Sapling no. 1

From “Sapling No. 1” to Today

An Update on our Tree Planting Pledge

In May of 2020, our stewardship crew placed a small red flag in the ground. The bare sticklike plant next to it was marked sapling #1.

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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.
Young Eastern box turtle at Betley Woods, by Karen Wade

Double your Impact this Summer!

We have some exciting news. The Herbert Simon Family Foundation has generously offered a matching grant to support our mission. Every dollar you donate by September 1, 2024, will be matched up to $50,000. 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.
Callon Hollow

Protected Forest Expands with Addition to Callon Hollow

We recently closed on a six-acre addition to Callon Hollow, a nature preserve in Johnson County. Located in one of the most biodiverse forested areas in the state, this nature preserve offers habitat for species like broad-winged hawks, hooded warblers, and Eastern box turtles. 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.
Controlled burn at Nonie Werbe Krauss Nature Preserve

Supporting a Prairie Preserve with Fire

With a high plant diversity and stable plant populations, a prairie can provide habitat for a plethora of insects and birds. That’s one thing that makes our Nonie Werbe Krauss Nature Preserve so special. Almost 90 species of birds have been found on CILTI’s only prairie habitat nature preserve. Continue reading

Phillip Weldy

Stewardship Specialist

Phillip enjoys nature’s wonders from an up-close-and-personal perspective as he works to restore the natural places you love. He came to his stewardship role at CILTI after undertaking invasive species control and trail maintenance for Little Traverse Conservancy in Harbor Springs, MI.
Hoosier Prairie Nature Preserve, DNR Photo – Division of Nature Preserves

Savannas, Prairies, and their “Cousins”

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. 
Photo by Paul Rothrock

The Little Things That Run the World

By Lee Casebere

The well-known scientist E.O. Wilson wrote in 2006, “More respect is due the little things that run the world.” I want to further explore why it matters that many species of plants and animals around the world are disappearing due to human actions.  Continue reading

Lee Casebere

Guest Blogger

Lee Casebere, a longtime CILTI supporter, is a naturalist, ecologist, and nature photographer. He is the retired assistant director of Indiana DNR’s Division of Nature Preserves.
A Tree ID hike at Oliver's Woods led by volunteer White River Docents

Join our White River Docent Team

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

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.
Mossy Point, by Emily Persic

Help secure a historic match!

Exciting news: Our generous partners at Efroymson Family Fund have presented us with our biggest ever year-end challenge. Every gift up to $250,000 will be generously matched by the family! Donations must be made by December 31, 2023 to count toward this match. 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.
Grace removing invasive honeysuckle at White River Bluffs

“Is It Invasive?”

“Should I get rid of it?”

“What’s the best way to eradicate it?”

“What should I put there instead?”

Our stewardship team gets a lot of great questions about invasive species! 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.
Hoosier National Forest photo, public domain

Formation of Hoosier National Forest

Guest blogger Ed Pope contributed this historic overview of the Hoosier National Forest’s formation.

Even in the earliest years of the American republic, there were those who were concerned about the future of our forests. This was mostly for practical, rather than environmental reasons. At the time, wood was the most common building material, used in everything from homes to ships. Continue reading

Ed Pope

Guest Blogger

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