An Interview with a Forester – Dan Ernst
Why did you pursue a forestry career?
I was a young college kid and really had no idea where I would potentially spend the rest of my life. Sound familiar? I actually never thought of forestry until my sophomore year when life came home to roost, and I needed to find direction and make a commitment. Looking back years later I now realize my childhood meandering and exploring the woods behind our house with my two brothers, building forts, chasing squirrels, and gathering firewood made its’ mark. As did the family’s Up North woodlands in northern Michigan which we knew as ‘greenwoods’. It was greenwoods where my appreciation and awe of the outdoors eventually led me to forestry- and I am grateful.
Briefly describe your career path (this can be done by email if preferred; I just need readers to understand a bit about yourself – first job, years worked, etc.
I often tell the story that I grew up in Michigan and ended up in Indiana because of Missouri. After graduating from Michigan State University jobs were tough to find due to poor economic conditions in 1976-77. But was able to land a job interview with the Missouri Department of Conservation- I did not get that job. However, on the trip back to Michigan I stopped by the Indiana Division of Forestry main office in Indianapolis and introduced myself. Two weeks later they asked me back for an interview and two weeks later offered me a job. The rest is history as I spent the next 42 years with Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Forestry.
I began as Assistant District Forester in Bedford and later District Forester helping landowners one-on-one manage their woodlands and loved it. Over time I worked 18 counties seeing many woodlands and woodland owners. After 10 years I took a Regional Forester position covering half the State still in the private landowner assistance program. That lead me to the Assistant State Forester’s position overseeing the program statewide. And later moved over to manage the Indiana State Forest system, which in my opinion, like the Indiana’s private lands program is one of the best in the country.
I retired from the Indiana Division of Forestry in 2019 with my last day worked being on Arbor Day.
Do you have one or two accomplishments during your career that really stand out for you? Perhaps things that happened that were like a “wow” moment.
Thanks to the support of State Forester’s Burney Fischer and Jack Seifert I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to take on some special and impactful projects- all with the help of others. These helped me gain deeper insights and even greater appreciation of Indiana’s forests and their stewardship. Some memorable highlights include:
- · The Forest Legacy Program is a federally funded program to help conserve forests of high conservation value for continued traditional forest uses long term. Indiana joined this program in 1998 and part of my work was to get the program implemented. We had great success in these early years and helped landowners protect some of the largest privately owned woodland tracts in Indiana- most through conservation easements.
Some readers may recognize names of these conservation families: Meyer, Foley, Tieman, Danzer, Thurston, Dillon and Lorenz who each have protected 500-1,500-acre woodland ownerships which their families assembled and nurtured. It was my great pleasure to have been invited on these lands and work with these owners for long term conservation of their woodlands. They are among my greatest memories.
- · The Woodland Steward Institute, which produces this Woodland Steward newsletter had its’ beginnings back in 1991-92 as an effort to bring together several forestry conservation organizations to put out a statewide newsletter and leverage each other for the good of Indiana’s forests and woodlands. Jack Seifert was a key player in getting this going. It has been a real success and has stood the test of time. While I served on the inaugural board and the group’s first president, my real joy or accomplishment was being able to develop and write the ‘Ask the Steward’ column for the newsletter. I can hardly believe it’s’ been 30+ years. Where does the time go? Perhaps someday I’ll assemble the questions answered into book form.
- · Forestry BMPs: In the late 1990’s logging practices and water quality issues were getting increased attention and there was a need to take a close look at and do a better job with best management practices (BMPs). I was charged with the project and after securing clean water grant funds organized a team of dedicated individuals representing landowners, university, local government, environmental, loggers and forest industry interests to craft Indiana’s BMPs, and later the BMP monitoring program. Much of the work accomplished is still in use today and has significantly improved forestry practices across the state.
- · Purdue (Department of Forestry and Natural Resources) adjunct faculty: In 2017, as my career with the DNR Division of Forestry was beginning to wind down, I received a call from Purdue University. Due to recent retirements, they were looking for someone to teach the senior Forest Management course. I said yes and taught the capstone course for 2 years while also doing my other work. Believe me, I now have a deeper respect for all those who teach our children and adults. It was tough work. The students and Purdue staff were great and being able to draw on and share my forestry experiences with Purdue’s future foresters was quite rewarding. I get a real kick seeing some of my former students now working as foresters.
- · When forest certification was in its early years in the United States, I was invited to participate in a project to develop the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification standards for the Lake States and Central Hardwoods region of the United States. When we began it was clear the Central Hardwoods region, which included Indiana, was underrepresented and thankfully I was able to recruit long time Indiana woodland owner Warren Baird and Purdue forestry professor Dr. George Parker to join the project. That year long project served as a model for other areas of the country, and the resulting standards now, in part, guide resource management on Indiana’s State Forests and Classified Forests-most of which are ‘green certified’.
Do you have a favorite forest property and what makes it your favorite?
Wow- there are so many wonderful properties! In truth my favorites are those where the experience I shared with the landowners are as memorable as the property itself. I’ve already mentioned the Forest Legacy properties. They and their landowners are indeed super places I’ll never forget and hope to go back to. But here’s a few other favorites:
- · The Berger property which I first visited in 1987 will always hold a special place. This is where I really learned how to hunt, get my hands dirty doing forestry work and made great friends doing it.
- · The Hinshaw property, at just 14 acres, was my first property as a consulting forester after retiring in 2019. It was a mess of invasive species so thick you could barely walk through parts of it. But since that time, it has been transformed and you can now see the meandering stream, deer in the pollinator field, and new trees growing where once was an invasives thicket. And- a landowner who loves being out there!
- · The Timm property with an unforgettable ‘short cut’ trek across a broad, thigh deep wetland carrying a 3-legged greyhound. It had some great woods too, but I’ll never forget that hike to see what lies on the other side of the wetland.
- · Lastly if space allows: For a number of years I worked with our State Forests and I’d have to say Harrison-Crawford State Forest is my favorite state forest. While not the best from the timber standpoint, what grabs me is the property’s natural beauty and forest depth. The topography, creek beds, caves and sinkholes, Ohio River and Blue River corridors, trails and rich cultural history have me hooked. The very good foresters and people experienced there add to their high ranking.
What are you doing in your retirement?
47 years ago, as I stepped off the back porch of a landowner’s house in Orange county she called out to me and said, “You know Dan you’re going to look back someday and say this was the best job you ever had!” And she was right- I’ve always enjoyed working with landowners and people. Now I get a chance to do that again doing part time forestry consulting with landowners primarily in central Indiana. I also spend more time as a woodland owner on our small ‘GreenWoods’ property in northwest Michigan- which will be officially recognized as a Tree Farm in April. Our grandkids have learned how to plant trees there, shoot BB guns, gather firewood, and chase squirrels. Now they want to own woods someday too. Purdue also calls me to periodically teach the silviculture portion of their summer practicum for forestry students in Iron River Michigan. That’s been fun.
And finally, and more importantly, I can spend more time with family and give back for the many blessings received.
What advice would you give woodland owners today?
Three things:
- For future landowners: if you think you would like to own woodland property someday, don’t wait too long- do it when you are younger and can spend more time and more years enjoying your land. This reminds me of good advice my dad gave me years ago- ‘take the steps to make it happen’.
- You can’t fix everything all at once. By that I mean your woods took a long time to get to where they are today and if there is a history of poor or no management there are likely some issues to address. Identify the priority needs and knock them off bit by bit. Woods are often more patient than we are.
- Get out and enjoy your property- and take your kids and grandkids with you. They may be woodland owners someday too because of your example and we need good woodland owners. I often recommend landowners develop a trail system to make access for themselves and their family easier. I find when there is a trail system owners get out in the woods, and deeper into the woods, more often. In turn they know and care for their lands more deeply.
One more:
- Important- Be Smart: Take the steps to become a better, more informed woodland owner. Talk to professional foresters and experienced woodland owners-they will help guide you to appropriate resources. I also highly recommend joining the Indiana Forestry and Woodland Owners Association (IFWOA). This is a great group which offers an annual woodland owners conference- and they lobby on behalf of Indiana’s woodland owners like you. Go to www.ifwoa.org