps of Forest Management
Step 1: estaBLISH your goals
Write down what your goals for your forest are. Here are some of common things landowners manage their forests for.
- Birding
- Ecosystem restoration
- Hunting
- Maple syrup production
- Morel mushrooms
- Native nut and/or fruit production
- Timber production
- Wildlife habitat
Step 2: Get a plan from a professional
Contact the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), a forester with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, or a consulting forester to get a plan for your forest. Tippecanoe County SWCD is happy to conduct a site visit to evaluate your forest and connect you with additional resources, as needed. With the help of NRCS, landowners can complete an application for financial assistance programs.
Step 3: Remove invasive trees, shrubs, and vines
Besides development, invasive species are the biggest threat to our forests. Removing invasive plants from your forest can allow the ecosystem to rebound very quickly. Common woody plants invasive plants invading our forests in Tippecanoe County include bush honeysuckle, multiflora rose, Japanese barberry, privet, burning bush, callery pear, periwinkle, English ivy, and wintercreeper. The Tippecanoe County SWCD is happy to evaluate your forest and write an invasive species control plan for you. There may be cost-share available to help pay for some of your invasive plant removal. Annual monitoring of your forest will be necessary to prevent reinfestation.
Step 4: Forest Stand Improvement
Forest stand improvement (FSI) is a conservation practice that manages the composition, structure, and health of a forest by removing selected trees, shrubs, and vines to favor desired species and improve overall forest stand conditions. Forest stand improvement often involves reducing, but not eliminating, shade tolerant trees and/or creating openings to allow sunlight into the forest to encourage the growth of trees that need sun including oaks and hickories. There may be cost-share available to help offset the cost of forest stand improvement.
Step 5: Remove invasive herbaceous plants
Invasive herbaceous plants like garlic mustard, orange daylily, wild garlic, Japanese stiltgrass, and Japanese knotweed disrupt the forest ecosystem by dominating the understory.
Step 6: Consider protecting the forest from future develoPMENT
The Classified Forest and Wildlands Program encourages timber production, watershed protection, and wildlife habitat management on private lands in Indiana. Program landowners receive a property tax reduction in return for following a professionally written management plan. In addition to the tax incentive, landowners receive free technical assistance from DNR foresters and wildlife biologists, and priority for cost-share to offset the cost of doing management.
Step 7: Reevaluate your forest management plan
Your plan should be reevaluated every few years and adjustments made as needed.