By Ginger Murphy
During a time where budgets are tight and staffing is reduced, Indiana State Parks is still accomplishing natural resource management projects across the state that preserve biodiversity, control invasive species, and conserve the parks’ natural resources that are at the heart of the division’s mission. Here are some highlights of work over the last year:
- Brown County SP: The site of an ongoing partnership with the Sam Shine Foundation and the Central Indiana Land Trust for the Southern Indiana Cerulean Warbler Birdscape, which has already completed midstory removal and canopy gap creation to restore nearly 200 acres of oak forest.
- Chain O’Lakes SP: Completed a targeted removal for the invasive tree-of-heaven through a contract.
- Clifty Falls & Fort Harrison SP: Retreatment contracts are in the bidding process to tackle stubborn woody invasives.
- Indiana Dunes SP: Successfully finished a midstory removal contract to restore rare black oak savanna ecosystems.
- Spring Mill SP: An active contract is currently improving forest habitats in the Donaldson’s Woods Nature Preserve annex.
- Versailles SP: Contract in process to complete forestry mowing for removal of invasive species at Bradt Natural Area.
- Ash Tree Treatment: Ash trees were treated at Harmonie SP and Hardy Lake. Additional trees will be treated this year. Several years of treatments and equipment for Indiana State Parks staff to continue that treatment into the future were funded by the Indiana Parks Alliance.
- Deer Management: Final adoption of the state parks deer management hunt rule last fall will allow managed hunts to resume in the fall to support healthy vegetation and ecosystem balance.
- Land Acquisition: The division officially closed on the acquisition of the Bassett tract at Spring Mill State Park, expanding protected park boundaries.
- Pollinator Projects: Numerous pollinator habitat projects are ongoing at Clifty Falls SP, Mounds SP, Versailles SP, Summit Lake SP, Mississinewa Lake, Brookville Lake/Whitewater Memorial SP, Chain O’Lakes SP, Charlestown SP, and several other properties.
- Spring Prescribed Burns: Large woodland prescribed fires were planned for the 2026 spring season. Weather and staff availability impacted the number of acres completed.
