Mayapple at Betley Woods

A Personal Tribute to Len Betley

Part 4 in a series

Our spring newsmagazine honors the late Len Betley, our friend and benefactor. We’ve been sharing tributes from people who knew, loved, and respected Len. Here our longtime supporter Priscilla Johnson, who serves on our board, offers her reflections. Continue reading

Shawndra Miller

Communications Manager

Shawndra is in charge of sharing our story and connecting you to our work. Through our print and online materials, she hopes to inspire your participation in protecting special places for future generations.
Big Walnut Nature Preserve

Committed to Conservation

Third in a series memorializing our friend and benefactor, Len Betley

Our spring newsmagazine features a tribute to the late Len Betley, who left a tremendous land protection legacy. Bill Weeks, who has a long history of service in the conservation field, worked with Len in the 1980s. We asked him to share some highlights of their collaboration.

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Shawndra Miller

Communications Manager

Shawndra is in charge of sharing our story and connecting you to our work. Through our print and online materials, she hopes to inspire your participation in protecting special places for future generations.
Alex Stewart measuring slope grade using clinometer

Trailing Ahead at Betley Woods

Coming soon to a preserve near you: an incredible hiking experience. Yes, Betley Woods at Glacier’s End is getting topnotch trails! Our partners at the Indiana Wildlife Federation (IWF) received Next Level Trails funding from the state to build sustainable trails through this gorgeous preserve.

Our team helped plot out trail routes, working with IWF staff and premiere trail designer Alex Stewart. Continue reading

Shawndra Miller

Communications Manager

Shawndra is in charge of sharing our story and connecting you to our work. Through our print and online materials, she hopes to inspire your participation in protecting special places for future generations.
Pine Hills Nature Preserve

A Tradition of Giving

First in a series memorializing our friend and benefactor, Len Betley

Our spring newsmagazine features a tribute to the late Len Betley, whose support of conservation in general and our work in particular had an enormous impact. Here, we talk with Len’s son Tom Betley. Tom is the Associate Vice Chair for Budget and Finance at the IU Department of Medicine. He serves on our board as Vice Chair of Programs, generously volunteering his time and expertise to our mission. He offered these reflections on his father’s legacy.

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Shawndra Miller

Communications Manager

Shawndra is in charge of sharing our story and connecting you to our work. Through our print and online materials, she hopes to inspire your participation in protecting special places for future generations.
Nature preserve boundary sign at Betley Woods

The Nature of a Preserve

What makes a nature preserve? And if a nature preserve is not state-dedicated, is it really a nature preserve? It sure is!

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Grace van Kan

White River Steward

Grace grew up roaming the woods, creeks and wetlands around the Chesapeake Bay watershed. From an early trout-raising project to a “gap year” spent restoring coral reefs in Thailand, her interest in aquatic conservation has only grown. Now she cares for several riverine nature preserves as CILTI’s White River Steward.
Betley Woods at Glacier's End

Gov. Holcomb Proposes Large Land Protection Investment

Gov. Eric Holcomb gave his 2023 State of the State address this week. In his remarks, he proposed $25 million for land protection, a significant investment. If enacted, this investment will spark the conservation of thousands of acres. The governor specifically named Central Indiana Land Trust as a partner in this work.
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Shawndra Miller

Communications Manager

Shawndra is in charge of sharing our story and connecting you to our work. Through our print and online materials, she hopes to inspire your participation in protecting special places for future generations.
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.
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.

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.
Worm-eating Warbler

The Misnamed Bird: Worm-Eating Warbler

Our spring newsmagazine featured Cliff’s top ten hidden gems of birding. Here is the final post in a blog series on these birds, by guest blogger Ed Pope.

Despite its name, the worm-eating warbler prefer insects, spiders, other arthropods and especially caterpillars over earthworms. It is a small songbird, approximately the size of a goldfinch. The upper plumage is brown, while the underside is lighter. It has black stripes on its head, including two that appear to go through its eyes.

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Ed Pope

Guest Blogger

Ed Pope is a retired engineer from Rolls-Royce and a CILTI member since 2002.