Fern Station
Fern Station
Inspired by Thoreau, Rooted in Indiana: Curt DeVoe’s Conservation Journey
Written By: Olivia O'Neal
Date Published: August 5, 2025
Olivia O'Neal
Sixth in a series about CILTI’s early supporters, in honor of our 35th anniversary
Years ago at Princeton University, a young Curt DeVoe was writing his senior thesis on nature as a metaphor in the essays of one of his favorite authors, Henry David Thoreau.
Later, while serving as CILTI’s board chair during the turbulent times of the COVID-19 pandemic, Curt stepped into a kind of Thoreau role. He wrote his own nature-inspired piece on taking moments to enjoy the outdoors, and later another on the underrated Canada Goose.
Curt grew up with a love and appreciation for nature—camping as a kid, trout fishing in Ontario, and finding a fascination with solar energy. Raised on the north side of Indianapolis, Curt spent his days exploring a wetland area near his home, along with Williams Creek, the White River, and Eagle Creek Park. At the same time, he also saw firsthand how the state’s natural areas swiftly succumbed to development.
“I’ve always had a sense that we needed to be sure to preserve open spaces,” he said.
Reading authors like Thoreau and Wallace Stegner in college further solidified his love and appreciation for the outdoors.
“I’ve always been fascinated with writers who have a love of nature,” he said.
At Princeton, he was also a member of an organization called Environmental Action and later ended up being an environmental lawyer in Indianapolis at Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP.
After having his first child with his wife, Lynn DeVoe, Curt began thinking about how he wanted his kids to grow up. He wanted them to have access to open spaces for them to enjoy the natural world.
In the 1990s when CILTI was first formed, Nonie Krauss, a board member at the time, approached Curt and asked him to join the board. She was friends with Curt’s mother-in-law, who had talked with CILTI in the past about putting a conservation easement on a few acres in Indianapolis. He joined the board but had to resign shortly after when his father-in-law became ill and Curt and his wife took on his care.
“That was a big disappointment to me, because I really liked the organization,” he said.
Later, his law partner at the time, Peter Racher, asked him to join the board again. At this stage of his life, Curt could devote the time.
Curt DeVoe on a winter hike at Burnett Woods
As the board chair, presiding during the pandemic was the defining issue. Curt saw board meetings move from in-person to remote. As he was looking for nature moments in his own life, CILTI as a whole began to realize the value of open space and nature as a resource during the pandemic.
Considering himself a dreamer, Curt said, “I felt like my role was to keep us reaching for the stars.” He also had connections with a variety of foundations that helped CILTI to raise more money for land conservation.
His response to most conservation projects was often, “well, why not?”
This attitude contributed to CILTI protecting White River Bluffs even though the project seemed outside CILTI’s scope due to its small size. The project was risky, requiring a lot of finance. As a resident of Indianapolis, Curt values having a property preserved right in the middle of the city. Preserving White River Bluffs was a significant win during Curt’s career as board chair.
But Fern Station is his favorite CILTI preserve, due to the size and importance of the project. The team began working on the project while he was still on the board. Curt and Lynn put forth probably their largest financial support for any organization or conservation undertaking towards protecting Fern Station.
“It’s just an amazing property, and really such an amazing accomplishment for an organization like CILTI to obtain a big property like that, and in such amazing shape,” Curt said.
Today, Curt and Lynn enjoy vacationing in their log cabin (built in 1909) in Michigan. They spend a lot of time there, but continue to be strong CILTI supporters.
Throughout his life, Curt has always noticed and appreciated conservationists from Thoreau to members of the national board of The Nature Conservancy to the World Wildlife Fund (his old college roommate is the executive director).
“I’ve seen up close and personal some pretty big, very successful conservation organizations. I’ve also seen a number of local organizations now that we’re spending time up in Michigan. And what all of that tells me is CILTI really is special,” he said. “CILTI has just done a phenomenal job, and I’m really, really proud to be part of it. We will always be at the top of their support list.”
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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