Final Project: Morgan-Monroe State Forest Management Project Assignment

Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington

Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies

SPH-O 210: Introduction to Outdoor Recreation, Parks, and Human Ecology

Fall, 2015

Final Project: Morgan-Monroe State Forest Management Project Assignment

For your final project, you will work in a group to study the Morgan-Monroe State Forest, learn about the management of the state forest, and propose an outdoor recreation development for the forest.

Following are elements of the project.

Site Description

Complete a summary document that thoroughly describes the Morgan-Monroe State Forest.

Include the following:

• Brief history/background of the forest before and after state ownership

• Description of key natural resources in the forest

• Include a description of ecological processes that are critical to the site

• Include photographs that illustrate key ecosystems in the forest

• A statement of the mission of the Morgan-Monroe State Forest

• Key forest management policies

• Current Staffing

• A listing and description of current forest management partners

Outdoor Recreation Activities Inventory

Complete an inventory of all current outdoor recreation activities that take place on the Morgan-Monroe State Forest. Include:

• A listing and description of the outdoor recreation activities that occur at the site

• A listing and description of the outdoor recreation facilities that currently exist within the forest boundaries

• A photograph of each facility included in the inventory

Site Management Issues Inventory

List and describe five forest management concerns you have identified. For each of the five issues, include the following:

• A narrative description of the issue, including the location(s) in the state forest where the issue occurs

• Include at least one image that illustrates the issue

• Your proposed solution to the issue including potential new policies

• A description of the scientific information needed to address the issue

• A proposed public communication document that addresses the issue and the role visitors play in solving the problem

Outdoor Recreation Facility Development Proposal

As a group, you will create a proposal for an outdoor recreation facility to be developed (or redeveloped) in the Morgan-Monroe State Forest. These are not projects planned by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Instead, these are hypothetical projects which will allow you to exercise your management and planning skills. For each proposal you will need to provide delivery cost estimates that include planning, development, and staffing costs. Describe the human risks and/or safety concerns associated with your proposed development and how you will manage the site in order to reduce those risks. Include any new policies or regulations that will be needed to support your proposal. Also, you must document potential environmental impacts of your development and ways you intend to minimize those impacts. Choose from the following or submit a suggested development to me for approval.

Potential Outdoor Recreation Facility Developments:

• An Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant nature trail in the Scout Ridge Nature Reserve

• A zip line facility at the Scout Ridge Youth Campground

• A boat rental facility at Bryant Creek Lake

• A redesigned “Dendrology Trail” near the forest headquarters, including the draft of a new interpretive booklet

• An introductory hunting and fishing course including necessary developments at practice sites

Presentation

Each group will give a 15-minute presentation on their project in class on December 8 and 10. Each individual in the group must give part of the presentation. The presentation format is up to you. All elements of your project must be included in the presentation with particular emphasis on the management issue and outdoor recreation facility development proposal sections of the project. Your score on the presentation will be a combination of my assessment of your work and an in-class peer-review. You will also receive points for the reviews you each conduct of your peers’ work.

Field Days

Field days in the Morgan-Monroe State Forest will take place in the afternoons on Friday October 30, and Friday Nov. 6 (1:00pm to 5:00pm). I am still working on plans for these trips. I am hoping to arrange a time on each day to meet with a manager from the state forest. You will need to attend one of these field days. Beyond the field days, your group will need to spend additional time in the Morgan-Monroe State Forest on your own in order to successfully complete the project. We will carpool to the forest on those days.