Indiana Forests

Many people that drive through or visit indiana think that it's mostly corn fields and well, a lot of it is. However before western civilization Indiana was almost entirely forested. This is a s ide of indana that many don't bother to see. Here's why I like it here.
I wouldn't live anywhere where there aren't beautiful wild places like this close by.

Yes there are waterfalls in Indiana click here to see oneOne of the waterfalls in Clifty Falls state park.

Check out this weirdbug I came across in one of the indiana parks. I used to be a believer in "letting nature take it' s course" in response to forest management. However I have disovered that man's presence alone prevents nature from taking it's course. Fire suppression and removal of natural predators are just some of the things that alter the enivronment from natu re. Disturbance is an integral part of many forest ecosystems. In protected areas man often prevents natural disturbances like fire from maintaining the ancient balances. On private lands we cut the most valuable trees- the strainghtest and largest. When we do this and leave the less desirable trees behind to seed you've just decreased the future economic and often ecological value. I think that it might be a better idea to remove the surrounding vegetation around the chosen trees to allow the tree of v alue to pass on its superior characteristics and seed into the surrounding area. This practice would increase the future value of the land by increasing the number of valuable individuals. The kind of cutting that is being practiced in the US was practiced in europe for centuries and they have been left with trees of very poor timber quality. We don't want that to happen to us so we need to be careful how we manage public and private lands.

Return HomeComments or questions click hereLast modified January 12, 1998