Conservation Advancements: 2024 Acquisitions Recap

December 18, 2024 Hits: 146

2024 has been another successful year for the organization, especially regarding acquisitions and stewardship of the land!

As we close out another great year for conservation, NICHES would like to highlight several milestones and accomplishments for our organization – none of which would be possible without the dedication and generosity of people like you.

NICHES staff and volunteers keep NICHES active at our 67 properties across our 13-county service area. NICHES continues to engage volunteers, with 12,000 volunteer hours contributed already to our conservation initiatives. NICHES also hosts regular outreach events, over 120 throughout the year, to engage the public in our conservation efforts at NICHES preserves. This year, NICHES was able to expand its protected holdings to 4,839 acres.

2024 Acquisitions

	Goose & Gander Island 1.5 acres in Carroll County 2 small islands in the Tippecanoe River that are open to the public as a resting point for paddlers, near NICHES’ Frog’s Glory preserve. The property’s conservation value comes from protecting tree canopy and other habitat for birds and other wildlife.
	Howell Oak Woodland 27 acres in Tippecanoe County Purchased with Support from the Whistler Foundation Features high-quality mesic oak woodland, including old remnant bur and white oak dominating the canopy. The property also contains a roughly 0.4 mile stretch of the upper portions of Little Pine Creek. Herbaceous flora and native shrub components across the property look to have some good remnant quality and will be improved with management. The property is 0.14 miles away from NICHES’ Mulvey Pond.
	Spring Creek Sanctuary 13 acres in White County, located in the lower Tippecanoe River about 1 mile West from NICHES’ Frog’s Glory. The property is mostly wooded and is enrolled in the Classified Forest program. It is a mixed hardwood forest with an overstory of post/pole to large sawlog size black walnut, hackberry, bitternut hickory, sycamore, N. Red oak, burr oak, elm, sugar maple, and black cherry. Spring Creek flows through the property. The property just completed 3 years of EQIP brush management targeting honeysuckle and multiflora rose.
	Sugar Creek – Keating Property 18 acres in Montgomery County Bargain Purchased in September 2024 with support from the Whistler Foundation The property includes an uneven-aged stand of glacial remnant eastern hemlock, an uncommon species in Indiana which is found locally in only 13 counties in Indiana. The overall botanical diversity on the property is strong, with oak hickory upland woods, ravines, and exposed sandstone bedrock facing Sugar Creek. Invasive species are present on the property but will be easily controlled. The property has a great landscape context with much of the acreage upstream and downstream owned by NICHES conservation partner, Allen Clauser (owner of NICHES’ Rock River Farm Easement) connecting to Shades State Park downstream and NICHES’ Bachner Nature Reserve upstream.
	Williams Woods Addition 126 acres in Warren County, which expands NICHES’ Williams Woods preserve to 241 acres. Purchased in a Bargain Sale with support from the Whistler Foundation Allows for expanded work restoring about 90 more acres of agricultural land to silt-loam savanna. This expanded savanna habitat benefits wildlife and water quality in Opossum Run and feeder streams locally Provides year-round recreational opportunities such as hiking, birding, and viewing of year-round wildflower displays.

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