FNR-87
"What kinds of assistance are available to me, and from whom?" "Is there money available to help me?" "Where do I go to get help with my forest and wildlife resource problems?" These are questions frequently asked by Indiana landowners. There are several answers to these questions. A number of public and private organizations provide programs and assistance to landowners. The best place to start is with your local county Cooperative Extension Service representative. Your county agent will assist you in contacting the appropriate person or agency administering the assistance programs best suited to your needs. The address and phone number for your county's Cooperative Extension Service office can be found in the telephone directory under "county government offices."
The diagram below illustrates principal providers of assistance to contact. The brief descriptions which follow will help acquaint you with these organizations and the kinds of assistance they offer.
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Division of Forestry:
402 W. Washington St., Room W296
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(317) 2324105
There are 18 District Foresters who provide a personal link between the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the people needing assistance. Their services are provided through the federal-state Cooperative Forest Management program (CFM). These foresters can:
Provided free on a "first-come, first-serve" basis, these services are a good way for nonindustrial private landowners to obtain on-the-ground management assistance and information. Because of the demand for these services, there is often a backlog of clients waiting to be served. As a result, the time which an IDNR forester can spend with an individual landowner may be limited. Contact above address or your county agent to find the name and address of your District Forester.
The Division of Forestry operates two stateforest nurseries, one at Vallonia and the other at Medaryville. Planting stock may be purchased at minimal cost for use in reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control, or other forestry purposes. Ornamental use or resale of planting stock is prohibited. Order blanks, lists of available planting stock, and current prices are available from the IDNR Division of Forestry, District Foresters, most offices of the county Cooperative Extension Service and the Soil Conservation Service, and the Department of Forestry and Natural Resource Extension Office at Purdue University.
Division of Fish and Wildlife:
402 W. Washington St., Room W273
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(317) 232-4080
Wildlife biologists from 13 IDNR district offices will, upon request, examine your property and develop a wildlife management plan. This service is free to interested landowners. These specialists can provide information on and assist you in enrolling in the Classified Wildlife Habitat Act, Wildlife Habitat Cost Share Program, Game Bird Habitat Stamp Projects, and other programs offered in the Save Our Small Game Program (S.O.S.). District Biologists can also recommend additional sources of wildlife management assistance and cost-share opportunities. Contact the above address or your county extension agent for the name and address of your District Wildlife Biologist.
Division of Soil Conservation:
402 W. Washington St., Room W265
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(317) 233-3880
OR
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Purdue University
FLX-1 Building
West Lafayette, IN 47906
(317) 494-8383
The Division of Soil Conservation works to conserve Indiana's soil and water resources by:
Specific duties include training SWCD supervisors and staff, making them aware of applicable laws and regulations, and administering the educational, technical, and financial assistance components of T- by-2000 in cooperation with SWCD's and other state, federal, and local agencies. Division field staff also work directly with land users to help solve conservation-related problems. You can contact your erosion control technician at your county SCS office.
For more than 50 years, the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) has fostered the wise use of the nation's agricultural land and water resources in a voluntary partnership with farmers and ranchers. The agency's conservation and forestry programs offer landowners cost-sharing and technical assistance to protect soil against erosion and waterways from pollution, enhance wildlife habitat, and encourage development of private forestland for timber production.
ASCS programs are administered through local ASCS offices. In each county, a farmer-elected Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Committee works with people in the community to assess conservation problems and determine which measures are best suited to meeting local needs. The agency also works closely with other federal and state agencies and organizations to carry out its programs.
Forestry practices are offered under the Agricultural Conservation Program, Forestry Incentives Program, and the Conservation Reserve Program. The Tree Assistance Program provides emergency help in the wake of drought, freeze, and other natural disasters. ASCS also provides administrative assistance to the U.S. Forest Service and state forester in implementing the Stewardship Incentive Program (SIP).
Soil Conservation Service (SCS):
See your local telephone
directory under U.S. Government
for address and phone number
OR
6013 Lakeside Boulevard
Indianapolis, IN 46278
(317) 290-3200
The Soil Conservation Service helps landowners become more knowledgeable about soil and water conservation, land use, and land productivity. The SCS provides federal leadership for National Cooperative Soil Survey and Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) programs. SCS staff assists landowners in preparing a comprehensive resource conservation plan for your land. SCS's assistance is provided by field office staffs through 92 county soil and water conservation districts. A significant amount of assistance is provided in cooperation with other federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as private organizations. Activities emphasized include soil surveys, erosion control, water quality, and wetland identification.
Cooperative Extension Service
Department of Forestry and
Natural Resources
1159 Forestry Building
Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1159
(317) 494-3583
OR
See your local directory for your
county agent's address and phone number
The primary goals of the Extension Service are to insure the transfer of information from academic research to the potential user and to provide continuing educational services to the general public and resource professionals. To reach these goals, Department of Forestry and Natural Resource Extension personnel are available to assist public and private organizations and other groups with educational programs. They also organize and conduct educational workshops and demonstrations around the state. Technical information is also provided to County Extension Agents, District Foresters, Wildlife Biologists, resource consultants, and the general public upon request.
Farmers' Home Administration
(FmHA)
See your local telephone
directory under U.S. Government
for address and phone number.
OR
5975 Lakeside Boulevard
Indianapolis, IN 46278
(317) 290-3112
The Farmers' Home Administration has four basic loan programs which can help finance forestry and, in some cases, wildlife projects if reasonable credit terms are not available elsewhere. The three loan program areas are farm ownership, soil and water, and farm operating.
The basic eligibility requirement for one of these loans is that you own or lease a farm and that you operate the farm for a substantial portion of your total income. Other requirements for given loan programs vary.
Animal Damage Control (ADC)
USDA-APHIS-Animal Damage Control
Entomology Hall, Room B14
West Lafayette, IN 47907-1158
(317)494-6229
The Animal Damage Control (ADC) program is part of the Animal Health and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). ADC's goal is to help solve problems that are created when species of wildlife cause damage to public health and safety.
The ADC program recommends and uses an integrated pest management approach to reduce wildlife damage. This approach employs methods to prevent damage from occurring and techniques to stop damage once it begins. All techniques used meet strict guidelines of safety, selectivity, and effectiveness. Changing management practices, modifying habitat, dispersing animals, or removing specific individuals may be involved in addressing damage problems. A combination of these approaches is generally employed.
Typically, information and control options are provided over the telephone and leaflets are mailed to the inquiring party. Any direct control assistance is normally paid for by the receiving party.
United States Department
of the Interior
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
718 N. Walnut
Bloomington, IN 47404
(812)334-4261
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service pays for 100% of the cost of restoring drained and degraded wetlands to their original condition. All equipment, manpower, and design work is provided and arranged for you. Landowners must agree to keep the wetland, as restored, for a period of 10 years.
Local Agencies and
Organizations
Soil and Water Conservation
Districts (SWCD's)
See your local telephone
directory under U.S. Government,
Soil Conservation Service
for address and phone number of
local SWCD.
Each of the 92 counties in the state have a Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors composed of three elected and two or more appointed county residents. They assist county residents in developing resource plans and applying conservation practices. Soil and Water Conservation Districts make up the membership of the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Inc. (IASWCD). The IASWCD works in conjunction with groups, agencies , and associations by serving as a link between the general public and government agencies at the state level. SWCD's are assisted by SCS in carrying out local soil and water conservation programs.
The Indiana League of Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Councils, Inc. is the state organization representing the six RC&D areas in Indiana, covering about half of the counties in the state. Local people initiate and direct RC&D areas through a council. Residents join together and work with available resources to benefit their community and improve the quality of life. RC&D areas sponsor all types of local forestry and wildlife educational programs and workshops for the general public and for teachers, and they are involved in forestry promotion and related economic development projects. RC&D areas can also receive and administer grants and other financial support for qualified economic development projects. Councils serving the six RC&D areas in Indiana are as follows:
Arrow Head Country RC&D
633 East 13th Street,
Winamac, IN 46996
(219) 946-3022
Hoosier Heartland RC&D
5995 Lakeside Blvd.(B),
Indianapolis, IN 46278
(317) 290-3250
Sycamore Trails RC&D
Route 3, Box 50,
Greencastle, IN 46135
(317) 653-9785
Four Rivers RC&D
715 South 9th Street,
Petersburg, IN 47567
(812) 354-6808
Lincoln Hills RC&D
Courthouse Annex, Rm. 10C and 10D,
Cannelton, IN 47520
(812) 547-7028
Historic Hoosier Hills RC&D
P.O. Box 407, Highway U.S. 41 South
Versailles, IN 47042
(812) 689-6456
Consulting Foresters
See your local telephone directory's
yellow pages
Consulting foresters are private business persons who provide a wide range of forestry services on a fee basis. The consulting forester provides management plans, timber marking and marketing services, reforestation, timber stand improvement, timber evaluation, and other services. Individuals with woodlands or individuals desiring to intensively manage their woodland may find the service of a consulting forester useful. The consulting forester can provide services on demand and is able to spend whatever time needed in providing the necessary professional services required by the client.
A list of consulting foresters is available from the IDNR Division of Forestry, your District Forester, or from The Cooperative Extension Service, either from the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University or your local county Extension office.
Indiana Tree Farm Committee
Tree Farm Program:
Manager, American Tree Farm System
American Forest Institute
1619 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 797-4500
The Tree Farm Program is a national, industrially sponsored program coordinated by the American Forest Institute in Washington, D.C. The program encourages sound forest management and the orderly flow of timber products into commercial market channels. To qualify as a Tree Farm, a woodland must be:
The woodland will be inspected by a professional forester to determine if the woodland meets the Tree Farm Program's criteria for acceptance into the system. Interested woodland owners should contact the program through the above address. The owners of approved woodlands receive the familiar, green and white Tree Farm sign, woodland management information, and publications of interest pertaining to woodland management.
Indiana Christmas Tree Growers
Association (ICTGA)
P.O. Box 155
Butlerville, IN 47223
(812) 458-6978
The ICTGA is an organization of Christmas tree growers and technical people dedicated to the interests of the Christmas tree growing industry in Indiana. The objectives of ICTGA are to promote the production of high-quality Christmas trees, engage in publicity and educational activities for the membership, encourage and finance research relating to production and marketing of Christmas trees, and keep its membership enlightened on new production techniques through meetings, tours, and research reports. Membership includes a subscription to the quarterly ICTGA Newsletter and Christmas Tree Magazine.
Indiana Forestry and Woodland
Owners Association
P.0. Box 2102
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206
The Indiana Forestry and Woodland Owners Association (IFWOA) is a nonprofit organization of forest landowners, forestry professionals, forest industries and others interested in proper and efficient management of their woodlands. IFWOA brings together people having a common interest in such subjects as forest conservation, forest management, forest land investment, forest wildlife, and tree planting. IFWOA provides training to members on forest land subjects, including timber tax management, timber stand improvement, walnut plantation establishment and care, maximizing income from timber sales, hunter management, and crop tree management. This association also provides seminars and discussions on trespass and right-of-way concerns, as well as current issues in forest legislation. The organization has a companion nonprofit Indiana Forestry Education Foundation (IFEF), which owns and manages forested tracts, using the proceeds for educational efforts with youth.
The Walnut Council
5603 West Raymond Street, Suite 0
Indianapolis, IN 46241
(317) 244-3311
The Walnut Council is a not-for-profit association of landowners, foresters, academic, and industry people interested in the growing and utilization of the species black walnut (Juglans nigra). The organization sponsors quarterly bulletins to provide a transfer of technical information from researchers to property owners and managers. The annual meeting, usually held the first weekend in August, is the most comprehensive collection of walnut experience and knowledge to be found. The field trips and technical services are well organized and highly prized for their "hands-on" approach.
Quail Unlimited
Rural Route 1
Stendal, IN 47585
(812) 536-2272
Quail Unlimited is a national, nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to the preservation and reestablishment of crucial upland game bird habitat vitally needed to sustain healthy populations of quail and other upland game bird species. These goals are achieved through habitat management and public education programs conducted by its nationwide network of local chapters. Quail Unlimited chapters across the Hoosier State are providing free seed, loaning specialized equipment to landowners (such as warm season grass drills and root plows) and sponsoring educational workshops related to wildlife management. Landowners interested in learning more about Quail Unlimited habitat and conservation projects can contact the above address.
Pheasants Forever
P.0. Box 75473
St. Paul, Minnesota 55175
(612) 481-7142
Pheasants Forever is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant and other upland wildlife populations through habitat improvement, public awareness and education, and land management that benefits farmers and wildlife alike. Pheasants Forever is fortified by a unique system of county chapters that provide incentive for sportsmen and women to raise money: 100% of the funds raised by the chapters, exclusive of membership fees, remain at the chapter level for local habitat projects on private and public lands. Habitat projects could include food plot establishment, winter cover plantings of windbreaks and hedgerows, grass/legume plantings for nesting cover, wetland restorations, and land acquisitions. Chapter leaders, with help from resource professionals establish these programs, customized to meet the needs of upland wildlife in their area. Landowners interested in cooperating with Pheasants Forever on habitat improvement projects should contact the address above for the local chapter nearest you.
If you're actively farming your land, the first step is to take care of your agricultural business. If you intend to participate in any federal government programs, ASCS will be your first contact. They can provide you with detailed information on their programs, will initiate the paperwork (Form 1026) and will advise you of other agencies which need to be contacted. Contact the appropriate state agency to enroll in state programs. One thing to consider is that many state and federal programs can be linked together. The following examples may give you ideas for a conservation plan on your property, as well as an economic incentive to do them.
Consider your long-range resource conservation plan. Do you have acres that are highly erodible, subject to scour erosion, or hard to farm? If so, consider if this acreage would serve you better in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) or in another erosion control measure (no-till, pasture, woodland, etc.). In many cases, CRP is the most cost effective. To determine if your land qualifies for the CRP program, meet with your SCS District Conservationist (DC). Your DC can also help you decide which of the 19 cover practices best suits your needs. Then proceed to the ASCS office to sign up. You must sign up your land for the CRP program during designated periods. You may be referred to an IDNR District Forester or District Wildlife Biologist to receive more detailed information on the design and establishment of your selected practice (tree planting, wildlife habitat, etc.).
Do you have wet areas in your fields that periodically don't dry out in time to plant or frequently produce poor crops? If this land is currently drained by tile or a ditch, this area could be restored to a natural wetland by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at no cost to you. Furthermore, if this wet area is in a highly erodible field, this wetland could be entered into the CRP program, earning annual payments which would be guaranteed for 10 years (generally, payments may be similar to cash rent rates). Wetlands not eligible for CRP might be eligible for the Wetland Reserve Program, which essentially pays an easement on the acreage. In addition, your tax assessment could be reduced to $ 1 per acre by enrolling the wetland and surrounding acreage in the Classified Wildlife Habitat Program. Contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concerning the wetland restoration program and your SCS district conservationists to consider any wetland/CRP options, and your District Wildlife Biologist to enroll in the Classified Wildlife Habitat program.
Certain previously cropped wetlands or marginal croplands enrolled in CRP can be reforested. This is a very attractive option for the farmer as well as for wildlife. You can plant it into trees which could be marketed as timber in 60 or more years. You could get up to 50% cost share from your ASCS office to establish and maintain the planting, and be eligible for 65% cost share to maintain and improve the planting after the CRP expires. You can purchase low cost seedlings from the state nursery, and could also enter the area into the Classified Forest Program, which would reduce your tax assessment to about $ 1 per acre. To explore these options, contact your SCS District Conservationist, your IDNR District Forester, and your ASCS office (in that order).
Do you have any ditches or streams on your property? Consider establishing a vegetative filterstrip along this area. Filterstrips can be planted to trees or grasses and cost share money may be available through ASCS for establishment. You can receive CRP payments for this practice (if the filterstrip is 66- 99 feet wide) and create wildlife habitat at the same time while developing your conservation plan. In addition, you can enter areas up to 100 feet wide into the Classified Filterstrip Program (contact your county surveyor) to reduce your tax assessment to $ 1 per acre. This practice has the added benefit of improving water quality by reducing soil erosion, pesticide runoff, and maintenance to adjacent streams. Trees and shrubs are more efficient at removing nitrates and phosphates from subsurface water than the same width of grass, and therefore are attractive options for this application. In addition, careful selection of woody plant materials might also provide a crop (for example, timber, nuts, berries, or cut branches for Horticulture trade). Contact your IDNR District Forester for advice on plant material most suited for your soil conditions. These filterstrips may also serve as travel corridors for wildlife to move from one patch of habitat to another, and can connect isolated habitats to make enrollment in the Classified Wildlife Habitat Program possible (15 acre minimum of connected acreage; adjacent riparian areas can be a part of the classified habitat). Contact your IDNR District Wildlife Biologists and SCS District Conservationist for enrollment in these programs, and for advice on the best types of vegetation to plant.
Do you have large fields needing a windbreak? Consider the Classified Windbreak Act. This program reduces your tax assessment on this acreage to about $1 per acre. This creates great wildlife habitat, reduces wind and soil erosion, increases crop yields due to reduced transpirational loss, and increases snow retention. In addition, you receive free technical assistance and free seedlings for any field windbreak plantings approved by a District Forester. These areas may also be entered into CRP for 15 years, and may be eligible for cost share money to establish plantings. Contact your IDNR District Forester for details.
If this still seems confusing, just remember to take it one step at a time. The main thing is to first consider your farm operation, then determine your long range plan for your property. With this accomplished, the rest will fall into place. Your basic course of action is already decided; you only need to determine which governmental programs best fit your agenda. The competent professionals at each agency listed in the attached tables can assist you in cutting through the nitty gritty details and red tape of each program. If you are not acquainted with these individuals, get to know them today! Soon you will see how together you can enhance the many benefits your land has to offer.
RR 10/94
Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, State of Indiana, Purdue University and U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating. H.A. Wadsworth, Director, West Lafayette, IN. Issued in furtherance of the Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914. It is the policy of the Cooperative Extension Service of Purdue University that all persons shall have equal opportunity and access to our programs and facilities.