Indiana's Cooperative Forest Health Protection Program is responsible for providing leadership, knowledge and service to the citizens of Indiana for the management and protection of the health of the state's forest resources, both rural and urban. The program is administered through the Division's Forest Health Program (FHP) in cooperation with the Division of Entomology and Plant Pathology and the U.S. Forest Service, Northeast Area, State and Private Forestry, Forest Health Protection (U.S.F.S.).
The term "forest health" describes forest conditions relative to human values, needs, expectations and functions. The purpose of the Forest Health Program is to protect and report on the health of Indiana's forest resource and to assist the U.S.F.S. achieve this on a regional basis. The work of FHP also helps the Division of Forestry achieve its mission. We do this by surveying forest and natural resource personnel for forest health problems, evaluating forest health problems, recommending management methods to protect forests, reporting on forest health, and informing and educating various publics on forest health issues.
The areas of concern and trends facing Indiana's forest resources were identified by the Woodland Steward Institute's Forest Health Initiative and personal comments of the Forest Health Specialist. They are:
- Introduction and spread of Emerald Ash Borer throughout Indiana
- Introduction of Spongy Moth into Indiana's forest resource
- Maintaining Indiana's forest base (the forested land area)
- Reporting of forest health, the coordination of forestry efforts aimed at forest health and the education of Indiana's citizens about forest health issues
- Management of and education on insect & disease problems
- Urbanization of forest resources and the needed management of urban forests related to forest health.
The FHP has the ability to provide assistance on all of these areas of concern. The FHP will also provide assistance to the USFS to address their concerns and help them achieve their strategic plan - "A Strategic Plan for the Nineties". The Cooperative Forest Health Program (CFHP) was authorized by the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (PL 95-313) and amended by the 1990 Farm Bill (PL 101-624). Through these laws, assistance is given to the states in conducting forest health management activities on non-federal forest lands and in conducting forest health monitoring to achieve healthy sustainable forests. The forest health monitoring (FHM) off-plot program supplements information obtained from fixed plot surveys by providing landscape level data on forest stressors. FHM promotes survey standardization among states, enhanced surveys of specific forest health problems and regional forest health reports and maps.
For additional information, the mailing address is Vallonia Tree Nursery, 2782 West County Road 540 South, Vallonia, IN 47281. Phone: 812-358-9034 FAX: 812-358-9033 E-mail: ValloniaNursery@dnr.IN.gov
Forest Health Mission
The Forest Health Protection Program promotes the health of Indiana's forest resources by providing leadership, knowledge and service to the owners, managers and users of those resources.
Forest Health Goals
- Develop and implement a management program for Spongy moth in Indiana.
- Monitor the health of Indiana's forest resources and communicate this to forest landowners and other publics.
- Develop and transfer knowledge on forest insect and disease management to foresters and landowners.
- Provide leadership and knowledge on forest health and insect and disease management in the urban forest.
