County Pond and Habitat Management Contacts
Have questions about your pond or land? Want to learn more about improving your pond for fish or land for wildlife? Contact a professional biologist or conservationist in your county to learn more about programs and help available to you.
Find Your County Contacts
- Adams
- Allen
- Bartholomew
- Benton
- Blackford
- Boone
- Brown
- Carroll
- Cass
- Clark
- Clay
- Clinton
- Crawford
- Daviess
- Dearborn
- Decatur
- DeKalb
- Delaware
- Dubois
- Elkhart
- Fayette
- Floyd
- Fountain
- Franklin
- Fulton
- Gibson
- Grant
- Greene
- Hamilton
- Hancock
- Harrison
- Hendricks
- Henry
- Howard
- Huntington
- Jackson
- Jasper
- Jay
- Jefferson
- Jennings
- Johnson
- Knox
- Kosciusko
- LaPorte
- LaGrange
- Lake
- Lawrence
- Madison
- Marion
- Marshall
- Martin
- Miami
- Monroe
- Montgomery
- Morgan
- Newton
- Noble
- Ohio
- Orange
- Owen
- Parke
- Perry
- Pike
- Porter
- Posey
- Pulaski
- Putnam
- Randolph
- Ripley
- Rush
- St. Joseph
- Scott
- Shelby
- Spencer
- Starke
- Steuben
- Sullivan
- Switzerland
- Tippecanoe
- Tipton
- Union
- Vanderburgh
- Vermillion
- Vigo
- Wabash
- Warren
- Warrick
- Washington
- Wayne
- Wells
- White
- Whitley
Who can help?
Division of Fish and Wildlife, District Wildlife Biologists are professional wildlife biologists that help private landowners improve their properties for wildlife. District Biologists can help landowners create a wildlife management plan, plan wildlife habitat restoration projects, and find state and federal cost-share program fit landowners' needs. District biologists also administer several DNR cost-share programs like the Wildlife Habitat Cost-Share Program, Grasslands for Gamebirds & Songbirds, the Indiana Private Land Access Program (IPLA).
Division of Fish and Wildlife, District Fisheries Biologists are professional aquatic scientists that manage fish populations and fisheries in streams, rivers, reservoirs, and lakes across Indiana. They have a wealth of knowledge on topics such as assessing fish populations, fish stocking, adding fish habitat, managing aquatic vegetation and aquatic invasive species. The Indiana DNR has produced a number of publications on pond management and district fisheries biologists can help answer individual questions on pond management issues.
Division of Forestry, District Foresters are professional foresters that help private landowners manage their woodlands throughout Indiana. District foresters visit with landowners to help them determine the best management practices to meet their goals. They also administer the Classified Forest and Wildlands Program, which offers landowners a property tax reduction in exchange for following a written forest management plan.
NWTF Foresters assist private landowners in southern Indiana with forest and wildlife habitat planning and management. They also assist landowners navigate and implement Federal Farm Bill programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
Natural Resource Conservation Service, District Conservationists help private landowners improve soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat through federal Farm Bill programs like the Conservation Reserve Program, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and Wetland Reserve Program.
Purdue Extension, Ag. and Natural Resources County Educators work in all 92 counties of Indiana to bring expertise and knowledge to the public about important agriculture and natural resource topics. They are the link between the public and researchers at Land Grant Universities like Purdue.
Educators can answer questions related to a variety of pond and wildlife topics, provide additional resources, and assist landowners in contacting the appropriate professionals for their needs. Extension educators also provide hands-on learning opportunities like field days and workshops for landowners interested in pond and wildlife management.
USFWS, Private Lands Biologists implement the Partners for Fish and Wildlife (PFW) Program and work with private landowners on wildlife habitat projects on their land. They also provide technical and financial assistance for projects that benefit migratory birds, endangered species, pollinators and other species that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with partners to help conserve.
Any privately-owned land is potentially eligible, including working farms and recreational land. Although most participants are individual private landowners, the PFW program has worked with municipalities, counties, land trusts, and other organizations to restore and enhance habitat.
Soil and Water Conservation Districts help landowners conserve soil, water, forests, wildlife, and other natural resources throughout Indiana. Districts work closely with NRCS to help deliver federal conservation programs. Districts also provide help to landowners and the public by sponsoring field days, educational meetings, workshops, and presentations about conservation practices. Several districts across the state offer equipment for private landowners to rent including no-till seed drills used to plant native warm-season grasses and forbs for wildlife.
Private consultants can assist private landowners with pond and wildlife-related projects on their land. Consultants offer a range of fee-based services to landowners. A list of Forestry and Wildlife consultants can be found on the Find an Indiana Forester website. Several pond management companies can assist pond owners throughout Indiana.