By Brittany Swinford, IPA Outreach Coordinator
This spring, Indiana Parks Alliance volunteers and board members connected with hundreds of Hoosiers across the state, sharing the importance of Indiana’s State Parks and Nature Preserves and inspiring new supporters along the way.
Our outreach season began in February when IPA attended the State of Indiana Cooperative Invasive Species Management (SICIM) Conference in Noblesville. The event provided an opportunity to engage with land stewards from across the state and highlight the invasive species work being done at state parks and nature preserves.
In April, we brought hands-on nature education to families attending Earth Day at Matter Park in Marion. Our representative led a popular owl pellet dissection activity introducing participants to local wildlife and was also interviewed by the local radio station, helping to raise awareness of IPA’s mission.
May was a busy month for outreach. At the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival we staffed an IPA booth connecting with birders and outdoor enthusiasts from across the region. A drawing for Vortex binoculars and a complimentary Indiana State Parks pass resulted in more than 100 new contacts and some new IPA memberships.
Most recently, IPA participated in EarthFest in Garfield Park. Visitors of all ages enjoyed creating nature-themed buttons, with more than 150 buttons made throughout the event. The activity sparked fun conversations with families about their favorite parks and preserves to visit, with Turkey Run and Brown County being the most-mentioned favorites.
We are grateful to the volunteers and board members who generously shared their time, enthusiasm, and expertise to promote appreciation and advocacy for Indiana’s treasured parks and nature preserves. Thank you to everyone who helped make this spring’s outreach efforts a success and if you want to be a part of our outreach efforts, contact us at info@indianaparksalliance.org
