On the road again
Our natural resources up close and personal
DNR Director Kyle Hupfer helps collect eggs from a
female walleye at the Brookville fishery
By the time this issue reaches your doorstep the grass should be green, baseball season should be in full swing, the bass should be biting and we should find Indiana in the middle of a record-setting turkey season. Spring is a time of transition.
And so it is with the new leadership team at DNR. We are busy making a transition to fulfill my promise of an improved and more efficient agency.
One of the things I pledged several weeks ago was that I would get out in the state and see the day-to-day DNR; the people and the places. Following the example set by Gov. Daniels, I intend to go anywhere and everywhere to better understand the needs of the citizens of our state.
Just six weeks in, I have already set aside time to visit Shakamak, Whitewater, Spring Mill and Fort Harrison state parks; Monroe and Brookville reservoirs; Glendale, Sugar Ridge and Minnehaha fish & wildlife areas; Morgan-Monroe and Pike state forests; our Jasonville office; and Goose Pond.
These field trips have given me an opportunity to talk to several biologists, conservation officers, foresters and engineers; a chance to experience our resources first hand, shake hands with my new teammates and hear from them directly about the significant issues and wonderful opportunities that the DNR has standing before it.
In the future I will, from time to time, use this space to share my thoughts about important issues facing the DNR. This time I want to tell you a little about some great, and free, opportunities to welcome this wonderful spring weather.
June 11-12 is our annual free fishing weekend. Hoosier adults do not need a fishing license on these days, and children under 17 never need a fishing license. What a wonderful way to acquaint your son or daughter, niece or nephew, or any friend to the sport of fishing.
Maybe hiking is more your style. Morgan-Monroe and Yellowwood state forests are home to the 41-mile Tecumseh Trail, another free excursion ready to be experienced.
Or maybe you prefer a quiet place where you can be alone and enjoy your surroundings. If so, visit one of Indiana’s remarkable nature preserves, like Spicer Lake Nature Preserve in St. Joseph County.
If there is one thing that I have learned already, it is that the number and variety of first-rate opportunities and experiences offered by the DNR are almost limitless. The best place to find all of them is at the DNR Web site, www.dnr.IN.gov.
Why not let this spring foster a change for you as well? Get out and take advantage of a new place or experience with the DNR. Maybe we will run into each other.
