IPA received some great applications from local friends groups for our annual grants program. After consideration of all applications, the Board at the May meeting approved the following grants for 2021.
1. Friends of Spring Mill State Park
Project: Signage for Tree Identification
The Friends of Spring Mill State Park was granted $300 to purchase 15 signs and stands to place on Trail #6 to enhance the park’s educational and interpretive programming.
2. Friends of Versailles State Park
Project: History Addition to Nature Center
The Friends of Versailles State Park was awarded a $400 grant to repurpose an existing nature center storeroom to a history center to enhance educational and interpretive programming.
3. Friends of Ouabache State Park
Project: Invasive species management initiative
The Friends of Ouabache State Park was awarded a $2,800 grant to control invasive plant species, which includes a three-pronged action plan – weed wrangle roundup, prescribed burns, and public education.
4. Friends of McCormick’s Creek State Park
Project: Cave Bio-inventory
The Friends of McCormick’s Creek State Park was awarded $1,500 to inventory and document biota including microfauna e.g. springtails that will provide cave ecosystem data to guide stewardship decisions in the future.