Mud Creek Conservancy

06/01/2026

A huge thank you to Tom Swinford for leading us in an excellent learning session on Indiana’s wetlands and their geologic history as well as an engaging botany hike along some wooded wetlands right here in our Sargent Road Nature Park. Some of the plants observed included: Wingstem, Honewort, Leafcup, Green Dragon, Riverbank Wild Rye and Blue Flag Iris.

The Sargent Road Nature Series is Mud Creek Conservancy’s monthly educational series. Keep an eye out as we’ll be announcing future dates, speakers and subjects soon!

05/30/2026

It's a beautiful afternoon for Indiana EarthFest at Garfield Park. Come learn, enjoy, eat, shop, and hang out with Hoosiers who care about our environment as much as you do! We're here till 4 pm.

05/27/2026

You don’t want to miss this Sunday’s talk on Indiana Wetlands by Tom Swinford!

Get Registered: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sargent-road-nature-series-exploring-indianas-wetlands-through-time-tickets-1989422680792?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

Ecologist Tom Swinford will take attendees on a historical tour of the types and diversity of Indiana’s wetlands. Participants will discuss the ecologically important roles Indiana’s wetlands play in our environment including their ecological roles and learn about several of the flagship species that define them.

Join us for our 5th Sargent Road Nature Series of 2026, Iconic Wetlands: Exploring Indiana’s Wetlands Through Time.

Sunday, May 31st: 2PM to 4 PM

Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sargent-road-nature-series-exploring-indianas-wetlands-through-time-tickets-1989422680792?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

Ecologist Tom Swinford will take attendees on a historical tour of the types and diversity of Indiana’s wetlands. Participants will discuss the ecologically important roles Indiana’s wetlands play in our environment including their ecological roles and learn about several of the flagship species that define them.

Tom Swinford is an ecologist, writer, and Land Preservation Director at Sycamore Land Trust. Over a long career in conservation, he has worked at the state, federal, and nonprofit levels to protect, restore, and build support for Indiana’s natural places. He spent 29 years with DNR’s Nature Preserves before retiring as the agency’s Assistant Director.

Registration is free but required and all registrants must also be active 2026 members of Mud Creek Conservancy or Sargent Road Association.

You can renew your Mud Creek Conservancy membership here: https://www.mudcreekconservancy.org/membership

05/15/2026

Join us for our 5th Sargent Road Nature Series of 2026, Iconic Wetlands: Exploring Indiana’s Wetlands Through Time.

Sunday, May 31st: 2PM to 4 PM

Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sargent-road-nature-series-exploring-indianas-wetlands-through-time-tickets-1989422680792?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

Ecologist Tom Swinford will take attendees on a historical tour of the types and diversity of Indiana’s wetlands. Participants will discuss the ecologically important roles Indiana’s wetlands play in our environment including their ecological roles and learn about several of the flagship species that define them.

Tom Swinford is an ecologist, writer, and Land Preservation Director at Sycamore Land Trust. Over a long career in conservation, he has worked at the state, federal, and nonprofit levels to protect, restore, and build support for Indiana’s natural places. He spent 29 years with DNR’s Nature Preserves before retiring as the agency’s Assistant Director.

Registration is free but required and all registrants must also be active 2026 members of Mud Creek Conservancy or Sargent Road Association.

You can renew your Mud Creek Conservancy membership here: https://www.mudcreekconservancy.org/membership

05/15/2026

Join us this Sunday, 1-4 PM, for a Hike and Shop Event at Sargent Road Nature House. Walk the park trails to see the May flowers, and circle back to the house to enjoy free refreshments while shopping for locally grown plants, hand-crafted jewelry, and upcycled yard and garden decor, birdhouses, our almost-famous fire starters hand-dipped in pure beeswax, and even a leather wine caddy to tote your favorite bottles to all your Race Weekend and summertime cook-outs!

We look forward to seeing all our members and new friends!

05/15/2026

Come visit with MCC board members at Sunday's Hike and Shop event. 1-4 PM. Take a hike on the park trails and enjoy the May flowers. Stop at Sargent Road Nature House and enjoy free refreshments while shopping for upcycled, repurposed, or hand-crafted garden decor, jewelry, bird houses, flowering plants donated by local gardeners, and fire starters hand-dipped in pure beeswax. We also have a limited number of well-aged cherry wood chips for your grill or smoker. There's even an elegant leather wine tote to transport your favorite bottle to Race Weekend cook-outs and all your summer events! 100% of proceeds go directly the many expenses associated with ongoing improvement of Sargent Road Nature Park.

05/14/2026

A huge thank you to everyone that gave generously to our Blue Heron Nature Preserve matching campaign. With your help, we raised the $50,000 needed to secure $50,000 in CreatINg Places matching funds from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority and Patronicity 18 days before our deadline!

We can’t wait to share some exciting updates on progress at the future Blue Heron Nature Preserve very soon!

Learn more at: https://www.mudcreekconservancy.org/bhnp

05/05/2026

Nothing can make a rainy spring day in the forest more magical than the Wood Thrush. The Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) is a migratory songbird of eastern North American forests, known for its beautiful, flute-like “ee-oh-lay” song and its distinctive brown back with a white, black-spotted breast. It forages on the forest floor for insects and fruits, preferring mature woodlands with a moist understory and leaf litter, and winters in Mexico and Central America. The species is experiencing significant population decline due to habitat loss and fragmentation, making it a bird of conservation concern.

Recorded today, 5/5/26, in the Mud Creek Valley.

Learn more about this species here: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/woothr/cur/introduction #:~:text=Key%20primary%20habitat%20features%20are,oft%2Dstudied%20species'%20biology.