Environmentalists debate whether controlled burns should be part of forest management.

Some believe that the practice does a good job of weeding out invasive species and creating healther ecosystems.

Others say that humans should not interfere in forest growth and instead take a hands off approach.

Black gums and sycamores peek out alongside winding forest roads in southern Indiana while beech and maple trees shoot up in the understory of older, taller oaks. Local forests are growing shadier, denser and diverse.

For some Hoosiers, this mosaic of native species is the natural next phase of life for Indiana forests. Others interpret the mix as a warning.

The question of how to manage Indiana's forests sparks some of the livelier and more contentious debates among local environmentalists

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