Exceptions include, but are not limited to, reservoirs owned by the State of Indiana or the federal government that are managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. Hoosier National Forest and several state forests are located in the Knobs Unit. Major U.S. military properties are located primarily outside the Knobs unit. The Northern Unit has the greatest proportion of private owners. Just like public land agencies, each private owner has a unique plan for their woods.
Management strategies vary across and within the public land management agencies.
Variables include forest resources, access to the public property, goals and management objectives of the agency, the interests of the public, and how much private land surrounds the public land. Interaction between public and private interests is high in the Knobs Unit, due to the high amount of public ownership and percentage of timberland. It is important to strive for a balance between these stakeholders. In the other three units, the concerns and interests are oriented more toward private timberland owners.