Leaders from Indiana environmental nonprofits are rejoicing over a bold move by new Governor Mike Braun, who has sent a letter asking the United States Forest Service (USFS) to withdraw the Buffalo Springs Project, a proposed plan to log and burn nearly 20,000 acres of The Hoosier National Forest.
Heartwood founder Andy Mahler and former Indiana Forest Alliance Executive Director Jeff Stant, two leading environmental activists, issued the following statement of support in response:
“We are grateful for Gov. Braun’s advocacy for conservation and his commitment to public participation in decisions about our public lands.
“As significant changes come to our world, more and more people are turning to protected public land —our parks and forests—as a place to find peace of mind and explore a variety of nature-based pursuits and pastimes from kayaking, camping, and swimming, to hunting, hiking, horseback riding, foraging for wild edibles and bird-watching.
“We believe our publicly owned forests are far more valuable for their biodiversity, recreational opportunities, heritage and history, as well as their role in providing clean air and water, absorbing carbon, and moderating weather extremes, than they are for commercial extraction. We thank Governor Braun for recognizing the critical role healthy forests play in the well-being of our communities. We are committed to securing long-term, comprehensive protection for our publicly owned forests.
“Protected public forests are economic drivers for the well-being of surrounding communities and for safe-guarding the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. We welcome a new, protective management philosophy to guide future decision-making for the Hoosier National Forest.”
Now emblazoned on yard signs, billboards, T-shirts and bumper stickers, “Buffalo Springs” (BS) didn’t actually exist until the USFS named this area of Indiana for the Buffalo Trace, the visible roadway carved by buffalo and pioneers following the route west, and the abundance of clean freshwater springs. After receiving notice of the BS plans, local citizens, led by lifelong activist and Orange County resident Andy Mahler, came together to save their local trails and land from forest management that they say is not necessary and could be harmful.
Now 73 and diagnosed with stage IV cancer, Mahler was part of a group that successfully shut down commercial logging in The Hoosier in the 1980s.
“The key to the decision in the 80s and the decisions being made now all center on citizens speaking out, and that is what the people of Orange County did. We all did this together, and we are showing that change is possible,” Mahler said.
Stant, who recently retired as Executive Director of the Indiana Forest Alliance, worked closely with the governor on a landmark proposal to double the size of the Deam Wilderness during Braun’s tenure as US Senator for Indiana and continues to work with the Braun Administration on this proposal..
Gov. Braun recognized citizen input in his letter to the US Forest Service:
“The Project area is treasured by Hoosiers and recreationists alike…Its forests are a popular destination for horseback riders, hikers, mushroom foragers, hunters and campers.” Many Hoosiers have voiced concerns that these resources and their enjoyment of the area will be harmed by the Project.”
The Orange County Board of Commissioners has seen standing-room only and countywide opposition over the past three years, as citizens showed up to share their concern and offer an alternative promoting the economic and health benefits of protecting the Forest. Following Gov. Braun’s letter to the U.S. Forest Service, the Board shared this statement:
“We want to extend our deepest gratitude to the hardworking individuals of the Protect Our Woods group. Your dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to preserving our environment have been heard—not just here in Orange County, but across the state of Indiana and beyond. We hear you. The people of Indiana hear you. And we sincerely hope that the federal agencies responsible for this decision will hear you as well.”
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About Indiana Forest Alliance: The Indiana Forest Alliance (IFA) is a non-profit, statewide
organization founded in 1996 dedicated to preserving and restoring Indiana’s native hardwood forest ecosystem.
About Heartwood: Heartwood is a regional network that protects forests and supports community activism in the eastern United States through education, advocacy, and citizen empowerment.
