Briana Pace | Southern Indiana Business Report
In Southeastern Greene County, 51 acres of land were acquired and added to Martin State Forest in an effort to continue conservation and further opportunities for Hoosiers to enjoy outdoor recreation activities.
The new acreage allows space for public hunting and sustainable forest management.
“This addition to Martin State Forest protects this land in southern Indiana now and for future generations,” Braun said in a press release, “allowing Hoosier families to enjoy a special part of Indiana’s scenic beauty for many years to come.”
Gov. Braun and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the acquisition July 30, 2026, filling a three-sided inholding within the existing property, along Taylor Ridge Road. The area is a mixture of young forest reverted from agricultural fields and aged hardwood forest.
“This expansion is a reminder that our public lands are one of Southern Indiana’s greatest economic assets. Visitors don’t just come for a weekend of outdoor adventure in the 400,000 acres of public lands in our region — they discover the small towns, restaurants, and local businesses around it, and that’s what drives our tourism economy,” Chief Operating Officer of Discover Southern Indiana Kristal Painter said. “Investments like this one keep Southern Indiana on the map as a premier outdoor destination.”
The property was purchased for $270,000; $243,000 was funded by the President Benjamin Harrison Conservation Trust, supported by the sale of the blue environmental license plate, and $27,000 by matching funds from the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation’s Indiana Tree Project.
“One of the simplest ways Hoosiers can support projects like this at Martin State Forest and across the state is by choosing the blue environmental license plate,” DNR Director Alan Morrison said, “as all funds generated directly support land conservation efforts.”
Martin State Forest was established in 1932 with 1,205 acres of eroding, abandoned farmland and cut-over woodlands.
With over 90 years of intense management, thousands of trees planted, countless hours spent fighting wildfires and hundreds of acres of selective improvement harvests, the property has “transformed into a lush, healthy, growing forest.”
“This expansion is a reminder that our public lands are one of Southern Indiana’s greatest economic assets. Visitors don’t just come for a weekend of outdoor adventure in the 400,000 acres of public lands in our region — they discover the small towns, restaurants, and local businesses around it, and that’s what drives our tourism economy. Investments like this one keep Southern Indiana on the map as a premier outdoor destination.”
Martin State Forest has expanded to support a variety of outdoor activities including camping, fishing, hunting, picnicking, hiking, mountain biking and outdoor learning opportunities.