Spaulding Outdoors by Jack Spaulding 

 

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently announced the addition of more than 650 acres in two project areas of the Healthy Rivers INitiative (HRI).

HRI completed the purchase of approximately 380 acres in Vigo County in the Wabash River Conservation Area. The land consisted of three parcels under separate ownership. Another 287 acres were purchased along the Muscatatuck River in the Austin Bottoms Conservation Area – a total of 170 acres from three landowners in Scott County and 117 from one landowner in Jackson County.

“These newest additions build on HRI’s steady progress toward protecting 70,000 acres of riverside corridors in these two areas,” said Mark Reiter, director of the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife. “We are grateful to the conservation-minded landowners who share in our goal to balance forests, farmed lands and natural resources in ways that benefit wildlife, improve water quality and flood protection and provide open land for public recreational activities.”

HRI is a partnership of resource agencies and organizations working to secure permanent protection for 70,000 acres along Sugar Creek, the Wabash River and the Muscatatuck River.

The DNR, Indiana State Department of Agriculture, The Nature Conservancy of Indiana, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service are HRI project partners. Since its launch in 2010, HRI has purchased 12,454 acres and permanently protected almost 31,800 acres through newly acquired land, previous DNR ownership or federal Wetland Reserve conservation programs.

Discarding the Christmas tree

When it comes to putting the old Christmas tree to better use, the first thing I think of is using it as fish holding habitat in my pond. With some suitable ice, I can walk out on the pond, weight the tree and let Mother Nature take her course.

When the ice melts it will drop the tree right where I want it. Attaching the weight to the top of the tree and wiring on a couple of empty plastic milk jugs to the butt end will position the tree vertically, somewhat like an upside-down ice cream cone. Once the greenery fades away, the tree will become a real crappie and panfish magnet.

Before you make big plans for your local lake, you better check. It may require a permit from the DNR, and they get rather fussy about slovenly fish habitat on public waters.

“Fish attractors tend to bring fish and fishermen together,” said Brian Schoenung, chief fisheries biologist for the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife. “They provide cover but don’t necessarily grow more fish.”

Better options suggested by the DNR include taking the tree to a designated Christmas tree recycling site in your community; tossing it in the backyard to provide shelter for wintering birds or other wildlife; running it through a wood chipper to create your own mulch; or chopping it up for firewood.

Discarding a Christmas tree on a private pond is at the owner’s discretion, but doing so on public freshwater lakes is governed by the Lake Preservation Act (Indiana Code 14-26-2) and Indiana Administrative Code (312 IAC 11-4-7).

The two laws require a license from the DNR to construct or place a fish attractor in a public freshwater lake.

To qualify, the fish attractor must be anchored to ensure proper setting and must not be placed in a channel, a beach area, near the lake surface or in an area adversely affecting public safety and navigation, or adversely affecting the natural resources or natural scenic beauty.

Oh, did I mention the permit is pricey? If approved, it carries a $100 fee and requires the permit holder to remove any portion or portions of the fish attractor becoming unattached.

Eagle weekend at Turkey Run

View eagles in the wild, see eagles and other raptors up close, watch bird banding demonstrations and more during Turkey Run State Park’s annual Eagles in Flight Weekend, Jan. 30-Feb. 1. The event starts that Friday evening and runs through Sunday afternoon.

The live raptor program will be at Turkey Run Inn. Other activities include bird feeding, identification programs and winter hikes. Birdwatchers will tour Parke County to see eagles in the wild. A brochure is available online at www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/2420.htm or call the nature center for details at 765-597-2654.

Visitors can come for a day or spend the weekend. To reserve a lodging and food package call 877-LODGES1 (563-4371) and ask for Turkey Run’s Eagle Weekend, Group Code 0130EW. Turkey Run State Park is located at 8121 East Park Road, Marshall, IN 47859.

EAB in six more counties

The emerald ash borer (EAB), an invasive insect killing ash trees, has been detected for the first time in Jennings, Pike, Scott, Spencer, Sullivan and Warrick counties. Purple panel traps used to detect the pest captured EAB adults in Pike, Spencer, Sullivan and Warrick counties.

A visual survey of woodpecker-attacked ash trees found EAB in Jennings and Scott counties. Both were already quarantined for EAB. Of Indiana’s 92 counties, 79 have now detected EAB.

Moving firewood spreads forest pests. The Indiana EAB quarantine regulates the movement of certain materials such as whole ash trees, ash limbs, untreated ash lumber with the bark attached and cut firewood of any hardwood species with the bark attached.

With EAB detections in the new counties, the effectiveness of the quarantine is being evaluated. A decision will be announced in the New Year as to whether the county-level quarantine will continue.

Visitors to DNR properties may only bring in firewood if it is certified by the USDA or DNR Division of Entomology & Plant Pathology, or is free of bark.

For more information on EAB, or to report an infestation, visit http:// extension.entm.purdue.edu/eab or call Indiana DNR’s toll-free hotline at 866-NO EXOTIC (663-9684).

To view the EAB Rule and EAB quarantine declaration visit www. in.gov/dnr/entomolo/3443.htm

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments may contact Jack Spaulding by email at jackspaulding@hughes.net or by writing to him in care of this publication.