Control Techniques for Invasive Woody Plant Species

Hardwood forests are under significant threat from invasive woody plant species competing with native plants for resources and growing space. This presentation will provide basic control and management techniques and materials for landowners and managers to address invasive woody plants on their properties.

Lenny Farlee is an Extension forester with the Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center (HTIRC), Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources. Lenny graduated with a BS in forest and wildlife management and a MS in silviculture, both from Purdue. Lenny provides programs and publications in a variety of media directed toward improving the regeneration and sustainable management of hardwood trees and forests in the Central Hardwood Region.

Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Prevention and Management - IN DNR

The Indiana DNR and the aquatic invasive species program has committed significant time and resources in the fight to control, research and raise awareness of a variety of different taxa of aquatic invasive species, because once they become widely established in our waterways the chances of eradication decrease, and management costs increase. This presentation will touch on species ID, different management decisions and the successes versus challenges faced in managing these aquatic species.

Eric Fischer has been with the DNR for 26 years and has assisted in a wide range of wildlife and fisheries management, research and education programs. Aubree Szczepanski is the new statewide aquatic invasive species (AIS) coordinator as of August 2024. Their goal is the prevention, containment or control of species detrimental to the lakes, streams, ponds and wetlands of Indiana, while managing multiple federal grants to facilitate aquatic invasive species control and education efforts throughout the state.

Designing the Landscape with Native Plants

Replacing or enhancing conventional landscaping with native plants can transform the environment around your home. The benefits of native landscaping are many. They include stormwater control, habitat for beneficial insects, healthier plants and songbird nesting. Natural landscaping can be beautiful and easy to care for. This program covers the guidelines for natural and sustainable landscaping and plant suggestions.

Dolly Foster has been a horticulturist for 25 years and a certified arborist since 2008. She holds a master’s in agriculture from the University of Illinois. She spent two years as adjunct faculty in Joliet Junior College’s agriculture/horticulture department and 18 years in the parks and recreation industry as staff horticulturist for two park districts. She has been butterfly gardening from the beginning of her gardening career and has raised monarch and swallowtail butterflies for 17 years. Her garden at home has been a Monarch Waystation since 2011.

Developing Pollinator Habitats: Implementation and Maintenance

From design to implementation to establishment maintenance, numerous factors affect the success of grasslands and pollinator habitats. This talk will go through the planning process, key steps of installation and maintenance of newly seeded habitats. Seed mixes will be discussed, along with specific weeds to watch for and specifics on management.

Natalie Marinova has a BS in agriculture from Berea College. She joined Eco Logic in 2010 and recently was named executive director. By working with native plants in a variety of settings in Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina and Indiana, she has developed a keen sense of native plant establishment and management.

Be a Hero: Preventing Aquatic Invasive Species in the Great Lakes

As the world's largest freshwater system, the Great Lakes shape our region, and protecting the health of the lakes is critical for healthy communities. However, aquatic invasive species have dramatically impacted both the ecology of the lakes and the benefits humans derive from them. I'll discuss how Sea Grant works to provide people with the tools and knowledge needed to prevent the spread of invasive species and how you can get involved in efforts.

Thirty Years of Zebra Mussels in the Great Lakes: What Have We Learned?

Since their introduction more than 30 years ago, zebra mussels have dramatically reshaped the Great Lakes through major impacts to ecosystems, infrastructure and recreation. While the abundance of zebra mussels has declined since a peak in the early 2000s, they have been replaced by the closely related quagga mussel. I’ll highlight the lessons that natural resources managers have learned from the introduction and spread of zebra and quagga mussels in the Great Lakes, and I will discuss their current status, what is being done to prevent and control their establishment in new waterbodies, and the importance of continued research and policy.

Katie O'Reilly is an aquatic invasive species specialist for Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and the Illinois Natural History Survey. She completed her PhD in aquatic ecology at the University of Notre Dame, where she studied the food webs of coastal wetlands in Lake Michigan. Her current work focuses on understanding and communicating how aquatic invasive species are introduced and spread through the Great Lakes.

Emerging Technology and Methods for Invasive Tree/Shrub Mapping

Forests of the Central Hardwood Region are under threat from a variety of invasive tree and herbaceous shrubs species that outcompete native tree species. This presentation will provide an overview and discussion of emerging digital technologies and methods, including high-resolution drone data and deep-learning algorithms, for the precise identification and quantification of invasive plant species.

Cameron Wingren is a data analyst and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) data collection specialist for the Institute for Digital Forestry, Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources. Cameron oversees primary drone data collection activities as well as fieldwork for the institute’s various research projects and works with a wide range of researchers, stakeholders and forest land managers to establish best practices and protocols for acquisition of precise digital forestry data.

Management of Invasive Forest Pests – Emerald Ash Borer, Spongy Moth, Beech Leaf Disease, and More?

There is a long history of pest and disease management in Indiana forests. Emerald ash borer has a 20- to 25-year history. Spongy moth has a 40-plus-year and continuing history. Beech leaf disease’s history is starting. The management of these pests, and others that affect Indiana forests, will be compared and reviewed. What else could be on the horizon for Indiana forests?

Phil Marshall is the forest health specialist for the Division of Forestry since 1974 and administers the U.S. Forest Service Forest Health Program. He jointly served as state entomologist from 2006 to 2016. He holds a master’s degree in forest pathology and entomology from Duke University (1973) and a BA in pre-forestry from Catawba College (1971)., He was born in Porter County, grew up in Cass County and lives in Washington County.