River
Phalen Leadership Academy Youth on the White River
Embracing Nature: A Recap of 2023
Written By: Traci Willis
Date Published: January 24, 2024
Traci Willis
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.
Spring Cleanup and Conservation Efforts:
In early spring, volunteers gathered to pull garlic mustard and clean up the preserves. Meltzer Woods, Burnett Woods, White River Bluffs, and Oliver’s Woods all benefited from these dedicated efforts. As the year came to a close, we wrapped up with wintercreeper and honeysuckle removal at Oliver’s Woods and Meltzer Woods, ensuring the preservation of these natural havens.
Nature Outings:
Golden Hour
A new bird series took flight every Tuesday morning in May, led by expert Rob Ripma and featuring our president, Cliff Chapman. Together, we spotted a myriad of bird species at Oliver’s Woods and White River Bluffs, including American redstarts, spotted sandpiper, and least flycatcher.
The 15th annual Wildflower Walk, guided by Phillip Weldy at Burnett Woods in April, showcased the vibrant beauty of native spring blooms.
April also brought a special evening to appreciate our volunteers with food and drinks at Oliver’s Woods, a tradition we hope to continue in 2024.
May saw the planting of trees at the Spalding addition in Meltzer Woods, with the involvement of Meltzer family members.
Our Golden Hour series, spanning from May to September, explored topics from wildflower photography to bats, captivating audiences and selling out quickly.
Community Involvement and Partnerships:
We enjoyed meeting community members at events such as Zionsville Earth Day, Johnson County Garden Club, INPS Annual Conference, Rocky Ripple Festival, Indy Bugfest, and Washington Township-Avon.
Partnerships with organizations like Indiana Native Plant Society, Indiana Garden Club, Phalen Leadership Academy, Indy Parks, Friends of White River, Highland Country Club, RAFT, Groundworks Indy, Indiana Land Protection Alliance, and Indiana Wildlife Federation strengthened our collective impact.
Fall Wildlife Education and Milestone Celebrations:
Take Flight Wildlife
Take Flight! Wildlife Education shared their ambassador owls with a captivated audience at Oliver’s Woods. Meltzer Woods celebrated its 50th anniversary as a National Natural Landmark with a memorable hike led by Phillip Weldy.
Late in the year, we had a Black Friday hike at our newest preserve, Fern Station. Our president, Cliff Chapman led this hike.
December brought a hike at Oliver’s Woods to learn how to ID trees by their bark.
Aside from staff-led outings, participants in the Trek our Trails Challenge explored all six featured properties.
Looking Ahead:
As we reflect on the incredible experiences of 2023, we eagerly anticipate another year of outdoor fun and learning. Keep a close eye on our events page for upcoming outings, and sign up for our e-newsletter to be the first to get updates.
Let’s continue our journey of exploration and appreciation for the natural world. Cheers to the adventures that lie ahead!
DJ Connors
Guest Blogger
DJ Connors, a Central Indiana native and late-to-life hunter, combines a lifelong appreciation for wildlife and the outdoors with a deep passion for exploring the natural beauty of the area he has called home for most of his life. As a husband and father of three, he is committed to ensuring his children have the same opportunities to connect with nature and appreciate the outdoors in their community. DJ’s unique journey into hunting emphasizes sustainability, responsible stewardship, and the importance of preserving these experiences for future generations.
Bridget Walls
Guest Blogger
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.
Jordan England
Guest Blogger
Jordan England is a lifelong Shelby County resident who graduated from Waldron Jr. Sr. High School (just a few miles from Meltzer Woods!). After earning her B.S. degree in Retail Management from Purdue University, she returned to Waldron to start a family with her husband, Brian. Together they have 3 young children and enjoy sharing with them their love of the community. Jordan is the Grants and Nonprofit Relations Director at Blue River Community Foundation, managing BRCF’s grant program, providing support to local nonprofits, and promoting catalytic philanthropy in Shelby County.
Cliff Chapman
President and CEO
As CILTI’s President and CEO, Cliff keeps CILTI’s focus on good science and stewardship. He’s mindful that the natural places you love took thousands of years to evolve and could be destroyed in a single day, and that knowledge drives his dedication to their protection.
Stacy Cachules
Chief Operating Officer
Among her many key duties as Assistant Director, Stacy has the critical task of tracking our budget, making sure we channel donations for maximum efficiency. When her workday’s done, Stacy loves to spend time with her two young boys—and when not traveling, she’s likely planning the next travel adventure.
Joanna Nixon
Board Member
Joanna Nixon is the owner of Nixon Consulting, an Indianapolis-based strategy and project management firm focused on the nonprofit sector. She currently serves as the Philanthropic Advisor for the Efroymson Family Fund. Prior to opening her consulting practice in 2000, Joanna was vice-president for grantmaking at Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF). Joanna has more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit and arts and culture sector. She is passionate about the environment and loves bringing big ideas to life and creating high-quality arts and culture programs and experiences. Joanna enjoys outdoor adventures, including competing in fitness obstacle course races and hiking with her high energy Australian Cattle Dog, Jackson.
Karen Wade
Board Member
Before retiring, CILTI board member Karen Wade worked for Eli Lilly & Co. In retirement she volunteers for a number of organizations, including the Indiana Master Naturalist program, Johnson County Native Plant Partnership CISMA, Meadowstone Therapeutic Riding Center, and Leadership Johnson County.
David Barickman
Development Systems Manager
Born and raised in Central Illinois, David spent many days as a child wandering around the river, forest and lakes there. He works behind the scenes as a key member of our fundraising team. When not working, David loves to be outdoors hiking, fly fishing, kayaking or woodworking.
Jamison Hutchins
Stewardship Director
Jamison leads our stewardship team in caring for the land that is so important to you. He comes to our team after eight years as Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator for the city of Indianapolis, where his work had a positive impact from both health and environmental perspectives.
Ben Miller
Land Protection Coordinator
Ben is excited to have officially joined the CILTI team, after many years of collaboration in partner organizations. He spent ten years of his environmental career with the Indiana DNR: Division of Fish & Wildlife, first as a Fisheries Biologist and most recently leading the Healthy Rivers Initiative (one of the state’s largest land protection projects).
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. She is accredited in public relations (APR) from the Public Relations Society of America, and loves to camp and hike in perfect weather conditions.
Shawndra Miller
Communications Director
Shawndra’s earliest writing projects centered around the natural world, starting when a bird inspired her to write her first “book” in elementary school. Now she 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.
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. As an AmeriCorps member in Asheville, NC, he had his first full immersion in relatively undisturbed land while reconstructing wilderness trails in National Parks and National Forests.
June 26, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Acquisition adds to property set aside for wildlife habitat and shielded from development The Central Indiana Land Trust, Inc. (CILTI) has closed on the purchase of an 80-acre forested parcel in Brown County, adding to a cluster of protected properties and ensuring habitats endure for several [...]
Newsroom,Press Releases,Properties
June 11, 2025
First in a series about CILTI’s early supporters, in honor of our 35th anniversary John Bacone has been a supporter of CILTI since the beginning. He was involved in the first conversations of CILTI’s creation, after the idea was sparked by available land harboring a rare species of phlox. [...]
Fern Station,Meltzer Woods,Newsroom
May 15, 2025
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to reflect on the importance of mental wellbeing and the many ways we can nurture it. One powerful yet often overlooked source of healing is nature.
Mossy Point,Newsroom,Properties
