Our Stewardship of the Land
How We Work
The land is our common ground. It is what unites and drives our work. NICHES Land Trust’s stewardship of the land is driven by the belief that the Northern Indiana landscape is home to ecosystems of native plants and animals and should be protected.
We protect, restore, and sustain the land so that future generations can enjoy nature.
Below you can read more about the mission-critical elements of our land stewardship program.
Updates from The Field
Stewardship News
A Burn Narrative - Bob Easter
Burn unit BR 4 located in the Black Rock area contains about 72 total acres that are part of our prescribed burn rotation. Of those acres, about 18 are owned by NICHES and the rest by our neighbors.
Read MoreInvasive Species Management News
Rise of the Weeds
Invasive species are non-native to the ecosystem in which they reside and are likely to cause harm to the environment or human health. These species have no natural predators or pathogens in their new environment, allowing for rapid growth and expansion, which can displace native species. Invasive s...
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Invasive Plant Mapping at the Farris Estate with EcoLogic
With the generous support from the estate Lois Lowe Farris, NICHES was able to contract with EcoLogic to perform an extensive invasive species mapping on our 400-acre restoration project in White County. The property, which was part of Farris' bequest to NICHES in 2021, is a massive undertaking for ...
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Tippecanoe Invasive Cooperative Taskforce (TICT) Panel Presentation
Members of the Tippecanoe Invasive Cooperative Taskforce (TICT) present information on locally found invasive species and the best way to “knock them out.”
Read MorePrescribed Fire News
Our Burn Mission
NICHES Land Trust believes in the power of carefully implemented prescribed fire as part of our integrated management to revive the health of our unique xeric natural areas in West-central Indiana.
Read MoreA Burn Narrative - Bob Easter
Burn unit BR 4 located in the Black Rock area contains about 72 total acres that are part of our prescribed burn rotation. Of those acres, about 18 are owned by NICHES and the rest by our neighbors.
Read MoreReports & Research News
Plains Leopard Frog (Lithobates blairi) Surveys Conducted at NICHES Land Trust Properties, 2020
NICHES Land Trust sites in the middle Wabash River region were surveyed for the presence of plains leopard frog, a state endangered species, in the summer of 2020. Two sites, Roy Whistler Wildlife Area and Shawnee Bottoms, were found to be home to these rare frogs, and males were detected calling ne...
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