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Glacier's End, by Dick Miller
Glacier’s End Nature Preserve created
Written By: Jen Schmits Thomas
Date Published: July 14, 2015
Jen Schmits Thomas
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 15, 2015
Glacier’s End Nature Preserve created
Central Indiana Land Trust closes on purchase of Johnson County site where glaciers stopped
In southwest Johnson County, a preserve 12,000 years in the making is now forever protected. Glacial activity long ago helped to create unique geological formations and spawn a spectacular forest at this amazing site, now known as Glacier’s End Nature Preserve.
Thanks to a number of generous donors, the Central Indiana Land Trust recently closed on the purchase of Glacier’s End Nature Preserve.
In support of the largest purchase in the Land Trust’s history, funders contributed $707,000 to buy the property and protect it forever. A grant from Indiana’s Bicentennial Nature Trust provided $300,000 of that total. The land sits adjacent to two properties already protected by the Central Indiana Land Trust – the Laura Hare Preserve at Blossom Hollow and Bob’s Woods Conservation Easement – to create a 550-acre swatch of contiguous forestland.
Glacier’s End is exactly what its name would suggest: the place where the glaciers stopped their southward march. Specifically, it is where the Wisconsinan Glaciation ran into the Brown County Hills. As a result, the property has both glaciated and unglaciated land, and supports a surprising diversity of flora and fauna within a tightly compressed area.
This massive conservation opportunity took root in the 1930s, when one Indiana family bought large swaths of the land, and the 1950s, when another family purchased adjoining lands. The two families collaborated with other partners in the 1960s to create Lamb Lake, the largest privately owned lake in the state. In recent years, the families worked together with the Land Trust to protect much of their remaining lands.
“Protecting contiguous forestland is important because in order to survive, many species need a block of 700 or more acres of mature forestland. Without that, species like the ovenbird and Eastern box turtle could disappear from Indiana,” said Cliff Chapman, executive director of the Central Indiana Land Trust.
The Land Trust couldn’t have accomplished this without a multitude of partners. Willing landowners – Randy and Sandy Lamb and family, and Tom and Priscilla Johnson and family – sold the property at a significant bargain price, and generous contributions came from the Bicentennial Nature Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Indiana Heritage Trust, Amos Butler Audubon and the Efroymson Family Fund.
The beautiful site features clear running water, steep bluffs, exposed bedrock, shale bottom streams, and chunks of granite strewn across the valley floors. The area is a haven for rare species including the state endangered timid sedge, the Northern long-eared bat, red-shouldered hawk, hooded warbler and worm-eating warbler. Many forest interior bird species are found here too.
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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