Julie Dart at last years BFri Hike FS res
Julie Dart at our 2023 Black Friday hike, Fern Station
Why I support CILTI: Indiana’s natural sanctuaries need our protection
Written By: Julie Dart
Date Published: November 11, 2024
Julie Dart
Guest post by Julie Dart
I first fell in love with nature in suburban Los Angeles, where I grew up. The landscape was brown most of the year, but there was always something new to see. I loved to hike in the mountains behind our house alone or with my father, watching the sky for hawks, identifying plants, and marveling at the views of the neighborhoods below.
The mountains were my sanctuary. It was quiet there, and my father and I got along better. At home, he could be loud, volatile, and scary. On our hikes he was in a good mood—a calmer, gentler version of himself—and I felt safer and at peace.
As the years passed, though, those mountains filled with large new homes. Our new neighbors erased or planted over the trails behind their yards. When we bushwhacked up the mountain anyway, we saw fewer coyotes and deer. Forced out of their habitat, these and other animals such as skunks and raccoons increasingly appeared in our yard at night, searching for food. Many of them looked sickly and thin. The California quails in our neighborhood also disappeared, and I missed their soft gurgling.
Indiana didn’t have mountains, but it was a different kind of paradise. The deep green of the Midwestern landscape took my breath away when I moved here in 1986. Tall oaks, maples, and other hardwoods shaded homes and streets. Fields and lawns were lush instead of brown and patchy. The air was fresh and unpolluted.
I treasured the variety of natural areas in Indiana—waterways were plentiful and flowed freely, while wetlands and deep gorges offered relief from summer’s heat. I felt privileged to share the land with box turtles, foxes, deer, snakes, and a myriad of birds and waterfowl. A different kind of beauty revealed itself with every change of seasons.
My life changed, too, after I moved to Indiana. My irregular work schedule and constant deadlines could be stressful. Post-partum depression, parenthood, moving houses, and navigating both my parents’ terminal illnesses made self-care even more essential. Spending time in nature, alone and with my family, continued to provide a lifeline during this period and afterward.
But, as the years passed, I saw how residential and commercial development was steadily replacing those natural areas just as it did around my childhood home. I wanted to give back somehow, to ensure my adopted state remained hospitable to wildlife and for later generations of Hoosiers to enjoy.
Donating to CILTI enables me to make a meaningful difference in protecting our wild spaces. For many years, I held jobs that prevented me from supporting politically partisan organizations. CILTI is nonpartisan; it does not engage in lobbying but focuses solely on protecting and conserving land and water in Central Indiana.
It also works closely with the Division of Nature Preserves of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, and other Indiana land trusts to make acquisitions that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. This and CILTI’s collaboration with the Indiana Land Protection Alliance effectively multiply the potential impact of even a modest gift, as do periodic matching grants.
Preserving Indiana’s natural areas as refuges for Hoosiers and our native wildlife is the responsibility of all who benefit from them. And every gift to the Central Indiana Land Trust, no matter how modest, is important. I hope you will join me in supporting CILTI’s important work.
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
Board 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 Manager
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.
December 24, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Banker Potter donates Bedford Falls properties for perpetual preservation Banking tycoon Henry “Old Man” Potter has donated a swath of land previously set aside for a housing development to the Central Indiana Land Trust, Inc, (CILTI) for perpetual protection.
Newsroom
December 22, 2025
As nature-lovers ourselves, we appreciated the chance to reflect on our top nature moments. Enjoy these “postcards” from our staff, which first appeared in the fall 2025 newsmagazine.
Betley Woods,Meltzer Woods,Newsroom
December 16, 2025
In Montgomery County, we recently assisted the DNR Division of Nature Preserves expand Spring Creek Seeps Nature Preserve. A 30-acre tract adjoining the preserve is now protected in perpetuity.
Newsroom,Properties
