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DARLINGTON
WOODS
LOCATED SIX MILES NORTHEAST OF CRAWFORDSVILLE, INDIANA,
Darlington Woods covers 57 forested acres. Because of its
proximity to campus, the site has a long history as a field
laboratory for students and private landowners throughout the region. Lye Creek runs through the property, providing additional research opportunities.
When Indiana became a state in 1816, its land was
approximately 90% forested. By 1920, the landscape had
changed drastically and only 6% of the state was woodland. In a 1922 report, Indiana State Forester Charles Deam
predicted the state would be treeless within 15 years if
nothing was done to stem the deforestation. Deam recommended Darlington Woods be protected by the Indiana
Forest Classification Act, a 1921 piece of legislation that
used tax incentives to encourage private landowners to
maintain their woodlands for timber production, watershed protection, and wildlife habitat.
Purdue purchased the property from the Jonathan Winters estate in 1945. The Winters family settled the property
in the 1800s. A grave marker for Jesse Winters (1811–78)
sits on a hill overlooking the Lye Creek valley. Its epitaph
reads: “Remember friends as you pass by; As you are now
once was I; As I am now you soon must be; Prepare for
death and follow me.”
The somber message resonates with the perspective
of a forester. When they make decisions about harvesting
and planting trees, they’re planning for 100 years into the
future, much as Deam was when he identified Darlington
Woods for classification. Thanks to numerous managed
timber harvests conducted over the years, the woods
retains its natural aesthetic. The property is special to Carlson because of its beauty and its diverse wildlife habitat.
“One winter, I was just on the other side of the creek bed
doing inventory when I watched a mink come up over the
rocks, in and out of the water,” Carlson says. “Everything
was covered in ice and snow. I can still see it in my mind.
That’s a rare occasion to see a mink its own natural setting.
To be standing in the woods on a crisp, icy morning and
see that was really special.”
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