228 Scientists to Gov. Holcomb: “Conserve major portions of our state forests”
The 228 scientists are urging Gov. Holcomb to set aside areas from timber harvest and reduce the rate of logging in state forests.
“Dear Division of Forestry…”
We disagree heartily with many assertions in the letter. Below, IFA Executive Director Jeff Stant addresses every point in this six-page rebuttal. Here’s Seifert’s letter, with highlights of Stant’s rebuttal inserted in blue.
In Defense of Outdoor Recreation: Tourism Leaders Speak Out for State Forests
According to the latest U.S. Census Data, more than two million people live within 20 miles of Indiana’s state forests and more than 14.5 million people live within 100 miles of our state forests. If the state forests were seen as desirable destinations, more outfitters, bed & breakfasts, and cafes would spring up. The 59% of Hoosiers who participate in outdoor recreation are an untapped market for our state forests.
Eleven Reasons to Leave Haverstick Woods Standing
Haverstick Woods is the last forest stand in the busiest retail corridor in the city of Indianapolis. But a developer is lobbying the Metropolitan Development Commission to re-zone it for yet another office building with retail at street level.
Citizens to Gov. Holcomb: “Value of our state forests cannot be measured in board feet & dollars”
Here, we share powerful excerpts of messages from outraged citizens to Gov. Holcomb’s office.
Tell the Governor Now: It’s Wrong to Log this Brown County Forest, and Here’s Why
The plans will log the most remote and pristine hollow which contains tulip poplars, sugar maples and northern red oaks between 150 and 200 years old. IFA conducts part of our Ecoblitz flora/fauna survey in this area, and we know it to be exceptionally diverse in terms of animal and plant life.
Trees, Joy & Grief: A Meditation on Logging
These magnificent trees are not a crop. They are home to a myriad of plant and animal life. Trees give us shade. They block noise pollution. Trees clean our soil and provide life-giving oxygen. They provide us inspiration, beauty and the rejuvenation of our spirits.
“Moving the Product Quicker?”: In Defense of Owen-Putnam State Forest
In March, the Spencer Evening World (the newspaper of record in Owen County) published a front page article in which the Owen-Putnam State Forest property manager was quoted extensively… Two frequent users of the forest (both IFA members) wrote letters to the editor in response, the first of them published April 29, the other awaiting publication.
The Crown Hill North Woods: An Ecological Jewel
Just as the inscriptions on the grave markers are a reminder of, and tribute to, our forbearers, the woods are a legacy of the past, linking generations. Woods of this size and quality are not found in many places in central Indiana.
The Virgin Forest Project: Nature Meets Technology
My Creative Renewal proposal was designed to get me out of town, into the woods, and to help me discover the natural beauty Indiana has to offer.