Education & Information |
Practical answers for anyone with an interest in Illinois forests
Illinois forests raise a lot of questions. What is actually growing out there, and how has it changed over the last century? Why is this stand of oaks failing to regenerate? What is killing these ash trees? What does the timber market look like this year, and who decides? Should anyone be doing something, or is the woods better left alone?
This section is where we try to answer those questions. It gathers what IFA and our partners know about Illinois forests into one place: management guidance, forest health information, policy updates, funding programs, market data, and pointers to the people and organizations who can help.
People arrive here for different reasons. Some own woodland and are working out what to do with it. Some work in forestry, conservation, or natural resources and want a current Illinois-specific reference. Some are teachers, students, or researchers. Some simply spend time in the woods and want to understand what they are looking at. The material is written to be useful to all of them.
Not sure where to start?Begin with the Illinois Forestry Guide. It is a short, plain-language introduction to forests and forestry in Illinois, and a useful orientation whether you are new to woodland ownership, new to the field, or just curious about how Illinois forests came to look the way they do.Read the Illinois Forestry Guide → |
Browse by Topic
Illinois Forest InventoriesWhat we know about the extent, composition, and condition of Illinois forests, drawn from state and federal inventory data. The baseline for understanding any single woodland, any regional trend, or the state of Illinois forests as a whole. | Woodland Owner GuidanceFor landowners specifically: the practical side of owning forested land, from setting management goals to handling the legal and family questions that come with the property. Includes: Forest Management Basics, Property Boundaries & Access, Landowner Liability, Succession & Estate Planning | Forest Health & EcologyHow Illinois woodlands function, and what threatens them. Invasive species, insects and disease, wildlife habitat, and damage from off-target chemical exposure. Includes: Herbicide Drift |
Forestry Policy & IssuesCurrent legislative, regulatory, and funding developments affecting forests and forest landowners in Illinois, and what they mean in practice. | Incentives & Cost-Share ProgramsState and federal programs that help pay for forest management work, plus the technical assistance available to help you apply and follow through. | Timber Markets & PricingHow timber is valued and sold in Illinois, what current market conditions look like, and what a well-run sale looks like from either side of the transaction. |
Resource Publications & GuidesPublications, handouts, and reference materials from IFA, universities, and agency partners. Our YouTube channel also hosts recorded webinars on many of these topics. | Forestry Organizations & PartnersWho else works on Illinois forestry, and what each of them does. A starting point for finding a consulting forester, a state agency contact, or a local conservation partner. |
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