A century ago, Indiana’s once-lush forests were reduced to a few trees as land was cleared for crops and timber was harvested to build a growing nation. Fortunately, recovery efforts were initiated and Indiana’s State Forest system grew from humble beginnings to 156,000 acres today. Professional foresters from the DNR Division of Forestry have employed scientific practices to transform the formerly abused lands into healthy forests that strike a sustainable balance between timber management, recreation and wildlife habitat.
