The Outdoor Wire

Forestry

Emily Roberts, Statewide Fire Program coordinator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, explains how prescribed fire benefits wildlife habitat and plant communities. The AGFC conducts 18,000 to 30,000 acres of prescribed burns annually on its 380,000-plus acres, partnering with the U.S. Forest Service and The Nature Conservancy to restore habitats like prairies and glades across Arkansas.

Read Full Release →

Indiana educators can apply for the 2026 Natural Resources Teacher Institute hosted by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Purdue University Forestry and Natural Resources Extension. The week-long program at Morgan-Monroe State Forest offers 18 teachers free professional development in forest ecology, research, and management, including 30+ Professional Growth Points and curriculum materials.

Read Full Release →

The USDA Forest Service finalized revisions to its oil and gas leasing regulation on National Forest System lands. Secretary Brooke L. Rollins and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced the updated rule, which streamlines permitting processes and coordinates between the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to accelerate lease issuance and reduce processing backlogs.

Read Full Release →

Governor Tate Reeves signed a proclamation honoring the Mississippi Forestry Commission's 100th anniversary, recognizing a century of service protecting Mississippi's 19 million acres of forestland. State Forester Russell Bozeman praised the agency's dedication to wildfire suppression, forest management, and community protection since its founding in 1926.

Read Full Release →

Thinking of planting a new tree in your yard? Put down that shovel for a minute and check out the new Michigan Communities Tree Species Selection Guide. Law and various DNR collaborators coordinated the guide to help Michigan communities make decisions about planting public trees and to give homeowners info they can use to choose trees that are both right for their space and safe for the landscape.

Read Full Release →

Registration is open for the Happy Little (Virtual) 5K, which the Indiana DNR and the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation (INRF) will welcome back for the fourth year in 2026. In 2025, the virtual run raised more than $41,000 for tree plantings and healthy forest initiatives in Indiana State Parks, with more than 2,300 participants.

Read Full Release →