FNR Field Report - Isaac Johnson
Senior Isaac Johnson, a forestry major with a concentration in forest management, worked as an intern on
the Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources properties across the state this summer after learning about the opportunity through two former interns, Zane Smoldt and Ben McCallister.
As an FNR intern, Isaac gained experience with a wide variety of forest management and silvicultural practices. He learned how to plant trees, both by hand and with a machine; improved his tree species identification skills; learned how to spray invasive species and conduct midstory control. He also learned how to manage a plantation, complete forest inventories, safely operate a chainsaw and fell trees, conduct a thinning, mark trees for a timber harvest and take part in a logging operation.
“My favorite part of the job was the logging operation at Southern Indiana Purdue Agricultural Center (SIPAC),” Isaac noted. “It gave me the opportunity to see how a logging operation works firsthand. It was different from a lot of the other work that we did during the summer and gave me a chance to see more of the timber harvesting side of forestry. I also enjoyed travelling to different Purdue properties through the summer. Each property was different, so we were constantly seeing new forest conditions and doing different types of management.”
Isaac said the most challenging part of the job was travelling to the various work locations and being in a different location each week. Working longer days, especially while doing physically demanding work outside all day, also required an adjustment period.
The internship, however, allowed the Society of American Foresters (SAF) club member to put his classwork into practice.
“I was able to apply a lot of what I had learned in my FNR classes,” the West Lafayette, Indiana, native said. “Tree identification, forest inventory, basal area, some silviculture and tree marking were all things I had learned about before the internship. Being able to actually use those skills in the field helped me better understand how they are used in forest management.”
The Purdue forestry internship was not Isaac’s first foray into the career world. Previously he had an urban forestry internship with the City of West Lafayette. He also has experience performing invasive species treatments for a local landowner.
“The internship did change some of my career plans,” Isaac shared. “Before the summer, I was considering joining a consulting forestry company straight out of college. After seeing how much invasive species spraying can be involved with consulting forestry, I realized that may not be what I want to do right away. The internship also showed me how many other opportunities there are in forestry and helped me figure out which types of work I enjoy the most, which were when we conducted an inventory and marked trees for a
harvest. I found it very interesting to look at large trees and discuss the value of them. This has led me to look into procurement forestry positions for after graduation.”
His senior year, Isaac plans to continue working and be actively involved with the SAF club.
Currently, he is working part time for FNR farm manager Brian Beheler and at the West Lafayette Municipal Tree Nursery. Starting in November, he plans to begin his second year working at Cassens Christmas Tree Farm.
Within SAF, Isaac serves as the firewood chair and is in charge of organizing splitting firewood, selling firewood and collecting maple sap to make maple syrup during the spring semester. He attended the SAF state chapter meeting in early October.
A collage of images of forestry intern Isaac Johnson. Top row (Left to Right): Johnson and his fellow interns look out on the Milnes property in Brown County; Johnson and his fellow interns Liam Phillips and Collin Morris; Phillips, Morris and Johnson sit on a log with FNR forester Don Carlson; Phillips and Johnson stand next to a stump with Carlson. Row 2: Johnson sprays for invasives while Phillips uses a brush cutter at the Southern Indiana Purdue Ag Center; Johnson stands next to a tree he felled; the forestry interns and staff walk a property in Brown County. Row 3: The forestry interns talk to a professional at Vallonia State Nursery; Johnson sprays herbicide at SIPAC; the forestry interns stop for a group photo. Row 4: The forestry interns alongside Mikaela Scherzinger, Ron Rathfon and Dr. Mike Saunders at the Werner Sawmill; the forestry interns at Vallonia State Nursery; the interns pose with Ron Rathfon and a skidsteer. Featured Stories
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