Save the Dunes

28/08/2026

Save the Dunes, in collaboration with Indiana Dunes National Park, invites proposals from qualified consultants and firms to develop, deploy, validate, and evaluate a pilot system designed to provide real-time and predictive parking availability at high-demand locations within the park. The goal is to help visitors make informed parking decisions before entering congested areas, improving the visitor experience while reducing traffic impacts on neighboring communities.

The anticipated notice to proceed is January 4, 2027, with the base project performance period continuing through January 31, 2028.

We invite those with demonstrated experience designing, implementing, operating, and maintaining real-time data systems to review the full RFP and submit a proposal no later than 5:00 p.m. Central Time (CT) on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. View and download proposal here:https://savedunes.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/RFP_INDU_Smart_Parking.pdf

Photo Credit: National Park Service/Katrina George

28/08/2026

VIP tickets are selling fast! For just $100, this special ticket to our annual fundraiser -Jammin with Save the Dunes- includes a scenic boat ride on Lake Michigan made possible by Harbour County Adventures, 1 drink ticket to enjoy on the boat or at the concert, plus general admission to Jammin! We are also offering special group ticket pricing: get 6 VIP tickets for the price of 5! Don’t wait, secure your tickets today! https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/2026-jammin-with-save-the-dunes-tickets-1990583513875?aff=erelexpmlt

26/08/2026

We're proud to collect communities' stories on conservation, sustainability, and more for our regional project, supported by Healing Our Waters - Great Lakes Coalition! Check out our blog featuring a testimonial about the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and the conservation partnerships that have made meaningful habitat restoration possible for private landowners. Head to the link to learn more and submit yours today!

Conservation Success Story: Debra M. Welcome to our Environmental Success Stories Series! We’re excited to share a new project Save the Dunes will be implementing over the next year through generous funding from the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition. Through this funding, Save the Dunes wil...

25/08/2026

Happy Birthday to the National Park Service! Today we celebrate 110 years of National Parks! There’s no better time to get out and enjoy the parks, and with extra excitement because all parks are fee-free today! Remember to avoid closed areas still impacted by the storm earlier this month. We recommend the short beach trail at Mt. Baldy, where you can see conservation in action with the new improvements to the area. Or visit the Great Marsh, where natives are blooming, and the locals (native species) are plentiful after all the recent rain. Please remember to stay on designated trails and follow marked signs.

Photo by Rafi Wilkinson, NPS. Glorious sunset over Mt. Baldy.

25/08/2026

24/08/2026

As Save the Dunes deepens our support of the Indiana Dunes National Park, we’re celebrating National Park Week this week by sharing quotes from our staff about the importance of these lands, their stories, and why protecting them is becoming more important every day. Feel free to share your National Park story here in the comments!

20/08/2026

Save the Dunes has received a $625,000 grant from the National Park Foundation (NPF) to support the Indiana Dunes National Park in deploying sensors and data systems that provide real-time, predictive parking availability for beach parking lots and improve the visitor experience. This is one of the first grants awarded by NPF as part of a new, dedicated effort to support innovation to strengthen parks, expand what is possible, and ensure these extraordinary places endure for generations.

Save the Dunes, in partnership with IndianaDunes National Park, will launch our Indiana Dunes Smart Parking Initiative, an effort designed to reduce traffic congestion, improve safety and mobility, and create a more predictable and welcoming experience for the park’s approximately 2.65 million annual visitors. Beginning fall 2026, the project will install parking occupancy technology at six high-use beach and trail parking areas and deploy up to eight portable message signs to guide visitors toward available parking before they enter congested community roadways; the system is tentatively scheduled to launch before Memorial Day weekend in May 2027. Once implemented, the project will deliver parking and travel updates through both roadside signage and a publicly accessible data system, ensuring that visitors can make informed decisions regardless of their mobility needs, digital connectivity, or level of advance planning. This multi-channel approach will support more equitable access while strengthening long-term, region-wide coordination of visitor traffic across the Indiana Dunes.

20/08/2026

Thanks for having us, 95.1 FM/AM 1420 WIMS, we always have so much fun talking about all things dunes with you!

Lisa Scheller and Em Racine with Save the Dunes in studio here at WIMS. Today, we chat about Jammin with Save the Dunes, Green Drinks, and much more. Visit their website at www.savedunes.org or call 219-869-3564.