Barnes-Seng Nature Preserve
This nature preserve contains 172 acres of southern bottomlands in Dubois County. It comprises wet-mesic floodplain forest with a diverse mix of southern trees and a large shrub swamp. It was identified as a potential natural area in 1979 using aerial imagery and recognized as a natural area after ground truthing in 1984. This site protects a portion of a remnant natural area that has been a conservation target for nearly four decades.
A survey conducted in 2022 identified 90 species of vascular plant taxa. Of these, eight were listed as endangered, threatened, or watch-listed in Indiana. A copperbelly water snake was observed at this site.
It is owned by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish & Wildlife.
Eagle Lake Nature Preserve
This nature preserve is in Noble county within the Northern Lakes Natural Region.
This property contains marl flat, fen, sedge meadow, and woodland natural communities. The extensive high-quality marl beach prairie found on site is a rare community type in Indiana. It includes most of the shoreline of Eagle Lake and an island in the lake. The wetlands soils are gray in color from the high calcium concentration. Wildflowers that can tolerate the calcium and thrive include shrubby cinquefoil, brown-eyed Susan, and blazing star. Blanding’s turtles are present.
It is owned by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Fern Station Nature Preserve
Fern Station contains 568.47 acres of unbroken forest that offers forest interior habitat for wildlife. It is dominated by white oak, beech and hickory trees, and rich with woodland species, including wood thrush, Acadian flycatcher, and Northern parula. Red-shouldered hawks are present, and the site is home to an abundant population of Kentucky warblers. The wooded ravines support a rich understory of native shrubs and a variety of fern species, including maiden hair, broad beech, fragile, glade, sensitive, Christmas, silvery spleenwort, and crested ferns.
In 2022, the Indiana’s Next Level Conservation Trust pledged $3.1 million toward acquisition of Fern Station. Central Indiana Land Trust, Incorporated (CILTI) donors contributed more than $1 million to purchase Fern Station and protect it forever.
It is owned by CILTI.
Granville Sand Barrens Roy Whistler Addition Nature Preserve
This nature preserve is in Tippecanoe County within the Central Till Plain Natural Region.
This property contains sand barrens and mesic floodplain forest. This addition adds 37.34 acres to the existing 40 acres dedicated in 2003.
The sandy soils on the property protect a very rare community type that was laid down at the end of the glaciers during the Maumee Torrent. The site is home to state endangered golden asters, ornate box turtles, and threatened fringed puccoon and forked blue curls, as well as a host of other interesting species like six-lined racerunners, sand milkweed, and royal catchfly.
It is owned by NICHES Land Trust, Inc.
Wea Creek Gravel Hill Prairie Nature Preserve
This nature preserve is in Tippecanoe County within the Central Till Plain Natural Region.
This property protects gravel slope barrens that have formed from hillside topography and gravelly substrate. This leads to a prairie plant community that includes several species uncommon to Indiana.
Wea Creek Gravel Hill Prairie Nature Preserve protects several plant populations including Lithosperimum incisum, Phlox bifida, and Erysimum capitatum. There are only three remaining sites in Indiana that protect this habitat and the associated rare flora.
It is owned by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.