Central Indiana Land Trust

10/13/2026

We had a great birdwatching outing Saturday for the October Big Day. A highlight was the mixed flock of redstarts, cedar waxwing, brown creeper, and various warblers. Many thanks to Mike Clay, our guide. A great collaboration with Indiana Land Protection Alliance - ILPA and Indiana Audubon.

10/13/2026

In this morning's e-newsletter: Join us next Wednesday, Oct. 21, for a special evening at Oliver's Woods with former poet laureate Joyce Brinkman. Her latest collaborative work is included with admission!

Email from Central Indiana Land Trust Join us for a poetry reading at Oliver's Woods!     An Evening with a Poet     We're excited to welcome Joyce Brinkman, Indiana Poet Laureate 2002-2008, to a spec

10/09/2026

Much learning and networking is happening this week at the
Natural Areas Association conference in Asheville, NC. We are proud to sponsor this gathering for conservation professionals and researchers. Staff (and colleagues) are well represented! Shown here are:⁠
📷 Phillip and Max on a Buck Creek Serpentine Barrens field trip. This landscape within the Nantahala National Forest is chock full of rare species.⁠
📷 CILTI president Cliff Chapman, at right, with mentors John Bacone and Lee Casebere, all sporting shirts from the 1992 NAA conference. (John is also our board secretary.)⁠
📷 Megan Crecelius, Indiana Department of Natural Resources forest ecologist, presenting on continuous forest inventory practices. Megan received the Rising Leader award for her contributions to the field, and we are featuring her in an upcoming newsmagazine!⁠

10/08/2026

In honor of World Mental Health Day, here's a sweet throwback from Oliver's Woods. Nature is so supportive of the wellbeing of people of all ages. This little fella enjoyed being outdoors on a fall day in 2011. He must be quite tall by now. We hope his early exposure to nature has served him well!⁠

10/08/2026

Join us at Meltzer Woods on Oct. 24 to celebrate a milestone: A decade since this beloved nature preserve opened to the public! Details are in this morning's enewsletter. If you'd like to be first to know of these opportunities, message us with your email address. We'll add you to the enewsletter mailing list!

Email from Central Indiana Land Trust Help us commemorate ten years since Meltzer Woods opened to the public.     Ten Years in the Life of an Old Growth Forest     It's been a decade since Meltzer Woo

10/08/2026

It's DAF (Donor-Advised Fund) Day. We offer this overview of how to make the most of your DAF. Excitingly, all gifts (not just DAFs) will be doubled now through the end of the year, thanks to the Efroymson Family Fund (up to $250,000).
https://conservingindiana.org/newsroom/make-the-most-of-your-donor-advised-fund-this-daf-day/
(Photo of Fern Station by Daniel Woody)

10/07/2026

Meltzer descendent Vanessa Armstrong of Hoosier Landmarks for Learning wrote this guest post for us. She and her friends repurposed the old Meltzer schoolhouse into a huge little free library. Check it out the next time you go to Meltzer Woods!
Photos by Paul Roberts.

Guest post by Vanessa Armstrong, founder of the free library nonprofit Hoosier Landmarks for Learning and granddaughter of Philip Meltzer The story of Meltzer Woods begins with John Frederick Meltzer, a German immigrant who purchased the initial 160 acres of Shelby County farmland in 1857. While mos...

10/06/2026

Did you know it's American Badger Day? American badgers are classified as a Species of Special Concern in Indiana and protected by state law. We are actively working to protect habitat for this beautiful and somewhat elusive animal. Indiana Department of Natural Resources botanist Scott Namestnik kindly provided the photo. It was taken at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Kansas. But sightings have been documented on land we protect in Parke County (just none caught on film!)⁠

10/05/2026

We are pleased to partner with Hamilton County officials on this important volunteer work day. Learn more and sign up here: https://conservingindiana.org/event/nonie-werbe-krauss-nature-preserve-clean-up/