The Laura Hare Preserve at Blossom Hollow
The Laura Hare Preserve at Blossom Hollow
Gift allows Land Trust to protect 109 Johnson County acres
Written By: Jen Schmits Thomas
Date Published: November 13, 2012
Jen Schmits Thomas
Laura Hare Preserve at Blossom Hollow will be open for the public to enjoy
Thanks to a major contribution to the Central Indiana Land Trust, 109 forested acres in southwest Johnson County will be forever protected and conserved.
The Dr. Laura Hare Charitable Trust has committed $200,000 toward the purchase and ongoing maintenance of what will be known as the Laura Hare Preserve at Blossom Hollow. The total cost of the project is approximately $500,000.
The land is accessible via Hougham Road near Trafalgar in part of what the Land Trust calls the Hills of Gold Core Conversation Area. The Land Trust pursues property in “Core Conversation Areas” in order to protect special places and begin linking together those special places throughout the region.
The Hare Preserve is particularly important as a conservation site because it is part of a large unbroken hardwood forest block that is key for migratory birds and forest interior nesting birds. Few such areas remain in central Indiana. The property also contains high-quality examples of oak woodlands on ridges and slopes, as well as bottomland hardwood forest in creek valleys. Spectacular ridges on the property feature mature white and red oaks clinging to slopes covered with ferns and wildflowers.
In addition, the Hare Preserve is home to three species considered rare in Indiana: the worm-eating warbler, hooded warbler and Eastern box turtle.
“It’s a special place,” said Cliff Chapman, conservation director for the Land Trust. “It’s in a very small part of Indiana where bedrock-laden hills were covered by glaciers. This gives the site a complex soil structure that produces diverse plant communities. It is one of those rare places where you can walk along a flat bottom creek underlain by bedrock with chunks of granite lying around in the forest floor.”
Though Dr. Hare likely was not familiar with this particular property, she was passionate about preserving nature and sharing her love of it with others. With its unique characteristics, this parcel fits well with the mission of the organization that carries her name, which works to enhance Indiana’s natural environment through preservation and protection of ecologically significant natural areas and to promote environmental education, stewardship and awareness initiatives. The Land Trust received two grants from the Hare Trust in 2007 for other projects.
Dr. Hare lived her whole life in Indianapolis before passing away in 2006 at the age of 100. A medical doctor by profession, she worked for many years at the IU School of Medicine. A naturalist and conservationist who loved nature in all of its forms, she earned a PhD in entomology from the University of Chicago before becoming a physician.
Even though her career was in medicine, Dr. Hare continued to focus on nature. She was an avid gardener who took pleasure in creating natural habitats for birds, butterflies, raccoons, and squirrels through naturalizing her grounds with wildflowers and native trees. During winter, when she couldn’t work in her garden, she painted china with birds, animals and flowers. For many years she took weekly trips to Shades State Park and the Pine Hills Nature Preserve to hike in Sugar Creek looking for fossils with her dogs, Engel and Dante. A lifelong learner, she took piano lessons into her 80s and practiced two to three hours daily.
Lenore Tedesco, chairman of the board of the Hare Trust, said, “I think she would be delighted to know that her legacy is preserving and protecting natural places, and providing for the long-term stewardship of these areas. She loved the outdoors, and hiking. She was quite learned in ecosystems and ecosystem relationships, so she would appreciate the importance of large blocks of land being set aside.”
Additional contributions came from the Russell W. Lamb Trust, Indiana Heritage Trust, Johnson County Community Foundation, IPL Golden Eagle Grant, Amos Butler Audubon, INPAWS and several individuals.
Heather Bacher, executive director of the Central Indiana Land Trust, said “We’re delighted to have our friends and supporters share the beauty of this property and enjoy it for years to come.”
Plans for 2013 include volunteer workdays to help build a trail and small parking lot, as well as special events.
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Media contact: Jen Thomas, JTPR, jen@jtprinc.com, 317-441-2487
Ben Valentine
Guest Blogger
Ben Valentine is a founding member of the Friends of Marott Woods Nature Preserve and is active in several other conservation organizations. He leads a series of NUVO interviews with Indiana's environmental leaders, and he cherishes showing his son all the wonders of nature he grew up loving.
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.
Ryan Fuhrmann
Vice Chair
Ryan C. Fuhrmann, CFA, is President and founder of Fuhrmann Capital LLC, an Indiana-based investment management firm focused on portfolio management. Ryan’s interest in land conservation centers around a desire to help preserve natural habitats for wildlife and the subsequent benefits it brings to people and the environment.
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.
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.
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