A buck at Oliver's Woods

Trail Cam Captures Oliver’s Woods Night Life

By White River Steward Grace van Kan

A few weeks ago, I sat down at my computer and popped in the memory card that I’d retrieved from our trail cam at Oliver’s Woods earlier in the day. Loading up the files and clicking my way towards the images captured over the previous two weeks, there was no way to keep my excitement down. What kind of animal secrets would soon be revealed? What undercover inhabitants might I unveil? Continue reading

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.
Oliver's Woods

Meeting with a View

Sunshine on the river, leaves turning golden, and strategic thinking. The board of the Indiana Land Protection Alliance, of which our executive director Cliff Chapman is the treasurer, met recently at Oliver’s Woods for a planning retreat. 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.
Oliver's Woods

Pulliam gift supports Land Trust’s river plan, opening of Oliver’s Woods

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Aug. 28, 2017

Thanks to a $645,000 grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, the Central Indiana Land Trust (CILTI) is progressing on three projects designed to increase access to and appreciation for the White River in the Indianapolis metropolitan 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.
Lilly Day of Service

Lilly volunteers to plant 6,000 trees, plants at nature preserve near Fashion Mall

Sept. 28, 2015

As part of the Lilly Global Day of Service, approximately 300 employees of Eli Lilly and Company will be planting thousands of flowering trees and native perennials at the Oliver’s Woods nature preserve on Oct. 1. 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.
Sketch of Daugherty House from 1971

Oliver Daugherty: A Gift of Green in Indianapolis

Oliver Daugherty was a contrarian with a passion for his land. 

His ancestor, Dr. James Livingston Thompson, moved from England in 1855 and took ownership of over 300 acres of land situated in the crossroads of America. Along the river in land that would become Oliver’s Woods, he built a home, and the land was used as a dairy farm, stretching to 96th Street. It remained intact as it was passed down through the family—even as neighboring farmland was sold to developers—until the 1960s when it was split in half for I-465 construction.  Continue reading

Bridget Walls

Communications and Outreach Intern

Bridget is our first ever Communications and Outreach Intern. She is a graduate of Marian University, where she combined English, studio art, and environmental sciences in her degree studies. As treasurer for Just Earth, the university's environmental club, she helped plan events encouraging a responsible relationship between people, nature, and animals.