http://www.oakheritageconservancy.org/

Oak Heritage Conservancy, Hanover, IN (2026)

08/17/2025

Nutty over American Hazelnut!
By Richard Stoll

The American hazelnut (Corylus americana), is a deciduous shrub native to the eastern and central United States including the great state of Indiana. It grows to a height of roughly 8 to 12 feet with a crown spread just as wide. Hazelnut is a medium to large shrub or small tree often multi-stemmed with long outward growing branches that form a dense spreading or spherical shape. It spreads by sending up suckers from underground rhizomes below the surface. It thrives in full sun to part shaded areas.
American hazelnut blooms in early to mid spring produce hanging male catkins about 1 ¼ inches long, and clusters of 2-5 tiny female flowers enclosed in the protective bracts of a bud, with their red styles sticking out at the tip. The male catkins develop in the fall and remain over the winter. The yellowish-brown catkins are showy in the late winter and early spring. Each male flower on a catkin has a pair of bracts and four stamens. Hazelnuts produce edible nuts with ragged papery husks that mature between July and October. Each nut is enclosed in two leaf-like bracts. Fall color varies from bright yellow to deep wine-red.
When used in landscaping, you only need one hazelnut shrub to get nuts. That’s because hazelnuts are monecious (have both male and female flowers on the same plant) and are pollinated by the wind. However, for best nut production, plant multiple hazelnut shrubs together spacing them 5-10 feet apart to be on the safe side.
Here on Stoll Farms, we plant American hazelnut because it was a missing component in our efforts to rewild the land. This native shrub is excellent for wildlife providing food and cover and important for supporting all kinds of animals. The nuts produced by American hazelnut are a mast for whitetail deer, foxes, squirrels, ruffed grouse, bobwhites, turkey, woodpeckers and other animals. The leaves are browsed on by whitetail deer and rabbits and the male catkins are a food staple of ruffed grouse and turkey throughout the winter months. The low-hanging shrubs form a habitat for many animal species.
Hazelnut shrubs grow thick and fast making them excellent as hedgerow, privacy screens, or natural fencing and act as a windbreak to help reduce wind erosion. This thicket forming species provide critical nesting sites for various birds and other wildlife and is a host plant for many butterfly and moth species providing food for their larvae.
So consider adding the American hazelnut to your garden or wildlife habitat restoration project! This native shrub can provide you with delicious hazelnuts or you can leave them for the wildlife to enjoy.
Newsflash! Bean Native Nursery & consulting has American hazelnut in stock for your fall planting! Bean Native Nursery specializes in growing only native shrubs, wildflowers and plants. Visit www.beannativenursery.com to see all the native plants available to the public or Email [email protected] or call\text Sarah at (513)307-0577 for more information!

07/31/2025

Native Wildflowers - Why we plant them!
By Richard Stoll

When I was a teenager, I enjoyed going hunting with my father. He taught me to appreciate nature, the outdoors and the importance of quality habitat for wildlife to thrive, be self-sustaining, and provide food for our table. Those values instilled in me as a teenager planted the seeds for my future passion for land conservation. It was time for me to give back to nature and help restore the land back to quality wildlife habitat.
It’s been a 30 year journey learning about native wildflowers, prairie grasses and native habitat management. Our journey began with a visit from a wildlife biologist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. The wildlife biologist provided many articles to educate us about the invasive plant species in our field, their negative impact on wildlife, how to get rid of them and articles on building a wildlife habitat conducive to attracting birds, small mammals and pollinators.
We focused more attention on planting wildflowers for their ecological benefits to the environment. Wildflowers are a crucial food resource for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators, which are essential for the pollination of many plants, including crops. Wildflowers offer nesting sites, food and shelter for a number of wildlife species including quail, turkey, rabbits and beneficial insects.
The root systems of wildflowers help with soil stabilization, preventing erosion and improving water retention leading to healthier soil and better water quality.
Once established, they are also relatively low-maintenance, reducing the need for chemicals and attracting beneficial insects that help control pests, reducing the need for pesticides. Wildflower seeds are a cost-effective way to establish a diverse range of flowers especially in larger areas.
Wildflowers can foster a greater appreciation for nature and promote a sense of connection with the natural world and have a profound impact on mental health reducing stress, improved mood, promote relaxation and overall well-being.
And of course there is the natural beauty, vibrant colors and visually appealing landscape wildflowers provide. So when people ask, “Why do you plant wildflowers?” We say we plant native wildflowers for the butterflies, bees, wildlife and the beauty! It’s our way of giving back to nature and you can too.

07/12/2025

Our Rewilding the Lawn Project! Year 1

This article is an update of our progress of Rewilding the Lawn Project, Year 1. But first a little background.

When we purchased our home with 5 acres in Dillsboro Indiana, the first thing we noticed was the Burning Bush and Rose of Sharon bushes which had been planted in the yard years ago. Both of these plant species are non-native and of little value to wildlife, butterflies, moths and other beneficial insects so they had to go! A quick cut with the chainsaw and dab on glyphosate on the cut stumps, problem solved!
A year later we decided spending hours mowing the lawn was simply a waste of precious time with so many other projects pending. While we do find it relaxing doing some mowing with the tractor and the wife mowing with her zero-turn, mowing several acres every week or so was just becoming a chore. We had to make a change. So what was our plan to cut down on all this lawn mowing yard maintenance? “Rewilding” of course!
So what is Rewilding? There are a number of interpretations for what Rewilding means. To us, Rewilding is a conservation strategy, aimed at restoring and protecting the land to benefit both nature and the well-being of us humans. This contrasts with traditional urban landscaping, which often involves high maintenance and the use of non-native plant species. The process involves supporting nature to re-establish the conditions that would exist had human impact not occurred. It could mean simply letting the yard go and see what happens. However, we prefer a more hands-on approach by reintroducing native plant species and allowing them to grow and spread naturally. The ultimate goal is to re-establish a self-sustaining yard with no need for lawn fertilizers, fewer mowings where plants, pollinators and animals can thrive without much human intervention.
Our Rewilding project consisted of several acres of front, back and side yards. Most of the acreage was frost seeded in January of 2025 using a handheld seed spreader and planted with native prairie grasses and wildflowers to eventually mature into a beautiful colorful meadow. In May of 2025 we planted a mixture of native shrub seedlings to give us more privacy from the road and to create a wildlife thicket to provide food, escape and nesting cover for birds and other wildlife species.
So fast forward to July of 2025. Some may think their wildflower planting was a failure as the first year doesn’t appear to show significant wildflower emergence. However, keep in mind the first year most wildflowers are focused on establishing deep roots systems to support the flowers during extreme drought conditions. Remember the 3 stages of wildflower development. First year the wildflowers “SLEEP” focusing on establishing its root system, second year they “CREEP” showing a bit more colorful emergence, and third year they “LEAP” and typically exhibit a showy colorful brilliance of wildflower colors which we enjoy seeing and the pollinators (bees, butterflies and other insects) and birds thrive upon. The photo of our side yard shows a number of Black Eyed Susan and some Coreopsis in bloom. One of the keys to a rewarding Rewilding Project is patience! Stay tuned for future articles as our Rewilding project matures.

06/11/2025

REMINDER: THIS SATURDAY!!! Back by popular demand! Oak Heritage Conservancy is once again hosting the Butterflies and Beer Event! See details below!! YOU don't want to miss it!

Date: June 21, 2025
Time: 3:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Join us as we search for Monarchs and other butterflies at Monarch Meadows Nature Preserve and then enjoy dinner and a cold beverage at L’Burg Drinks and More in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. We’ll meet at 3:00 at Monarch Meadows located at 2287 Dibble Rd, Rising Sun, Indiana 47040 and explore the 85-acre preserve. Staff and volunteers will be on hand to help identify the many species and share the history of Monarch Meadows.

Starting at 5:00 pm come and enjoy delicious food and refreshing beverages at L’Burg Drinks More and learn about the work Oak Heritage is doing in southeast Indiana to preserve and protect land and water resources. L’burg Drinks & More is a bar and grill for ages 21 and older featuring delicious meals, snacks, and thirst-quenching beverages. A portion of all taproom sales from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm will go to Oak Heritage Conservancy. L’Burg Drinks & More is located at 1097 West Eads Parkway, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025

06/04/2025

Protect Indiana’s Forests, Wetlands and Wildlife: Buy the Blue License Plate!
By Richard Stoll

President Benjamin Harrison was elected the 23rd president and the only president elected from Indiana and served from 1889-1893. As president, Harrison opened our second, third and fourth nations parks (Sequoia, General Grant, and Yosemite) by setting aside more than 13 million acres of land for the National Forest Reserves.
In 1992, Indiana created its first specialty license plate. Sales of this Environmental Plate helped protect tens of thousands of acres of land for conservation through the Indiana Heritage Trust.
In 2016, the General Assembly re-named the Indiana Heritage Trust to honor President Harrison’s conservation efforts. The President Benjamin Harrison Conservation Trust (PBHCT) is a state initiative dedicated to conserving land for future generations. The PBHCT is a testament of our states commitment to protecting lands that represent outstanding natural resources and habitats, or have recreational, historical or archaeological significance. Furthermore, short term initiatives including the Bicentennial Nature Trust and, more recently, the Next Level Conservation Trust, have accelerated the number of acres protected. Many of these projects were made possible thanks to land trusts’ partnerships with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), willing landowners, and support from many private donors.
Sales of the blue Environmental Plate have protected more than 63,853 acres of Indiana’s natural heritage including Nature Preserves, State Parks, Forests, Fish & Wildlife Areas, Outdoor Recreation Areas and Historical Sites. This translates into more areas Hoosiers can go to Camp, Hike, Bike, Hunt, Fish, Bird-Watching and more!
So if YOU love the outdoors, make the switch and purchase Indiana’s Environmental Plate when it’s time to renew and choose blue!

Richard Stoll is a Board Member with Oak Heritage Conservancy. For more information about Oak Heritage, follow us on Facebook or visit: OakHeritageConservancy.org

05/14/2025

Invasive Plants, What to do!

The federal definition of invasive species is a non-native species whose introduction causes or may cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Some invasive species can displace native plants and cause a decline in plant diversity in woodlands, wetlands, prairies and other natural habitats. A healthy diverse ecosystem is important for clean air and water, food and shelter for wildlife.
Of the approximately 2,300 plant species growing in the wild in Indiana, about 25% are non-native such as the Callery pear (see photo). Some of these non-natives are highly invasive and contribute to destroying thousands of acres of natural plant communities in Indiana.
Why Should I Care?
It costs taxpayers millions of dollars each year to control and protect our natural areas from invasive species. Invasive plants harm wildlife by crowding out native plants used by animals for food, nesting and cover. Most invasive shrubs and trees provide little value as host plants for native insects. Native insects are the primary food source for birds to feed their nestlings.
What Can We Do?
Ask your nursery for native species and do research to ensure the plants are not considered invasive in your ecoregion. Remove any invasive species you find on your property and replace them with native plants. Volunteer to help remove invasives species from your parks and local land trust nature preserves. To learn more about native and invasive plant species visit Indiana Native Plant Society's (INPS) website at https://indiananativeplants.org/ or on Facebook.

04/25/2025

April 26 – Volunteer Day at Webster Woods and Riverview Preserve

Join us for our next Nature Volunteer Workday at Webster Woods and Riverview Preserve. Our task for this day will be to get the trails in shape for the upcoming hiking season. Please wear appropriate shoes, a hat, and clothing for a day in the woods. Bring your own work gloves, a garden rake, leaf rake and/or leaf blower, insect repellent, a bottle of water and lunch if you plan to join us at both preserves. We will start at 10:00 am at Webster Woods and end by approximately 12:00 noon. Then we’ll head over to Riverview Preserve at approximately 1:00 pm to clean up its short nature trail. Feel free to join us at one or both preserves.

In the event of high winds or other inclement weather that creates an environment not conducive for cleaning trails, we will postpone the workday to a later date. Contact [email protected] or call or text 513-678-7530 for more information about this volunteer event.

Webster Woods is located at 2498 S 1066 W, Lexington, IN 47138
Riverview Preserve is located at 1051 S Riverview Drive, Hanover, IN 47243

04/19/2025

Join us for a volunteer workday at Webster Woods and Riverview Preserve on Saturday April 26. Our task for this day will be to get the trails in shape for the upcoming hiking season. Please wear appropriate shoes, a hat, and clothing. Bring your own work gloves, a garden rake, leaf rake and/or leaf blower, insect repellent, a bottle of water and lunch if you plan to join us at both preserves. We will start at 10:00 am at Webster Woods and end by approximately 12:00 noon. Then we’ll head over to Riverview Preserve at approximately 1:00 pm to clean up its short nature trail. Feel free to join us at one or both preserves.

In the event of high winds or other inclement weather that creates an environment not conducive for cleaning trails, we will postpone the workday to a later date. Contact [email protected] or call or text 513-678-7530 for more information about this volunteer event.

Webster Woods is located at 2498 S 1066 W, Lexington, IN 47138
Riverview Preserve is located at 1051 S Riverview Drive, Hanover, IN 47243

04/16/2025

Littering Harms Wildlife!
By Richard Stoll

Litter is not only unsightly, it can cause great harm to the ecosystem. Litter can impact the delicate food web which we all depend on. Did you know litter on land can contribute to soil pollution? As litter decays it can release hazardous chemicals which contaminate the soil causing a decrease of beneficial microorganisms which can affect plant growth. Take cigarette butts for example. Researchers found the presence of cellulose acetate, the fiber cigarette filters are composed of, can decrease the success of seed germination by as much as 27 percent!
Streams, rivers, ponds and lakes are composed of water which is an essential part of life on Earth. It provides homes for aquatic insects, plants, fish and other animals which need clean water to survive. Littering has seriously polluted and contaminated much of our water sources. Often when trash such as plastic bags, styrofoam containers, or cigarette butts are discarded they get washed into our water sources through natural processes or via storm drains. Litter doesn’t just float on the water surface. Floating litter often looks like food and can be consumed by fish, or other aquatic animals. When wildlife ingest garbage, it may block their airways or fill up their stomachs causing them to suffocate or starve to death. Litter can decrease the oxygen levels in water when it decays. Decreasing oxygen levels along with harmful chemicals can kill fish and plant life making the ecosystem barren.
Animals can get caught and trapped in plastic bags, bottles, cans, jars and other containers. We’ve all heard about the plastic can rings holding a six pack together and getting entangled around a ducks head and beak! Litter can harm wildlife by hindering their ability to move freely, causing drowning or may cut into their skin and cause infection.
Chemical Contamination? Yes, smaller animals that ingest micro plastics are eating by larger animals which ensures plastics and toxins make their way up the food chain. Larger wildlife and even domestic animals can become the recipients of a significant amount of toxins which are stored in their fatty tissue. This can cause a host of physical ailments for every animal involved, including us!
Please educate your children on the harmful effects littering has on our environment. When you’re out for a walk along our country roads, consider picking up any trash you find along the roadside. It will take all of us to keep our gorgeous Indiana landscape sparkling clean.

04/02/2025

Wanna Preserve your Land Forever? Oak Heritage can help!
by Richard Stoll

Are you concerned about urban sprawl and would love to protect your land from turning into a subdivision? Perhaps the family farm has been in your family's history for generations and you treasure the fond memories of growing up on the farm. Playing in the woods, looking for crawdads in the creek or catching lightning bugs. You’d like to protect your farm and keep the land in its natural state in perpetuity. Or perhaps you own a large tract of woods with a large mature stand of trees such as Oaks, Hickory and other species that you want to preserve forever. Maybe you’re thinking about your family's legacy and how you could honor your family by creating a Nature Preserve in the family's name.

Oak Heritage Conservancy is a nonprofit land trust that conserves natural areas such as forests, farms, meadows, wetlands and other greenspace which is important to retaining the quality of life in southeast Indiana. Oak Heritage protects land in perpetuity by outright purchase or by accepting donations, bequests or conservation easements. Conservation easements are a legal agreement where a landowner retains ownership of a property, but gives up specific rights, usually the right to subdivide and develop, ensuring long-term protection of the land.

Oak Heritage Conservancy owns or is an easement holder of over 1,100 acres in southeast Indiana including 13 nature preserves open to the public! We carry out basic activities such as controlling invasive plants, removing trash, tree plantings, building trails and installing interpretive signage to make the preserves more accessible to the public. We're actively working to protect more land for people to visit and for wildlife to have a place to live and thrive.

So if you’re passionate about protecting your land so future generations can enjoy the rural landscapes of southeastern Indiana, please reach out to Oak Heritage Conservancy to start the conversation. We can be reached at (513) 678-7530.
You can also support Oak Heritage by becoming a member, volunteering, making a monthly donation or buying a t-shirt!
Check out our website OakHeritageConservancy.org or visit our page to learn more and get involved!

04/02/2025

Due to the forecast for severe weather across SE Indiana this evening, we are canceling tonight's invasive plant program scheduled for 5:30 pm at the Madison Public Library. We hope to reschedule this program in the future. Please share this post with friends who may be considering attending. Thank you for your understanding.

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