New acres of wildlife for students

The land was purchased by Franklin Tech Park Associates LLC from the Hougham family in 2002. The $1.39 million gift was then presented to the college.

Jay Moseley, president of Franklin College, encouraged the college’s Board of Trustees to name the woods after the Hougham family in gratitude. The land was officially named Hougham Woods about a week ago.

Mac McNaught, President of Franklin Tech Park Associates, said he was informed by retired Franklin College biology professor Bill Pohley that college students used the land informally as a study tool for a number of years.  

“We were approached by other groups,” McNaught said, “but the opportunity to take the land beyond preservation and see it used for education on an active and ongoing basis made us most interested in working with Franklin College.” 

Because there had been no formal arrangement or ownership, college students could not conduct permanent experiments, which meant their research wasn’t always valid.

The land is in the southeast quadrant of IN- 44 and I-65, just a mile from campus. Thanks to the land donation, students will only have to drive 10 minutes to perform experiments and research--compared to the previous 45 minute drive.  

Professor Matthew Reetz used the land last semester for his Life of Birds class. Students would go to the land and catch birds to learn how to properly handle them and record data.

“The land is nice and has really good growth,” Reetz said. “There are even some wetlands that will be good for students to work with.”

Reetz’s goal is to use the land to further engage students in their studies. He said he is enthused to use the land again this semester to do surveys and lab work.

Students will now be able to develop independent research projects and place markers on the land for their long-term studies. Outside of class, students and professors will be using the land to observe species, and capture and release trapped animals.