Hoosier National Forest gains new keeper

The managerial position for the Hoosier National Forest was not empty for long.

Ron Scott accepted the job Sept. 10 as the lands and minerals program manager for the Hoosier National Forest.

“This job was definitely what I was looking for,” Scott said. “We have inherited these forests from folks before us, and they are as important as before, providing many commodities and recreational uses.”

Scott has worked in a similar position at Shawnee National Forest in Illinois for the last four years.

The Hoosier National Forest includes about 202,000 acres.

It is located in the hills of south central Indiana.

Providing recreational opportunities, such as hiking, camping and horseback riding, the forest serves many uses for its inhabitants.

The forest provides ecological resources to preserve the natural and rare ecosystems of the area.

According to a press release, the lands and minerals program manager oversees programs such as boundary lines establishments, land acquisitions and any special cases that occur in the forest.

Teena Ligman, director of Wayne and Hoosier National Forests, said the upkeep of the forests is always in progress.

“One main thing Scott is working on is managing the boundary lines,” she said. “Trespassing does occur, so creating surveys and updating those boundary lines are important.”

The Hoosier National Forest is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.

According to the USDA Forest Service website, the department maintains the health and productivity of national forests and grasslands.

The USDA Forest Service oversees the leading forestry research facility in the world in addition to managing more than 190 million acres of land.

Since beginning the management, Scott, with the help of the Nature Conservancy Organization, has both short and long term plans for the national forest.

One goal is to fill in gaps and condense the lands of the forest.

“The forest is fragmented and has some pieces of land that do not have any specific, unique resources,” Scott said. “We are creating more public land base that more companies and people can use.”

Scott works with private landowners who need to work in the Hoosier National Forest, such as utility companies that need to go travel through the forest.

“There is a lot of reward in giving back to the national forests in the country,” Scott said. “I enjoy working here very much. It is my dream job.”