The legislature has decided (again) to attack the Division of Forestry with the introduction of SB548. This bill designates over 33,000 acres of state forest as "wild areas" and dictates that little if any management take place on those acres. This is 1/5 of the acreage of the state forests. Might as well make them state parks.

http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2015/bills/senate/548#document-a1e497ae

Getting tired of fighting these idiots. Why do we hire professional foresters to manage our state forests and then turn around and tell them not to do their jobs?

Jack

Same for the DNR, then some dam politician comes around wanting to change the regs/rules/bag limits......

As you know Jack, there seems to be some crazy transformation that happens when people get elected. Literally overnight they become all knowing. You name it. Economy, environment, education, social behavior, wildlife management and on and on. The arrogance becomes somewhat impossible to imagine. I remember the day that Server told his committee that "he" apologized for my comments and I told him there was no apology and he threatened to have me removed from the Statehouse. That was the day that Nugent woke up and started talking about turkeys when the whole discussion was on deer and called him on it. Most politicians live in their own little perceived world where they seem to want to treat all citizens and state workers like we are subjects in their kingdom.

And yet we continue to re-elect these people on a local, state and federal level.......

Yes, and it matters not whether they are liberal or conservative.

It doesn't matter, but again...we continue to complain about these people yet send them back over and over and over again......

So in the end...whose fault is it?

When you look at the voting participation rate you quickly realize that most of the American public has lost faith in the process and obviously feel as though voting will do nothing to solve the situation.

A good example.

Whether a person agrees or not with the education direction, the majority who voted elected a lady (democrat) to lead the states education department. Well, the conservatives didn't like it and have continued to try to eliminated her impact and now will introduce legislation to change the board structure process to diminish her. This, even though the majority of indiana citizens who voted, voted her in iver the conservative candidate. It's pathetic neither party wants to serve at the will of the voters, they want to serve, and dictate, at the intent of their own personal will, be damned the voting majority.

Agree Dave. I voted for her and am disappointed with what is going on. Sad.

Majority of Americans have the attention span of a gnat when it comes to elections... They love their local politicians and don't see them as the problem but see that government is a problem as a whole... It makes no sense to me...

I hope anyone who opposes SB548 will write to Sen. Susan Glick and request that the bill NOT be heard before the Senate Natural Resources Committee. Leave managing the state forests to the people paid to manage them not legislators.

Contact Information

200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: 800-382-9467 or 317-232-9400
Email: Senator.Glick@iga.in.gov

Thanks Jack.

Jack, my comments to Susan Glick:

First, thank you for serving the citizens of Indiana, not just those in your district. I would like to as that the professionals in the DNR be allowed to direct the management of state forests without unnecessary interference by the legislature. The bills now being introduced for hearing and consideration suggest that those professionals not be allowed to manage an increasing amount of land within our forests for issues such as for the benefit of wildlife, environment and financial resources for those counties and the state of Indiana. There already exists a great amount of land that has been set aside for old growth. Management is critical for the enjoyment of all Hoosiers, for the health of the forest itself and for the health and diversity of vast numbers of wildlife that rely on diversity of the forest instead of large areas that are not allowed to be managed effectively.

I was told today that the bill likely will be heard but has little chance of going anywhere. Keep those comment coming and stop this malarkey.