Timber Harvests in Indiana State Forests

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry has managed state forest lands for more than 100 years, during which time once abused and abandoned land has been restored to nearly 160,000 acres of lush and healthy forests seen in Indiana today.

Indiana law dictates that DNR Forestry “protect and conserve timber, water resources, wildlife and topsoil in forests owned and operated by the division of forestry” and use “good husbandry” to remove timber that has substantial commercial value “in a manner that benefits the growth of saplings.”

DNR Forestry – staffed by professional foresters and other scientists with a combined 500-plus years of field experience – is evaluated annually by the Forest Stewardship Council® and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® program. For 10 consecutive years, these two independent audits have certified DNR Forestry meets nationally and internationally recognized standards for sustainable forestry management.

Learn more about our management activities at Yellowwood & Morgan-Monroe state forests.