Hoosier Conservation: Fall 2010

Fall 2010 • www.indianawildlife.org

1 | Hoosier Conservation

Taking on a new challenge� BY JOHN GOSSOver the past four

years, the IndianaWildlife Federation hasmade great stridesbuilding coalitions andadvocating for naturalresources in theHoosier State. We haverevitalized the IndianaSportsmen’s Roundtable, made Indianathe first state to sign the Great LakesCompact, influenced DNR to adopt a ruleto end high-fenced deer hunting, support-ed clean energy infrastructure improve-ments for Indiana and begun the charge torestrict phosphorus in lawn fertilizers.As I look back on these accomplish-

ments, I am reminded that a strong boardof directors, a bright staff, and a deter-mined group of volunteers can accom-plish great things. I am proud of my asso-ciation with the Indiana WildlifeFederation and all the other dedicated,conservation-minded Hoosiers that workhard to protect fish and wildlife.This September I moved on to a new

job working for the Great LakesCommission and the Council forEnvironmental Quality as the Asian carpcoordinator. I am charged with focusingthe resources of the federal agencies andstate governments to drastically reduce theAsian carp population and to keep themout of the Great Lakes. I look forward toreporting progress on Asian carp reduc-tion in the near future.

IWF looks ahead� BY STEVE CECILFor those of you who

had not already heardthat John was offeredand has accepted anexciting new positionwith the Great LakesCommission and theCEQ, his announce-ment above may comeas a surprise.

I am not surprised. John has exception-al skills and unparalleled experience mak-ing him the perfect choice for the newlycreated position.The IWF board of directors wishes John

the best in his very important wildlifemanagement position with the federalgovernment. The Asian carp situation isthe kind of issue IWF focuses on, and weare glad that Indiana can play such animportant role in solving the problem.When John told me he was considering

accepting the offer, my first reaction was aselfish one. IWF has just begun to “turnthe corner.”Even in this weak economic climate we

are financially strong. We have strongmembership support and we have avibrant and diverse board of directors.Our staff is hard-working and enthusias-tic, and our volunteers are steady, dedicat-ed, and tireless.John was instrumental in putting IWF

in this favorable position, and my imme-diate thought was, “How do we contin-ue?” But the board and the staff have ral-lied, as usual, and we are moving forwardonce again.The executive committee (officers of

the board) has begun the search for a newdirector. We are updating the job descrip-tion and posting notice of the vacancy.Since IWF is blessed with such an

active, engaged board of directors, wehave assigned a board member or two toeach of our active programs. That boardmember will work closely with the staff tomonitor and advance our initiatives. Ihave volunteered to serve as “acting” exec-utive director in order to have a singleperson available to oversee daily adminis-trative issues.John has served as IWF’s executive

director for four years, and we really willmiss his leadership. We have benefitedfrom John’s broad natural resources back-ground. Though it will be difficult to finda worthy replacement, we will find onequickly, and IWF will continue to growand thrive.Thanks for your support.•

PresidentSteve Cecil

First Vice-PresidentGlenn Lange

Second Vice-PresidentDoug Allman

SecretaryKay O'Callaghan

TreasurerAdam McLane

National Wildlife FederationRepresentative

Dr. Dave Hoffman

Immediate Past PresidentShaena Reinhart

Executive DirectorOpen

EditorStephen Sellers

Graphic Design/LayoutJulie Kirkendoll

PrintingThe Papers, Incorporated

Milford, Indiana

Please address all advertisingand editorial inquires to:

Editor4715 W. 106th StreetZionsville, IN 46077Phone: 317-875-9453

Email: [email protected]

The Indiana Wildlife Federation isconsidered a non-profit organization by the

Internal Revenue Service

VOICE OF THE INDIANA WILDLIFE FEDERATIONHoosier Conservation (155N NO. 0199.6894) is published quarter-ly by Indiana Wildlife Federation, an independent statewide organi-zation of affiliated conservation clubs and concerned citizens ofIndiana. IWF is the Indiana affiliate of the National WildlifeFederations, and is incorporated under the laws of the State ofIndiana as a non-profit corporation.Hoosier Conservation is a membership periodical available only tothe various classes of IWF members and is not sold by subscription.Periodical Office: The Papers, P.O. Box 188, Milford, IN 46542.Periodical postage paid at Milford, IN.Editorial Office: Manuscripts, news releases, and correspondencedirected specifically to the Editor should be addressed to: H.C.Editor, 4715 W. 106th Street, Zionsville, IN. Manuscripts, photo-graphs, or artwork should be accompanied by self-addressedenvelopes with return postage. However, Hoosier Conservationassumes no liability for the return of unsolicited materials. Materialappearing in Hoosier Conservation may be reproduced with theappropriate credit lines unless designated a ©.Membership and Business Office: Correspondence about member-ship, delivery of Hoosier Conservation, or general business shouldbe addressed to 4715 W. 106th Street, Zionsville, IN 46077.Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Hoosier Conservation, 4715 W.106th Street, Zionsville, IN 46077.

Meet us on the Internet

Hoosier Conservation | 2www.indianawildlife.org

At this year’s Hoosier Outdoor Experience, we helped kids build 225 bird feeders.We could not have done it without support from our great volunteers. Thank you toNorth Dearborn Conservation Club, John and Chris Bunner, and Akard True Valuefor donating and preparing building supplies.Thanks also to our volunteer builders (Bill and Susan Alexander, Larry and Libby

Kuhn, Michael LaFlamme, Katherine Murray, Mischa Nixon, Terra and Eli Saffen,Susan Salmon, Dorian Stacey, and Nancy Stahl) for putting in the long hours overthe weekend.Missed your chance to help out at this year’s Hoosier Outdoor Experience? We’ll

be back next year, so mark your calendars now, and contact our office to help out.Be sure to check our website and look for e-mails about volunteer opportunities.•

Habitat Stewardtraining beginsin OctoberHabitat Steward™ training work-

shops are scheduled to beginThursday, Oct. 28 in Indianapolis.The Indiana Wildlife Federation

uses NWF’s curriculum to offer anIndiana-focused program. Learn fromlocal experts how to care for thewildlife in your backyard.Topics include:• Indiana’s landscape• Water management basics• Habitat elements: food, water,shelter

• Indiana’s current wildlife issues• Native vs. exotic plants• Ecological succession

Habitat Steward™ trainees partici-pate in weekly workshops led by local,professional and amateur conserva-tionists. Everyone who completes thetraining will become a certifiedNational Wildlife Federation HabitatSteward and part of IWF’s HabitatSteward network.Every Habitat Steward commits to

30 hours of volunteer work. IWF willoffer volunteer opportunities.Sign up online:

www.indianawildlife.org

Cold Spring School3650 Cold Spring Road,IndianapolisThursdays, 6-9pmOctober 28-December 9The Mansion @ Cold SpringSchool$100

On the cover: Sunset at Goose Pond.See excerpts from Goose Pond biodiversitysurvey on page 6. Photo courtesy ofDNR/Outdoor Indiana.

IWF volunteersrock Hoosier OutdoorExperience

Food, Fun and FriendsJoin us for Food, Fun and Friends at our Member Appreciation Celebration

Oct. 21, 6-8 p.m. at the IWF office.Food: Venison chili and vegetarian stew from award winning Zionsville chef Trent

Sheldon. Drinks from Sun King Brewery and the Mass Ave Wine Shop.Fun: Live music, a wildlife print raffle, and a silent auction with wildlife art, fish-

ing gear, and more. Bring a lawn chair to enjoy the live band in our backyard.Friends: Ask an expert with Jim Eagleman, Brown County State Park; and John

Schaust, Wild Birds Unlimited.RSVP by 10/18 to [email protected] or 317.875.9453.

IWF volunteersrock Hoosier OutdoorExperience

3 | Hoosier Conservation Meet us on the Internet

� BY GENE HOPKINS, PRESIDENTOF THE INDIANA SPORTSMEN’SROUNDTABLENew rules proposed by the Indiana

Department of Natural Resources willchange the way hunters harvest whitetaildeer. Although the rules were developedfollowing a lengthy consensus-buildingprocess that included public input, therehas been a tremendous amount of misin-formation in some Internet chat roomsabout the proposal.The Natural Resources Commission

and Natural Resources AdvisoryCommittee asked the DNR to form a taskforce to examine ways to reduce deer pop-ulations in targeted areas. Legislators andpeople complaining about deer depreda-tion and the high number of deer/vehicleaccidents also asked the DNR to addressthe issue.The DNR asked several groups in

March to join a task force. The task forceincluded representation from theBloomington City Council, the DNR,

hunting groups, conservation groups, theIndiana Farm Bureau and a sportinggoods retailer.There were three major task force

objectives:1. Demonstrate a trend toward a declin-

ing deer herd in certain counties.Demonstrating the reduction requiresmetrics that can be substantiated, andincludes changing the current harvestratio from 50 percent antlered and 50percent antlerless to a 60/40 antlerlessto antlered ratio.Pushing the harvest pressure towardthe antlerless population is the onlyreal way to lower a population.

2. Influence the number of deer/vehicleaccidents per mile driven. Accordingto Chad Stewart, DNR whitetail deerbiologist, this metric has increasedsteadily over the years, reflecting theincrease in cars on the road by factor-ing mileage driven into the equation.

3. The number of deer harvested eachyear in Indiana has continued toincrease, although at a much slowerrate than in past years.

The DNR also wants to bring morebalance between the landowner satisfac-tion surveys and hunter satisfaction sur-veys, reflecting the delicate balancebetween these two social metrics.

Task force procedures andrecommendationsThe meetings started with a significant

amount of discussion about the need toreduce the deer herd. Many task forcemembers were reluctant to accept that wehave an overpopulation problem. In theend, the group agreed that there are areasof overpopulation but other areas wheresocial balances keep the herd in check.Discussion centered on why areas of

overpopulation exist, including:• Limitations on how many deer a huntercan use (eat what you kill)

• Cost barriers on how many licenseshunters can afford

• Hunters ability to spend time in the woods• Access to areas that are off-limits tohunting

Take acloser lookat new deer huntingproposals

Take acloser lookat new deer huntingproposals

Photocourtesy

DNR/OutdoorIndiana


The task force recommended that theseelements must be addressed in any man-agement solution for the rules changes tohave an effect on deer populations. It alsosuggested the following changes:• Increasing donations to feeding thehungry programs

• Increasing access to private and publicland currently and not currently avail-able for hunting

• Revisions to the antlerless quota system• Revisions to season structure and baglimits designed to target antlerless deer

• Education of hunters and landownersto the components of the strategyThe task force ultimately made the fol-

lowing recommendations:• Add a new non-resident youth license• Require at least 144 square inches ofhunter orange on ground blinds whenin firearms seasons

• Require the owner’s name on groundblinds when on public land

• Allow crossbows for age 64 and older inearly archery season

• Allow crossbows in firearms and muz-zleloader seasons by hunters of any age

• Allow crossbows at any age in urbanzones

• Allow rifle cartridges to have a maxi-mum case length of 1.8 inches (insteadof 1.625)

• Allow youth hunters to take the num-ber of antlerless deer allowed in a coun-ty during the youth season

• Extend urban zone season to Jan. 31• Require taking an antlerless deer inurban zones prior to taking an antlereddeer during the urban zone season (doesnot apply during the regular season)

• Open firearms season on designatedmilitary and refuge properties on Oct. 1instead of Nov. 1

• Change general firearms season to start

on first Saturday prior to Thanksgivingand last nine days

• Muzzleloader season to be nine days• Add an antlerless season two days inOctober and eight days in December(Dec. 25 – Jan. 1) only in counties witha bonus county quota of four or moreThis last proposal to “shorten” the gener-

al firearms season is undoubtedly the mostdebated point of the proposal package. Theproposed change is not intended to shortenthe general firearms season, but rather tobreak it up into three different segments.Fragmenting the season will create three“opening day” phenomena, generatingmore enthusiasm among deer hunters.During the current sixteen-day season,

participation drops off significantly afterthe first week as the “average” deer hunterbalances his or her daily life with a long,continuously running firearms season.This proposal helps average deer huntersput that balance back into their livesthanks to the down time between huntingsegments.These downtimes will give the deer a

chance to settle down and become morehuntable again, allowing a higher chancefor hunter success. Hunters wishing tohunt for a buck will see their seasonshortened from 16 days to nine days withthis proposal. However, those who wish toharvest antlerless deer will see their seasonincrease from 16 days to 18 or 19 days ofgeneral firearms hunting.

The next stepsThe NRC voted for preliminary adop-

tion of the proposed rule changes, whichmeans the proposal will be scheduled for aformal public hearing.DNR has since conducted five different

public open houses across the state to dis-cuss the proposal. At these well-attendedmeetings, the public has overwhelminglydisapproved of the proposed changes.People have strongly opposed the per-ceived “shortening” of the firearms season.The shortened muzzleloader season alsohas received heavy criticism.Recognizing the public sentiment, the

NRC, NRAC, and DNR have tabled theproposed changes and will reconvene theTask Force Oct. 21 to review any changesbased on the feedback.As the president of the Indiana

Sportsmen’s Roundtable, I also have con-ducted public meetings across the state(seven to date) to prepare ISR to attendthe next round of meetings with a cur-rent reflection of hunter sentiment aswell as to pro-actively create our own setof proposals to present in the Octobermeeting.DNR took a bold step to develop rules

proposals in reaction to requests from theNRC, NRAC, the Legislature, and theirconstituents. When attempting to changesomething as deeply rooted as deer hunt-ing culture, no change will be easy, andany change will meet resistance.Whether you hunt, whether you are

happy with current deer population levels,we all should be satisfied with the ruleschanging process that considers andaccommodates public input. Let’s com-mend the DNR, NRC, and NRAC forhaving a robust and open process.•

DNR took a bold step to develop rules proposals in reaction to requests fromthe NRC, NRAC, the Legislature, and their constituents. When attempting tochange something as deeply rooted as deer hunting culture, no change will

be easy, and any change will meet resistance.

Visit www.indianawildlife.org to join todayand receive a free IWF water bottle.

Not an IWFmember?


� BY TRAVIS STOELTINGThe Indiana Wildlife Federation’s

Wildlife Friendly Certification Programcontinued its success this year with fivemajor projects receiving certification andfive new projects underway.The program has helped landowners and

property managers create and maintainviable wildlife habitat on their land, whileretaining practical use of the property.The wildlife friendly certification helps

revitalize Indiana’s struggling wildlife habi-tats. In workplaces, developing areas, resi-dences, and on private lands, propertyowners and planners can work with IWFto develop a plan following the guidelinesestablished by the program. This planleads to the restoration and preservationof the type of viable wildlife habitat that isdisappearing rapidly, thanks to Indiana’sextensive development.Program participants form a habitat team

that works with the IWF habitat programsdirector to form a management plan forthe property. Groups follow their plans andimplement a series of practices to increase

the suitability of their property for wildlife.To achieve certification, project partners

must provide all necessary components forwildlife, minimize habitat loss, controlinfestations of invasive plants, and createconnectivity to other patches of habitat inthe area.

Partnerships are the keyIWF makes its biggest impact on

Indiana’s wildlife habitats through theWildlife Friendly Certification Program.The projects range in scope, size, andlocation, from half an acre to over 100acres from Portage to Madison.Certification teams have completed

prairie plantings, wetland enhancements,tree and shrub plantings, invasive speciesremovals and much more.All of the projects depend on partner-

ships between landowners, property man-agers, and natural resource managementagencies. The U.S. Fish and WildlifeService funds a substantial portion ofmany of projects through the Partners forFish and Wildlife Program. The Natural

Resources Conservation Service and theIndiana Department of Natural Resourcesalso offer excellent opportunities for fund-ing. Local soil and water conservation dis-tricts and conservation organizations likePheasants Forever also are valuable part-ners that frequently provide equipmentsuch as seed drills.

Benefits of the programAside from the obvious benefits to

wildlife and savings on maintenance, thereare many other rewards that come withbeing certified. Upon implementation ofthe plan, project partners receive a signacknowledging their efforts and dedica-tion to improving their property.In addition to help with the project and

recognition, IWF provides project man-agers with substantial follow-up to its cer-tifications including continued technicalassistance and property status updates.This summer, to assess the strength of

recent certification projects, three IWFinterns visited several sites and gatheredinformation about their current condi-tions. They took measurements at severalpoints across each site to provide data rep-resenting the composition and structure ofvegetation in each area.After thoroughly analyzing the data, the

interns summarized the results of eachsurvey in a final project report withgraphs and descriptions of habitat charac-teristics, implications for wildlife, and sug-gested management prescriptions forfuture use.All final project reports have been com-

pleted and are now being distributed tothe landowners and property managers foreach project. Providing insight and guid-ance to our project partners has been amajor focus for IWF in 2010. Having anintern crew devoted to vegetation sam-pling and reporting helped the projects.Creating and conserving quality wildlife

habitat is a top Wildlife Federation priority,and IWF seeks new certification projects.Contact Travis Stoelting (stoelting@

indianawildlife.org) if you are interestedin the Wildlife Friendly CertificationProgram.•

IWF’s Wildlife Friendly Certification Program

IWF interns (from left) Mischa Nixon, Hillary Duncan and John Cannaday collect data for avegetation analysis at Clay Township Regional Waste District’s wastewater treatment plantin Zionsville.


T he first biodiversity survey of GoosePond Fish and Wildlife Area, an8,000-acre wetland restoration

located south of Linton in southwesternIndiana, was conducted July 16 and 17.This first step in assessing an importantIndiana wetland provided baseline biodi-versity information and laid the ground-work for future studies.At the final day

wrap-up session, teamsreported their prelimi-nary summaries.Species counts reportedinclude 20 species ofamphibians and rep-tiles, 70-80 species ofbeetles, 37 bee species,124 bird species, 48butterfly species, 30species of dragonflies and damselflies, 74moth species identified with six more tobe identified, four species of marsh flies,four fungi and one fungal associate, and379 vascular plant species. When all

teams have reported their final results, thetotal count likely will be over 870 species.The teams all agreed that spending just

two days in July only scratched the sur-face; painting a complete picture of thebiodiversity to be found at Goose PondFWA would require long-term seasonalsurveys. But even with this brief look, the

results show the rich-ness and value of thisdeveloping wetlandrestoration.Highlight species

reported include thepurple fringeless orchid,American ruby spotdragonfly, bog lem-ming, and barn owl. Ofthe 30 species of drag-onflies and damselflies,

13 were new Greene County records.The plant team reported 123 probable

county records. Of particular interest tothe plant team was the diversity of wet-land plants that were present through nat-

ural recruitment, since no wetland vegeta-tion was planted at the beginning of therestoration. The butterfly and moth teamreported 59 moth county records. Theamphibian and reptile team saw manyturtle nests and found five species ofturtles.Species lists for each taxonomic group

and a brief summary of results will beposted at www.indianaacademyofscience.org/academy/program-archive/bioblitz. Data from the survey willbe shared with appropriate state agenciesand a brief report will be submitted to theProceedings of the IAS for publication. Seethe IAS newsletter, which is available atwww. indianaacademyof-science.org/publications/newsletter, formore information.Goose Pond FWA is Indiana’s largest

wetland restoration done under theNatural Resources Conservation ServiceWetlands Reserve Program, and it is theseventh largest in the United States.The restoration covers 7,138 acres in

two sections, Goose Pond (5,945 acres)and Beehunter Marsh (1,193 acres) thatare both part of Goose Pond FWA. Thediverse habitats include 4,000 acres ofshallow open water, 400 acres of bottom-land tree plantings, and 1,380 acres oftall- and short-grass prairies.The NRCS and DNR have limited

resources for gathering baseline data andmonitoring the development of therestoration. They rely on volunteers con-tributing to studies to gather data thatassist them in the conservation and man-agement of Indiana’s public natural areas.To learn more about Goose Pond FWA,

visit www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/3094.htmor http://friendsofgoosepond.org.•

The survey report was written by BarbaraSimpson, Friends of Goose Pond; Daryl R.Karns, Hanover College; Donald Ruch, BallState University; and Brad Feaster, IndianaDepartment of Natural Resources

EXCERPTS FROM AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE

INDIANA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE’S SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER

Biodiversity surveydocuments diversityat Goose Pond

Goose Pond FWA is Indiana’slargest wetland restorationdone under the NaturalResources ConservationService Wetlands Reserve

Program, and it is the seventhlargest in the United States.

This shorteared owl is an example of the growing species diversity at Goose Pond.

Photocourtesy

DNR/OutdoorIndiana


� BY MARIJA WATSONIWF’s phosphorus-free lawn fertilizer

campaign gained strong momentumover the summer. We outlined a draftpolicy to restrict the use of fertilizerwith phosphorus. Our proposed legisla-tion would outlaw the application ofphosphorus on turf grass unless a soiltest indicates a phosphorus deficiency ora person needs to apply phosphorus toestablish a new lawn.Many important stakeholders, both

public and private, support a restrictionof phosphorus in lawn fertilizers.During the upcoming legislative ses-

sion, Representatives Dick Dodge andNancy Dembowski will introduce a billbased on our position, which includes anexemption for agricultural fertilizer use.The Indiana Department of

Environmental Management also is step-ping in by developing nutrient criteria forIndiana’s lakes and reservoirs. IDEM willdetermine the acceptable threshold levelsof phosphorus and chlorophyll a permis-sible in a water body. Then the agencywill form a workgroup and host multiplestakeholder meetings to address publicconcerns and discuss the rule.The state chemist soon may require

professional fertilizer applicators to com-plete a special training program. A new3B license program from the statechemist’s office at Purdue will lump fertil-

If you plan to fertilize your yard this fall,consider Indiana’s lakes and streams withthese recommendations:

� Choose the right fertilizer. Buy phosphorus-free fertilizer for mature lawns.Make sure the middle number on the bag is zero. If your lawn is newlyestablished or nutrient deficient…

� Use a soil test to determine if your lawn requires supplemental nutrients.

� Fertilize once, only in the fall, if you fertilize at all. (September is recommended).

� Use a drop spreader or rotary spreader to keep the fertilizer on your lawn.Proper equipment helps ensure efficient fertilizer applications.

� Mow higher to develop and maintain a strong root system, an importantaspect of healthy soil. Healthy, established turf grass decreases soil erosionand keeps nutrients on your lawn.

� Clean impervious surfaces (i.e. sidewalk, driveway) of any fertilizer spills orgrass clippings because they can easily wash into rivers and creeks.

� Recycle any grass clippings or leaves as mulch. Microbes will degrade thenutrients in this organic material and replenish the soil. Rich soil absorbsand filters rainfall.

� Pick up pet waste. It contains a high concentration of nutrients that cancontribute to algal blooms in lakes and ponds during any rainfall or stormevents.

� Water in the morning. Watering in the afternoon leads to more evaporation,and watering at night stimulates the spread of fungus and diseases.

� Plant native species in your yard. They have adapted to Indiana’s climate andcan act as a natural buffer for lakes and ponds that filter out any unwantedsediments and nutrients.

Phosphorus-free campaign gains traction


When you renew yourlicense plate, considerone of these…

Funding for the Indiana Heritage Trust isdependent upon the generosity of those concerned

about our natural resources.

Heritage Trust information http://www.IN.gov/dnr/heritage

IWF members qualify for a low-number Heritage Trust plate.To confirm availability of your desired number (under 100),

call the IWF office at 317-875-9453

izer and pesticide application together,requiring professional fertilizers to becomecertified. The 3B license program willprovide information about proper fertiliz-er use, including when to use phosphorus-enriched fertilizer.Fertilizer companies also have gone

P-free. Complementing its campaign toencourage sustainable lawn maintenance,Scotts Miracle Gro Company will maketheir Turf Builder line P-free by 2012.IWF is excited to work with Scotts on

point-of-purchase brochures that we willdistribute statewide. Professional fertilizerapplicators such as Tru-Green and EngledowGroup are going phosphorus-free as well.IWF’s draft policy exempts agricultural

fertilizer applications, but we have starteddiscussing the issue with groups such asFarm Bureau and the Natural ResourcesConservation Service (NRCS), which willserve as vital partners to make nutrientmanagement recommendations to farmers.NRCS promotes several best manage-

ment practices including no-till farming,using cover crops, minimizing traffic ofmachinery and repairing broken tiles. Wewill push them to encourage avoidingexcessive phosphorus applications.

On the groundIWF recently extended its education

campaign to Indiana colleges and univer-sities. A NWF fellowship program funds aDePauw student, who encourages cam-puses to implement phosphorus-free lawnmaintenance plans and sign a letter ofcommitment.We hope campuses will begin with bet-

ter fertilizer practices and embrace othersustainable techniques, such as eradicatinginvasive species and planting natives.Campuses that follow our recommenda-tions could earn IWF’s Wildlife FriendlyCertification.

You can be a phosphorus-free advocatein your community. Discuss the problemof nutrient overloading with family,friends, coworkers, and neighbors.Visit www/indianawildlife.org/

phosphorus.htm to get more P-free infor-mation and to join the IWF team by sign-ing the free Clear Choices, Clean WaterPledge.When you pledge, be sure to sign up as

part of the Indiana Wildlife Federationteam. Clear Choices, Clean Water is astrategic project to raise awareness aboutthe connection between lawn care prac-tices and Indiana’s lakes and streams.•

Visit www/indianawildlife.org/phosphorus.htm to get more P-freeinformation and to join the IWFteam by signing the free ClearChoices, Clean Water Pledge.


� BY GARY DOXTATERIndiana homeowners have been work-

ing with the Indiana Wildlife Federationfor many years to get their backyards cer-tified. Our Wildlife Friendly HabitatProgram has expanded over the years andnow gives landowners many opportunitiesto protect, enhance, and restore theirproperty, which improves the quality oflife for wildlife and people.Habitat loss is the major cause of popula-

tion reduction in certain species and itincreases the occurrence of conflicts betweenanimals and humans as we advance intotheir habitat. So what can you do?All wildlife needs food, cover, nesting,

and water to survive. Whether you have a1,000-acre farm or just a balcony on yourcondo, wildlife will come as long as youprovide all four of these habitat elements.Let me give you a personal example of

what you can do with a small townhomebackyard. I live in Kensington Place, a smalltownhouse development with 15 units inCarmel, Ind. Every house has the same sizebackyard—20 feet deep and 60 feet wide.Most of the backyards do not have any

turf grass, but all have mulched landscape

with a variety of perennials, small shrubs,evergreens, and small “ponds.” I call minea “lake,” and it has several fat, hand-fedbluegills, which provide good fishing forour neighborhood great blue heron.I got my backyard certified in 2001.

Several of my neighbors saw the appeal ofthe program, and they began to fill outthe certification applications.A year later we had all 15 homes certi-

fied, making Kensington Place eligible asa Wildlife Friendly Neighborhood, thefirst one in Indiana. Since then,Kensington Place has set a great exampleof how to “green” an urban environment.This type of neighborhood “greening”

does more than simply create wildlifehabitat. Recent studies by the U.S. ForestService, Urban Forest Research, havefound the following benefits of 100 urbantrees. They…• catch about 139,000 gallons of rainwa-ter per year

• remove 53 tons of carbon dioxide per year• remove 430 pounds of other air pollu-tants per year

• save households up to 56 percent on airconditioning by blocking sunlight

• save households 3 percent on heatingcosts by blocking winter windLarge trees also can improve the value

of your home. The same studies showeach large tree in your front yard adds onepercent to a home’s sales value, and largespecimen trees can add 10 percent to yourproperty value (Indiana Urban ForestCouncil, www.iufc.org).Urban sprawl has reduced wildlife habitat

in and around our cities. We have moved inand pushed wildlife out, crowding theminto adjacent areas and causing them evenmore stress. We all have to live together, solet’s do our part by getting your backyardcertified through the IWF and improvingthe quality of life for all critters.Read more about how to get your back-

yard certified and find an application atwww.indianawildlife.org. You also can callour office at 800-347-3445 to talk to ourwildlife biologist.•

About the author: Gary “Dox” Doxtater isthe IWF director of development, retireddirector of the Indiana Division of Fish andWildlife and member of the Carmel UrbanForestry Committee.

Wildlife needsurban “greening,” tooWildlife needsurban “greening,” too

Carmel Clay's Central Parkmixes prairie, water andconstructed elements for aunique outdoor experience.

Carmel Clay's Central Parkmixes prairie, water andconstructed elements for aunique outdoor experience.


� BY ROSS BRITTAIN, PHIL COX,AND DON GOURNEYThe National Audubon Society in

Indiana (Audubon Indiana) has spent thepast year working on three projects: theGoose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area birdconservation plan, Eagle Creek Park birdabundance and demographic surveys, anda spatially-explicit, Indiana bird conserva-tion plan.Goose Pond is a globally important bird

area in Linton that remains our top prioritysite. This year we hired an intern fromLinton to help coordinate bird monitoringand control invasive species at Goose Pond.Audubon Indiana coordinated breeding

bird point count surveys at Eagle CreekPark and opened two monitoring avianproductivity and survivorship (MAPS)bird banding stations at the park to esti-mate demographic trends, which helpmanagers better estimate how theiractions affect populations.Audubon Indiana is working with a con-

sortium of conservation organizations todevelop urban bird conservation actions inIndianapolis, including commonnighthawk rooftop nesting platforms andchimney swift towers.Dr. Ross Brittain, Audubon Indiana’s

director of bird conservation, was granted aposition on the Indiana ConservationAlliance steering committee and is workingwith the Indiana Biodiversity Initiative toprioritize potential bird habitat conserva-tion areas through species-specific geo-graphic information system models.TheWabash Valley Audubon Society (a

chapter of the National Audubon Society)was founded in 1961 and serves Vigo, Clay,Vermillion, Parke and Sullivan counties inwest-central Indiana. Our members’ passionfor birds and bird watching leads us to bevery concerned about many naturalresource conservation issues.To this end, we participate in many local

events and festivals to promote naturalresources conservation. We also have spon-sored birding identification education class-

es, invasive species control, and establish-ment of a butterfly garden at DobbsMemorial Park in Terre Haute.We became “founding friends” of Friends

of Goose Pond, a favorite destination formany of us. In recent years we have rescuednative woodland plants from future con-struction at the Indianapolis InternationalAirport.As we all know, protecting habitat is the

key to wildlife conservation for future gen-erations. During the past year we haveadvocated to protect the largest black soiltallgrass prairie in Indiana at the NewportChemical Depot in Vermillion County.We are very excited about the newly cre-

ated Wabashiki Fish &Wildlife Area andthe future expansion of this area. Please visitus at www.wabashvalleyaudubon.org or onFacebook to learn more about the groupand its activities.Founded in 1938, the same year as the

IndianaWildlife Federation, AmosW. ButlerAudubon’smission is “promoting the enjoy-ment and stewardship of the birds of centralIndiana.” A proud IWF affiliate, AmosW.Butler Audubon focuses on urban bird

conservation, an annual Birdathon fundraiser,and bird and nature programming.Urban bird conservation initiatives

include Lights Out Indy, which preventsbird deaths and saves energy by reducingnighttime lighting (www.lightsoutindy.org).Wings Over Indy will benefit commonnighthawks and chimney swifts, while pro-viding conservation education to schoolstudents and the public. Also an urban birdconsortium pursues cross-organizationalcollaboration.The annual Birdathon has been wildly

successful since it began in 1987. The pro-gram has raised nearly $500,000 for conser-vation, research and education projects.Funding has helped many projects inIndiana including bird research and con-struction of an ornithology center at EagleCreek Park, land protection in Central andSouth America, and internal activities suchas Lights Out Indy.Amos Butler Audubon offers fun activi-

ties throughout the year for members andthe public including programs, bird hikesand field trips. Find more information atwww.amosbutler.org.•

Affiliate Corner

Local Audubon chapters are importantpartners for protecting habitat

4715 W. 106th StreetZionsville, IN 46077

Documents

Hoosier Conservation: Fall 2010