Indiana Parks Alliance

The Indiana Parks Alliance (IPA) is a charitable organization that supports Indiana State Parks and
state owned Nature Preserves, the resources they steward and the people they serve.

We consider ourselves an organization of “doers” who advocate for and promote these public lands and the opportunities they provide. That’s why our partners are so important to us. IPA integrates their objectives into one agenda to create a unified network of action for the natural and cultural resources and facilities in our Indiana State Parks and Indiana Nature Preserves. Our partners include state parks, state-owned nature preserves, the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation, local friends groups and YOU as a member!

An Important Advocacy Update

Legislature Looks at Economic Impact of Public Lands

The focus this fall is on the 2025 legislative Interim Study Committee charged with evaluating the economic Impact of public lands for recreation in Indiana. The Indiana Conservation Alliance rallied over 20 representatives from a wide range of Indiana organizations to present three hours of testimony. DNR also shared recent revenue numbers from state parks and highlighted the loss of about $1 M in revenue at McCormick’s Creek due to the closed campground destroyed by the 2023 tornado. Tom Hohman and John Goss recruited local community convention and visitor bureaus and chambers of commerce in towns near Indiana state parks to present data, quotes from local businesses and personal observations on the significance of the state park visitors spending for local economies. Click to read more…

Trails for Tomorrow

Indiana Parks Alliance is announcing their Trails for Tomorrow campaign.
About 4 million people a year hike on state park trails. In a recent survey, 70% of respondents said that hiking on trails was their #1 activity when visiting state parks. Indiana Parks Alliance is embarking on a major campaign to advocate with the governor’s office and legislature to restore trail maintenance funding and raise funds to supplement state funding to make trails at State Parks and Nature Preserves more sustainable and enhance the user’s experience

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE AND TO DONATE!

President’s Message

Conservation Thoughts
By IPA President, Tom Hohman

Change is inevitable. It often brings new ideas, and sometimes new directions. All of this is good, as needs themselves often change over time.

Transitions and probably some changes appear to be the theme of this IPA newsletter. Brant Baughman has been announced as the new director of the Division of State Parks, an appointment that IPA enthusiastically applauds. Ginger Murphy has retired after 40 years with DNR, serving in her last years as Deputy Director for Stewardship of the Division of State Parks. That’s definitely a loss for DNR, but a gain for IPA as she joins us as a board member. She joins two other new IPA board members, Dave Williams and Steve Wolter. At the same time we will be losing Sonok Deutscher as a board member, including 6 years serving as our treasurer. Good treasurers are hard to find, and IPA owes a huge thanks to her for her service in that role.

This is my last Conservation Thoughts article as president of IPA. I will be stepping down as president when my current term ends in November, and happily turning over the gavel to Milt Grissom as my replacement. Milt brings a wealth of experience and abilities to the position, and I am confident that he will do a great job. Click to read more…