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Burnett Woods photo by Dick Miller

Founder Shares Early Origins of Central Indiana Land Trust

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Ellen Jacquart was CILTI’s founder and first president. Now a board member, she contributed these thoughts on what it was like to pioneer starting a land trust in 1990.

After grad school, I moved to Indiana in 1987 to work as an intern at the Indiana DNR Division of Nature Preserves. That job transformed my life.

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Ellen Jacquart

Board Member

Ellen Jacquart was one of our organization’s founders. She spent her career managing natural areas in Indiana, working for the Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Forest Service, and The Nature Conservancy of Indiana before retiring in 2016.
Hoosier Prairie Nature Preserve, DNR Photo – Division of Nature Preserves

Savannas, Prairies, and their “Cousins”

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Final in a series by board member John Bacone

Note: A version of this series appeared in the Indiana Parks Alliance newsletter and the Indiana Native Plant Society Journal.

Savannas, which are natural communities comprised of widely spaced oak trees in a matrix of prairie forbs, once were common in Indiana, especially in the northwest part of the state. Excellent examples of these fire-dependent communities have been protected at Stoutsburg Savanna and Tefft Savanna Nature Preserves in Jasper County and Conrad Station Nature Preserve in Newton County. Continue reading →

John Bacone

Secretary

Board member John Bacone retired in 2019 after 40 years as the Director of the Division of Nature Preserves with Indiana DNR. 
Sandhill cranes in Pokagon Fen, DNR Photo – Division of Nature Preserves

A Look at Indiana’s Wetland Preserves

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Fourth in a series by board member John Bacone

Note: A version of this series appeared in the Indiana Parks Alliance newsletter and the Indiana Native Plant Society Journal.

Indiana has been blessed with numerous types of wetlands, and excellent examples of many of them are included within nature preserves.

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John Bacone

Secretary

Board member John Bacone retired in 2019 after 40 years as the Director of the Division of Nature Preserves with Indiana DNR. 
Pine Hills Nature Preserve, DNR Photo – Division of Nature Preserves

Explore Indiana’s Geologic Wonders and Majestic Forests

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Third in a series by board member John Bacone

Note: A version of this series appeared in the Indiana Parks Alliance newsletter and the Indiana Native Plant Society Journal.

Indiana is a place of varied terrain and stunning geologic wonders. Many of our most popular nature preserves are beloved for their geologic features, including Pine Hills (incised meanders), Portland Arch (natural bridge), and Jug Rock (mushroom cap).
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John Bacone

Secretary

Board member John Bacone retired in 2019 after 40 years as the Director of the Division of Nature Preserves with Indiana DNR. 
Rocky Hollow-Falls at Turkey Run State Park

Indiana’s Nature Preserves Offer Glimpses of the Past

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Second in a series by board member John Bacone

Note: A version of this series appeared in the Indiana Parks Alliance newsletter and the Indiana Native Plant Society Journal.

Indiana’s state-dedicated nature preserves are not only places of natural beauty. They also showcase what our state looked like in a bygone era. Continue reading →

John Bacone

Secretary

Board member John Bacone retired in 2019 after 40 years as the Director of the Division of Nature Preserves with Indiana DNR. 
Toothwort Woods Nature Preserve, DNR Photo – Division of Nature Preserves

With 300th Nature Preserve, We Celebrate Indiana’s Conservation History

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First of a series by board member John Bacone

Note: A version of this series appeared in the Indiana Parks Alliance newsletter and the Indiana Native Plant Society Journal.

A major conservation milestone was reached this past October. The Natural Resources Commission dedicated Toothwort Woods as Indiana’s 300th nature preserve. Continue reading →

John Bacone

Secretary

Board member John Bacone retired in 2019 after 40 years as the Director of the Division of Nature Preserves with Indiana DNR. 
Burnett Woods in spring

Road Trip: Hendricks County

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We asked Megan Rhodehamel, a supporter who lives in Hendricks County, to recommend some attractions near Burnett Woods. She offered this guest post.

A visit to Burnett Woods on a crisp morning is a perfect way to start the day. Approaching the nature preserve from Dan Jones Road, pull into Ziggi’s Coffee for a warm drink, then park toward the back of the Light and Life Methodist Church parking lot. Continue reading →

Megan Rhodehamel

Guest Blogger

A lifelong Hoosier with a strong interest in the outdoors, animals and plants, Megan feels lucky to be able to support CILTI in important conservation work.
A Tree ID hike at Oliver's Woods led by volunteer White River Docents

Join our White River Docent Team

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Have you ever attended one of CILTI’s guided hikes and thought that you might enjoy leading a hike yourself? Have you been inspired by a guided hike or program that you’ve participated in? You could join our White River Docent team!

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Grace van Kan

White River Steward

gvankan@conservingindiana.org
312.286.2484
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.
Phalen Leadership Academy Youth on the White River

Embracing Nature: A Recap of 2023

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In the year 2023, our commitment to connecting people with nature led us to offer several outdoor activities. From volunteer days to guided hikes and special events, it was a year filled with exploration, education, and environmental stewardship. Continue reading →

Traci Willis

Outreach Manager

twillis@conservingindiana.org
317.771.1251
Traci has always loved nature, channeling her passion into creating habitat for bees and butterflies (and taking stunning photographs of them). She coordinates our outreach efforts.
Founders Fen

CILTI takes ownership of Hancock County site including unique fen

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Seeks to buy adjacent land to fully protect feature rich in biodiversity and environmental impact

The Central Indiana Land Trust, Inc. (CILTI) has received ownership of a 9.8-acre Hancock County site from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), allowing it to protect forever a biodiverse and environmentally significant feature known as a fen. Continue reading →

Jen Schmits Thomas

Media Relations

Jen@jtprinc.com
317-441-2487
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.