Indiana NRCS State Forester Daniel Shaver (left), David Ray and staff from Indiana NRCS check out the ongoing work being done at a private forest owned by Ray in Jackson County, IN during a visit May 24, 2022. Ray purchased 310 acres of forestland in 1995 to use for recreational purposes including hunting, hiking and foraging. Ray enrolled his land in NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program in 2017 for forest stand improvement and brush management. After the conclusion of his EQIP contract, he enrolled the acres in NRCS’ Conservation Stewardship Program to complete herbaceous weed treatment, help facilitate oak forest regeneration, and plant conservation cover for pollinators and beneficial insects. Ray said his and his family’s goal is to make each of 310 acres as good as they can be, and he has a four-year rotation that enables him to go through every acre of the woods and make improvements. (NRCS photo by Brandon O’Connor)