Abstract:
Morgan-Monroe State Forest was born from a time of economic distress and sudden realization of America's shrinking wooded landscape. The State Forests, not to be confused with the State Parks, were created as a site for responsible and sustainable timber management. Morgan-Monroe's close proximity to Indianapolis and Bloomington has greatly emphasized its focus on recreation and created a vibrant history for this forest. This emphasis on recreation on Morgan-Monroe has caused confusion with this State Forest's primary purpose of sustainable timber production. However, there are many claiming that the harvesting done in Morgan-Monroe's Backcountry Area is irresponsible. All opinions on the dilemma have been included and reveal the deep-seated issues. This is the first history is the first to be written on Morgan-Monroe State Forest and is part of a larger project on Indiana State Forests.
