If you own a woodlot, you may consider becoming a member of the Indiana Forestry and Woodland Owners Association—or IFWOA for short.
Don Fry is a board member of IFWOA. He and his wife are both retired and own a cabin and 97 acres of woods near Terre Haute.
“It’s a wonderland for not only my wife and I, but our family,” says Fry. “We have three kids and six grandsons—all of them are located in the Lafayette and West Lafayette area, so we make many trips to the cabin and woods near Terre Haute.”
Don says he initially joined IFWOA to learn more about maintaining his woods and getting the most of his property.
“My wife and I enjoy making plans with what we want to do with the property and seeing not only the timber increase, but also the wildlife habitats improve. We’re seeing more songbirds and turtles. We also have a stream that runs through our property, so we make sure that we have clean water that’s running into that stream that eventually goes into the Wabash River,” says Fry.
He adds that IFWOA not only provides outstanding resources for its members, but also a chance to connect and build friendships with other Indiana woodland owners.
“It’s the people that we meet—not only the members, but also people that come and speak about their specialties. Whether it’s prescribed burning, whether it’s about oak regeneration, whether it’s about taking care of invasive plant species—it’s a wealth of information,” he says.
“The membership entitles you to connect to these people how to get cost share opportunities through the USDA National Resources Conversation Service. Being a member of IFWOA is something that is really hands-on,” Fry says.
IFWOA membership is $50 a year or $135 for three years.
For more information about becoming a member of the Indiana Forestry and Woodland Owners Association, visit IFWOA.org.
