Local woman is new regional landscape manager
BELMONT — The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites has hired Laura “Lori” Willis-Riggen, a third-generation master gardener with 30 years of gardening experience, as regional landscape manager.
She will be based at the T.C. Steele State Historic Site in Brown County and provide support to the Lanier Mansion State Historic Site, Culbertson Mansion State Historic Site, Corydon Capitol State Historic Site and New Harmony State Historic Site.
Willis has been a nursery and landscape account manager at Designscape Horticulture in Brown County since 2007. She earned her Master Gardener degree from Purdue University in 2000 and has been an accredited horticulturist through the Indiana Nursery Landscape Association since 2011.
Purdue Extension offers garden program in 2021
Purdue Extension educators are offering a virtual program on commonly asked-about garden topics. This program is designed for those that want to learn a bit about how plants grow; how to fix common garden problems; how to grow vegetables, fruits and flowers; and how to maintain trees, shrubs and lawns.
This online series will be conducted live on Tuesday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to noon from Jan. 12 to Feb. 23. The program schedule is:
- Jan. 12: How plants grow
- Jan. 19: What’s pestering your garden
- Jan. 26: Woody landscape plants
- Feb. 2: Vegetable gardens
- Feb. 9: Flower gardens
- Feb. 16: Lawns
- Feb. 23: Fruit gardens
Pre-registration and payment of $45 are due by Jan. 5. To learn more, visit https://puext.in/GetGrowingInfo or email [email protected]. Register at puext.in/GetGrowingRegister.
State park announces 2021 winter hike series
The Brown County State Park Mysterious Hills Winter Hike Series begins Jan. 16 and will take place on select Saturdays through March 27.
Hikers will travel off the beaten path to discover historic places in the park with a park naturalist.
The hike schedule is as follows:
- Jan. 16, Boulder in the Tree hike
- Jan. 30, CCC rediscovered
- Feb. 6, winter dog hike
- Feb. 20, “The State Park Begins”
- March 6, hike to the lake that never was
- March 20, Deserter’s Cave hike
- March 27, hike to Kelp Village
Events are free; normal gate fees apply. The hikes will have a limited capacity and registration is required. Visit winterhikeseriesbcsp.eventbrite.com to register. Once registration is complete, more information will be sent. Each hike will be open for registration two weeks before the event.
For more information, call 812-988-5240 or email [email protected].
Hiking challenge could net discounts with DNK
DNK Presents is hosting a virtual hike challenge for participants to hike 21 miles in January. Hikers can track mileage on Strava or another online app and share results with DNK Presents for $21 off any adventure with the local company in 2021.
Join by RSVPing at dnkpresents.com and join the online community for encouragement along the way.
Coyote teeth needed for Purdue research project
As part of ongoing research with Purdue University, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources needs teeth from coyotes hunted or trapped during the regulated season. Teeth are needed from 30 Indiana counties: Benton, Brown, Carroll, Clark, Crawford, DeKalb, Elkhart, Floyd, Fountain, Greene, Harrison, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, LaGrange, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Noble, Orange, Owen, Perry, St. Joseph, Steuben, Tippecanoe, Warren, Washington and White.
Several hundred coyote teeth are needed to make this project successful, the DNR reports. To request teeth envelopes and an instruction sheet, email [email protected] or call 812-822-3304.
Eagle tour and activities happening at Monroe Lake
BLOOMINGTON — Monroe Lake is offering a nine-day bald eagle experience Jan. 23-31 that will include a mix of virtual, self-directed and small-group activities.
The event is in place of Monroe Lake’s traditional annual bald eagle driving tour.
Jill Vance, Monroe Lake’s interpretive naturalist, will host sunset eagle watches at the lake from 5 to 6 p.m. Jan. 23, 25, 29 and 31. She and a couple of volunteers will have spotting scopes set up to help participants observe eagles and other birds. Hot cocoa will be available for those who bring their own travel mugs.
Each sunset eagle watch is open to a maximum of 12 people and advance registration is required. Registration closes three days prior to each date, or when the event is full, although wait lists are available. Sign up for a session at bit.ly/sunseteagle2021.
Visitors can also create their own self-guided bald eagle driving tour at the lake using the property’s bald eagle brochure as a guide to the best viewing locations and times. On Jan. 22, Vance will post a link to download the bald eagle brochure on the Facebook event page, which can be found at bit.ly/eaglesmonroe2020. You can also, from Jan. 22 to 29, email a request for the brochure to [email protected].
Virtual programming will be hosted on the property’s Facebook page, facebook.com/monroelake. For direct links and descriptions, see the event description at bit.ly/eaglesmonroe2020.
- Jan. 23 at 3 p.m. Facebook Live on identifying bald eagles
- Jan. 25 at 3 p.m. Facebook Live on bald eagle mating, nesting and fledging
- Jan. 26 at 11:30 a.m. Facebook Live on return of the bald eagle
- Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. Facebook video, bald eagle flyer craft tutorial (rerun)
- Jan. 28 at 10 a.m. Facebook video, bald eagle magnet craft tutorial (premiere)
- Jan. 29 at 1:30 p.m. Facebook Live, bald eagle coloring break
“We’ll miss hosting our traditional eagle driving tour this winter, but we hope this reworked experience will give people a range of opportunities to learn about and observe bald eagles in a safe manner,” Vance said.
For more information, contact Vance at [email protected] or 812-837-9967.
DNR: Expect coyote sightings in wintertime
The new year will bring coyote sightings around Indiana. Seeing coyotes, especially during winter, is normal and should not cause alarm, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources reports.
Coyotes become more active during winter. Young coyotes are leaving their parents to find a new home, making them more visible. In January, coyotes will also be looking to breed, making them even more active. Bare vegetation also increases people’s chances of catching a glimpse.
Coyotes like to eat animals and plants that thrive around yards and homes. Their diet includes rabbits, mice, fruit, and squirrels. They thrive around people because of the abundant food that comes with human development. Coyotes are a common member of Indiana’s urban wildlife community, as are raccoons, red foxes, and opossums.
Coyotes are an important part of Indiana’s wildlife community and provide benefits by helping control rodent populations and cleaning up carrion, the DNR reports.
Problems between coyotes and people are uncommon. To prevent them, be proactive by removing food and water sources, keeping pets leashed or contained, and trying to scare a coyote when you see it. To make your yard less attractive to coyotes:
- clean up fallen fruit from trees or gardens;
- keep garbage secure;
- make sure pet food and treats are not left outside;
- take down bird feeders if you see a coyote around your yard; they could be attracted to the rodents eating the seeds; and
- never intentionally feed a coyote; it could lose its fear of people.
If you see a coyote, try to make it uncomfortable:
- Yell.
- Wave your arms.
- Spray it with a hose.
- Throw tennis balls or small stones, but don’t throw anything that could be food, like apples.
- Carry a jar of coins or a small air horn to make noise.
Making a coyote feel unwelcome around people can help it maintain its natural fear of humans. Never corner or chase a coyote; they should always have a clear escape path to get away from you. Keep pets leashed, in a kennel with a secure top, or indoors to reduce the possibility of a negative interaction with any wildlife, including coyotes.
Find more information about coyotes, including fact sheets and a webinar, at wildlife.IN.gov/5688.htm.
