Word on the Street: The weird invade Indiana

Remember, in the spring, I encouraged my fellow Indiana bloggers to Watch out for Weirdos!

Drum roll, please.

I am delighted to announce that the Clay County tree I submitted to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Weird Tree Search was chosen to appear in the DNR’s online publication, “Invasion of the Weird Trees 2012.”

In an email last week Sam Carman, Education Director and Aficionado of Weird Trees, IDNR-Division of Forestry, Indianapolis wrote:

Just a quick note to let you know that it’s now official.  If anyone has ever accused you of having an eye for the weird … well, they were right!  A tree that you submitted for our Weird Tree Search was selected as the weirdest in its county by our panel of experts.  Indiana’s District Foresters served as the judges, and believe me, these guys and gals know “weird” when they see it.

Congratulations on having your tree selected.  While having your photo selected doesn’t come with any prizes, awards, or ticker tape parades (unless your community wants to organize one for you), it does mean that your photo appears in our on-line publication, “Invasion of the Weird Trees 2012.”

To view this publication and see my Clay County tree (Page 6) along with all of the other freaks of nature, here is the direct web link:

www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/files/fo-InvasionWeirdTrees.pdf

It is a very large file, so it may take a minute or two to download.

Enjoy viewing the “Invasion,” Carman wrote.  “This publication is updated every 4 years, so the next update will be in 2016, although submissions are accepted anytime.  So get out there in the woods, have your camera handy, and keep watching for the weird!”

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Wednesday Word on the Street: Watch out for Weirdos

Trees, that is.

This post is a heads up to my followers Dezra Despain and Rob Slaven and other Indiana photogs who may be reading my blog and/or this news release for the first time.

The Word on the Street:

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources Forestry division seeks submissions for the 2012 “Invasion of the Weird Trees,” its online publication that identifies the weirdest tree for each county.

The DNR updates this publication every four years, so the photo op is now! Search your archives or your favorite Hoosier treescape. Deadline for entries is April 30.

District foresters will narrow the field to the weirdest tree for each county and the publication should be available online in the fall.

Your submissions can be any species and size. The DNR only requires that they be weird.

The tree here is from my archives, but after viewing the pdf below, I think I’ll keep looking.

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Past entries have included a species that swallowed a sign, two grown together like conjoined twins, a tree trunk twisted like a snail shell, one that resembles a giant octopus and trees with root systems that appear they might run away.

The current “Invasion” can be viewed at www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/files/fo-InvasionWeirdTrees_2008.pdf

At the end, the document issues the following WARNING:

We know there are more weird trees out there. We advise you to always take the following precautions:
1. Never go to the woods without a camera
2. Be sure to have plenty of film (or disc space and battery power if shooting digital)
DO NOT BE CAUGHT IN THE WOODS UNPREPARED!

How to submit: Send at least two non-returnable photographs to Sam Carman, DNR Division of Forestry, 402 W. Washington, Rm. W296, Indianapolis, IN 46204. Digital photos should be emailed to scarman@dnr.IN.gov. Along with the photos, be sure to include your name, address, phone number, and the specific location of the tree, including county.

Happy hunting. And when you find the perfect submission, remember, even weird freaks of nature need a hug!