Carmel Creek

Visitors to Oliver’s Woods Nature Preserve can share photos for timelapse project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Visitors to Oliver’s Woods Nature Preserve on the northside of Indianapolis can participate in a citizen science project that will show changes at the preserve over time.

Participants can take a photo of Carmel Creek from the designated spot in the nature preserve and email it to Chronolog, the platform that is creating the timelapse using the submitted photos. View the timelapsed photos here.

Over time, looking at multiple photos taken from the same spot will reveal seasonal changes, as well as changes in water levels and, potentially, wildlife population.

“Changes in the environment are sometimes difficult to see and understand because they happen gradually,” said Cliff Chapman, executive director of the Central Indiana Land Trust, Inc. (CILTI), which owns and manages Oliver’s Woods. “This project helps connect people with the subtle changes.”

Located at 8825 River Road, Oliver’s Woods features 16 acres of woods, 37 acres of prairie-savanna restoration, and a mile of White River frontage. Many volunteers have helped build trails, plant native plants and trees and remove invasive species from the property. This special care is allowing native species like wild ginger, rare butternut trees, waterleaf, wild hyacinth and trillium to flourish. The southern half of the popular Town Run Trail Park is encompassed within this property.

Watch our own Grace van Kan, White River Steward, share more about this project on Fox59!

Jen Schmits Thomas

Media Relations

An award-winning communicator and recognized leader in Central Indiana’s public relations community, Jen helps us tell our story in the media. She is the founder of JTPR, which she and her husband John Thomas own together.
Betley Woods at Glacier's End

Trails coming to Betley Woods at Glacier’s End Nature Preserve in Johnson County

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 11, 2022

The Indiana Wildlife Federation (IWF) received $239,500 of Next Level Trails funding to bring a cutting-edge project consisting of new trails and a digital interpretive app to Betley Woods at Glacier’s End Nature Preserve, which is owned by the Central Indiana Land Trust, Inc. (CILTI).
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Jen Schmits Thomas

Media Relations

An award-winning communicator and recognized leader in Central Indiana’s public relations community, Jen helps us tell our story in the media. She is the founder of JTPR, which she and her husband John Thomas own together.
Hooded warbler

Southern Johnson County gets more protected land

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 23, 2022

The Central Indiana Land Trust, Inc. (CILTI) has acquired 109 acres of environmentally significant forest land in southern Johnson County, resulting in a total of more than 1,500 acres in that area that is protected forever.

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Jen Schmits Thomas

Media Relations

An award-winning communicator and recognized leader in Central Indiana’s public relations community, Jen helps us tell our story in the media. She is the founder of JTPR, which she and her husband John Thomas own together.
Indiana bat

Holladay Properties donates more land near AmeriPlex

Indiana bat population could soar on land near Indianapolis International Airport

INDIANAPOLIS (May 3, 2022) – Holladay Properties has donated an additional seven acres within its AmeriPlex complex to the Central Indiana Land Trust Inc. (CILTI). Valued at $570,000, the latest gift means the commercial real estate firm has gifted a total of 57 acres in southwest Marion County to CILTI to enhance and maintain as a nature preserve.

Holladay made its first land gift in the area to CILTI in 2013, allowing the nonprofit land trust to protect and expand habitat for the endangered Indiana bat. Over the years, CILTI and many volunteers have planted trees and removed invasive plants in the partially wooded property to restore it as a nature preserve.

“This latest gift allows us to further preserve an area that serves as the summer home for one of the state’s largest populations of our region’s most endangered species, the Indiana bat,” said CILTI Executive Director Cliff Chapman. “It’s a great example of how protected land in what we call core conservation areas helps to bolster Indiana’s incredible biodiversity.”

Chapman added, “Holladay has a long history of being attentive to environmental impact. For example, AmeriPlex Indianapolis was the first Indiana business park recognized as a certified ‘Wildlife Friendly Habitat’ by the Indiana Wildlife Federation.”

Called the Wallace F. Holladay Preserve at AmeriPlex after the founder of Holladay Properties, the land is open to the public and accessible via Flynn Road.

About Holladay Properties
Holladay is a full service commercial real estate firm. A fully-integrated, full-scale land development, design/build, and property management firm, Holladay has developed over 20 million square feet of commercial space and actively manages over 15.5 million square feet of office, industrial, retail, multi-family, hotel, and healthcare space – and its medical office management portfolio is one of the largest in the country. The firm has more than 250 employees in a variety of specialties working from about 25 offices throughout the eastern half of the U.S.

Jen Schmits Thomas

Media Relations

An award-winning communicator and recognized leader in Central Indiana’s public relations community, Jen helps us tell our story in the media. She is the founder of JTPR, which she and her husband John Thomas own together.
Betley Woods at Glacier's End

 $1 Million Gift from the Betley Family will Enhance Protected Lands

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dec. 21, 2021

Newly renamed preserve now called Betley Woods at Glacier’s End

The Central Indiana Land Trust Inc. (CILTI) has received a $1 million gift from Leonard and Kathryn Betley and their family to support reforestation and land protection, as well as to establish an endowment for the Hills of Gold Conservation Area.

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Jen Schmits Thomas

Media Relations

An award-winning communicator and recognized leader in Central Indiana’s public relations community, Jen helps us tell our story in the media. She is the founder of JTPR, which she and her husband John Thomas own together.
Blossom Hollow, Photo by Dick Miller

Trek Our Trails Challenge features 5 popular nature preserves

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 10, 2021

You’ve been cooped up for months, and it’s time to get out and explore some of the most beautiful places in Central Indiana. Soon, wildflowers will be peeking through the forest floor, birdsong will be in the air, and Indiana’s nature preserves will be coming to life.

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Jen Schmits Thomas

Media Relations

An award-winning communicator and recognized leader in Central Indiana’s public relations community, Jen helps us tell our story in the media. She is the founder of JTPR, which she and her husband John Thomas own together.
Sugar Mill Creek

Parke County Conservation Easement to Improve Environment for All

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 8, 2021

Entrepreneur and nature lover Joe McCurdy has donated to the Central Indiana Land Trust a 365-acre conservation easement that promises to improve the water quality in nearby Turkey Run State Park and Rocky Hollow Falls Canyon Nature Preserve. Continue reading

Jen Schmits Thomas

Media Relations

An award-winning communicator and recognized leader in Central Indiana’s public relations community, Jen helps us tell our story in the media. She is the founder of JTPR, which she and her husband John Thomas own together.
Meltzer Woods

Land Trust buys 35 acres, will plant 20,000 trees to expand Meltzer Woods

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 7, 2020

The Central Indiana Land Trust, Inc. (CILTI) is expanding the 60-acre Meltzer Woods Nature Preserve in Shelbyville by buying an adjacent 35-acre agricultural field, where it will plant more than 20,000 trees. The purchase totaled approximately $260,000 and was made possible through CILTI’s Evergreen Fund for Nature and members of the Land Trust. A portion of funds provided came from American Electric Power (AEP), Indiana Michigan Power’s parent company, under a legal settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, eight states, and 13 citizen groups. Continue reading

Jen Schmits Thomas

Media Relations

An award-winning communicator and recognized leader in Central Indiana’s public relations community, Jen helps us tell our story in the media. She is the founder of JTPR, which she and her husband John Thomas own together.
Fire Pink at Blossom Hollow. Photo by Karen Wade

Shelby, Johnson county areas benefit from environmental settlement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2020

A $600,000 grant resulting from a legal settlement equips the Central Indiana Land Trust Inc. (CILTI) to add to the properties it protects in Johnson and Shelby counties. Continue reading

Jen Schmits Thomas

Media Relations

An award-winning communicator and recognized leader in Central Indiana’s public relations community, Jen helps us tell our story in the media. She is the founder of JTPR, which she and her husband John Thomas own together.

Land Trust plants first of 1 million trees

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2020

This week the Central Indiana Land Trust Inc. (CILTI) is planting 15,000 trees in Johnson and Parke counties. These are the first of CILTI’s 1 million trees being planted in Central Indiana and in addition to Gov. Eric Holcomb’s commitment to planting 1 million trees in the state over the next five years.

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Jen Schmits Thomas

Media Relations

An award-winning communicator and recognized leader in Central Indiana’s public relations community, Jen helps us tell our story in the media. She is the founder of JTPR, which she and her husband John Thomas own together.