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Indiana Department of Natural Resources 13 results
Research by Alex Jahn at Indiana University has focused on the rarely studied American robin. For Jahn, birds are sentinels because they can predict what is happening to our ecosystem. Jahn and other researchers around the world use technology such as satellite telemetry to understand how migration affects the lives of birds. With a reported 30 percent of bird species lost since the 1970s, writes Rebecca Hill, the information gathered is more important than ever. | Photo by Skyler Ewing

Keeping Track of Migrating Birds, the ‘Sentinels’ of Our Ecosystem
Rebecca Hill
In 1803, James Audubon tracked birds by tying thread around their legs. Researchers around the world now use technology such as satellite telemetry to understand how migration affects these “sentinels” of our ecosystem. With a reported 30 percent of bird species lost since the 1970s, writes Rebecca Hill, the information gathered is more important than ever. Click here to read the article.
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Late last year, a group called Women in Nature Gaining Skills (WINGS) was formed to encourage women to participate in outdoor activities such as archery, hiking, kayaking, fishing, and birdwatching. All openings were filled before the first event in January. A kayaking trip is schedule for July. This photo is from an event hosted by Monroe Lake. | Photo by Jill Vance

WINGS Offers Outdoor Adventures for Women by Women
Laurie D. Borman
Late last year, a group called Women in Nature Gaining Skills (WINGS) was formed to encourage women to participate in outdoor activities such as archery, hiking, kayaking, fishing, and birdwatching. All openings were filled before the first event in January. Writer Laurie D. Borman interviewed the organizers to find out why WINGS has exceeded expectations. Click below to read the article.
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A lone bike rider on the nearly empty streets of Bloomington, Indiana, March 25, 2020. Local officials, organizations, and individuals have developed programs and resources to help people trying to cope during the COVID-19 crisis. | Limestone Post

List of COVID-19 Resources for Bloomington and Monroe County
Limestone Post
Bloomington and Monroe County officials, organizations, and individuals have responded to the COVID-19 crisis by developing programs and resources to help people trying to cope in the pandemic. Limestone Post has compiled this list for people who need help, who want to help, or who just want more information. Click here for the list.
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Peregrine Falcons in America have soared back from the brink of extinction since the 1960s, even in Indiana. Just as humans caused their decline, “it was also dedicated humans who brought these birds back,” writes Jared Posey. This “standout conservation success story” is unusual because peregrines “may be benefiting from an increasingly urban landscape," such as Kinney, pictured here in Indianapolis. | Photo courtesy of Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Peregrine Falcons, a Conservation Success Story
Jared Posey
Peregrine falcons in America have soared back from the brink of extinction since the 1960s, even in Indiana. Just as humans caused their decline, “it was also dedicated humans who brought these birds back,” writes Jared Posey. This “standout conservation success story” is unusual because peregrines “may be benefiting from an increasingly urban landscape.” Click here to read the full story.
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They’re a centuries-old assault on our environment, but eradicating invasive plants, such as the Callery pear tree (pictured here along the streets of Columbus, Indiana) requires more than pulling them out by the roots — especially since big box stores still sell them and red tape in the governor’s office still allows those sales. | Photo by Larry Brackney

Invasive Plants Are Still For Sale in Indiana, How You Can Help
Susan M. Brackney
They’re a centuries-old assault on our environment, but eradicating invasive plants requires more than pulling them out by the roots — especially since big box stores still sell them and red tape in the governor’s office still allows those sales. Writer Susan M. Brackney explains this weedy predicament, and how people can help. Click here to read the full story.
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Where once there was a trailhead near Crooked Creek Road on the Tecumseh Trail, Matt Flaherty encountered logging equipment and a trail in ruin. | Courtesy photo

Resistance to the DNR’s Logging of Yellowwood
Limestone Post
Several diverse groups have mobilized in recent months to oppose logging in Yellowwood State Forest. The resistance comes to a head this week, as forest advocates, including hundreds of scientists, are asking Gov. Eric Holcomb to call off the plan to cut down trees in Yellowwood’s backcountry and old-growth forest areas. Click here for the full story and how to get involved.
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Where once there was a trailhead near Crooked Creek Road on the Tecumseh Trail, Matt Flaherty encountered logging equipment and a trail in ruin. | Courtesy photo

A Hike on the Tecumseh Trail Now Ends in Destruction
Matt Flaherty
Matt Flaherty has traveled the Tecumseh Trail by hiking and camping on it with friends in late summer, running the marathon course in October, and running all 42 miles on one winter’s day. The last trip, though, ended when they reached the southern trailhead and found it had been destroyed by logging trucks. Click here to read the full story.
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With the right equipment and preparation, winter camping can offer the best of the outdoors. | Photo courtesy of Pexels

For Some, Winter Means Outdoor Adventures
Jonah Chester
Wintertime gives outdoor enthusiasts an experience that fair-weather campers often only pretend to enjoy — seclusion in the great outdoors. In frigid and even subfreezing temperatures, when most people are staying warm inside, campers usually have the forests to themselves. And with the right equipment and preparation, winter camping can offer the best of the outdoors. Click here to read the full story.
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Michael Waterford says some of the best outdoor excursions can be had in southern Indiana. In this introduction to paddling, he offers suggestions on how to get on local lakes and rivers. It’s the first step, he says, to saving them. | Photo by Limestone Post

Outfitted: Paddling the Lakes and Rivers of Southern Indiana
Michael Waterford
Adventure-travel writer, outfitter, and explorer of the unknown, Michael Waterford says some of the best excursions can be had in southern Indiana. In this introduction to paddling, he offers suggestions on how to get on local lakes and rivers. It’s the first step, he says, to saving them. Click here to read the full story.
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The Eastern box turtle is one of many Indiana species on the state's "special concern" list. | Creative Commons, Branlon

150 Species in Indiana Now Listed As Endangered or ‘Special Concern’
Susan M. Brackney
What would happen if the hellbender goes? More than 150 mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and mollusks that call Indiana home are now listed as “endangered” or “special concern” in the state. Susan M. Brackney shows who decides which animals make the cut — and how. Click here to read the full story.
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The stars of the 7th Annual Marsh Madness Sandhill Crane Festival at Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area in Greene County. Tens of thousands have already been spotted in the area. | Photo by Thomas Marriage

Treasure Hunting at Goose Pond During Marsh Madness
Limestone Post
The spring migration of sandhill cranes and countless other birds will be celebrated on March 4-5 during the 7th Annual Marsh Madness Sandhill Crane Festival at Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area. David Rupp, owner of IndiGo Birding Nature Tours, gave Limestone Post a preview on a recent trip to the pond. Click here to read the full story.
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The American Discovery Trail is a 6,800-mile, coast-to-coast phenomenon that is the first of its kind in the country. Much of it travels along existing trails, such as this one in the Harrison-Crawford State Forest in southern Indiana. | Photo by Ron Eid

From the B-Line Trail to the Pacific Ocean — Hiking the American Discovery Trail
Ron Eid
Imagine hiking from the B-Line Trail to the Pacific Ocean (or the Atlantic) without ever leaving an official hiking trail. For years, hiking enthusiasts have been working on the American Discovery Trail, a coast-to-coast trail that passes through southern Indiana. Connecting it to the B-Line, via the Knobstone Trail, isn’t far-fetched. Click here to read the full story.
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