coneflower
Purple coneflower at Nonie Krauss
Exploring Nonie Werbe Krauss Nature Preserve in High Summer
Written By: Ben Miller
Ben Miller
Third in a series on the Trek our Trails Challenge by guest blogger Ben Valentine
I drove up to Nonie Werbe Krauss Nature Preserve with my son one early morning in a failed effort to avoid the heat. It’s late summer now, and wildflowers and pollinators are my new joy, as the migratory birds have largely moved north and stopped their mating melodies. Binoculars in our hands, we set off into this preserve for the first time, not knowing what we’d find.
Winding trails buttressed by a close canopy of trees kept us cool as we spotted the usual suspects: catbirds, house wrens, a white-eyed vireo with its weird broken-machine calls, a northern flicker, and a group of indigo buntings.
While much of this area was forested, native tallgrass meadow is one of the most rare ecologies in Indiana. Habitat destruction and changes in land management, like the prevention of fires, has left this rare and fecund ecosystem endangered, so it was a treat to come across some nice fields full of coneflower, black-eyed susans, bee balm, and more—all veritably humming with life.
Yet perhaps the biggest threat to these native species, introduced weeds (invasives) are everywhere here too. Invasives will take over whole ecosystems, displacing native plants that evolved strong relationships to support the web of life over millions of years. Invasive species serve nearly no value to the local fauna.
Indiana landowners and agencies spend over $8 million annually to control such invasives—and they are still struggling. Many invasives remain readily available in any garden shop, yet they wreak havoc on our environment, and especially biodiversity. By overtaking native plants, invasives destroy the foundation of an ecosystem’s food web, thereby starving and even poisoning local fauna. Although often sold for their beauty or ease to grow, invasives replace that foundation with something largely inedible, harming entire ecosystems.
As a suburban preserve, Nonie Werbe Krauss lies in close proximity to gardens where many of these species are still cultivated. So, not surprisingly, just as is true with almost everywhere I walk these days, Nonie Werbe Krauss Nature Preserve is brimming with Canada thistle, callery/bradford pear, and bush honeysuckle.
Signs dot the preserve acknowledging the invasives and illustrating the work being done. It is obvious where Central Indiana Land Trust has made progress,* and they are right in tackling the issue in manageable segments—it is too great a problem to tackle all at once.
But there is hope. Like CILTI’s volunteer weeding events, all over Indiana there are Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs) being formed to address this blight on our lands. I am helping form one in Bartholomew County, but there existing CISMAs in the majority of Indiana’s counties. I can’t recommend them enough.
Meanwhile, at the preserve, we had a sweet surprise when we reentered the woods. Near the end of the walk, while I was admiring the indigo buntings through my binoculars, my two and a half year old tugged on my pants. “Papa” he said in a hushed excitement, “deer!” What a treat to share together.
*Thanks to support from Friends of Hamilton County Parks, the stewardship team has eradicated roughly 80 percent of the pear trees that were beginning to choke out a 2008 oak-heavy tree planting. (Pear trees still dominate an adjacent area that is not CILTI property.) This important work continues! To get involved, keep an eye on our Events calendar for upcoming work days. And remember to do your part by avoiding planting invasive/non-native species like callery pear.
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.
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.
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
May 8, 2025
You may have seen a one-room schoolhouse building on your way to Meltzer Woods. But did you know that it houses a Little Free Library?
Meltzer Woods,Newsroom,Properties
April 29, 2025
In presettlement times, much of northwest and west-central Indiana was covered by prairie vegetation. The vast prairie was soon converted to agricultural fields. The only remaining prairie can be found in some railroad rights-of-way and occasionally in old pioneer cemeteries that were set aside prior to the agricultural conversion.
Newsroom
