Land Trust is one of the “big four” funds collected at the state level of The Garden Club of Indiana, Inc., in order to have a greater impact. The funds coordinate with the mission of the organization and as a result of pooling resources; the organization can have a greater impact in causes that are dear to us.
For many, many years, TGCI has partnered with the Indiana Chapter of the Nature Conservancy in its efforts to acquire and protect areas that are threatened or at risk environmentally. At times it has been to protect a specific habitat to protect at risk or endangered species (e.g., the Indiana brown bat). At other times it has been to collaborate to preserve prairie (Kankakee Sands preserve) including the reintroduction of bison to the area during the “bison-centennial” year 2016 honoring Indiana’s birthday. Other projects have included the White River watershed, the Dunes, and other smaller projects of preservation.
Wallier Woods is an amazing property, and because of that, we still have quite a lot to learn about it. TNC is actually in the process of trying to organize a future botanical survey to discover what species are thriving in the area. It particularly is a remarkable site for Endangered Threatened and Special Concern mammals and is also important for cave fauna and some rare plants as well. Because of the property’s biological sensitivity, it is a closed site. Key features as follows:
Size: 843 acres, acquired in 2018
TGCI money raised can be used for the biological survey and most importantly to preserve this unique diversity. Please consider donating in 2023. We might be able to close out this project if your club helps us! Individuals can also make donations…perhaps to honor someone, to memorialize someone or just because you believe in keeping wild places sacred.
Send your check made out to TGCI and enclose the donation form found on the website to our treasurer, Cynthia Wright.
The threatened and endangered species include:
- Wildlife:
- Little brown bat
- Indiana bat
- Northern long-eared bat
- Eastern pipistrelle/tri-colored bat
- Eastern woodrat
- Troglobitic crayfish
- Plants
- Aromatic aster
- Allegheny stonecrop
- Crested coralroot
Donations may be made by clubs or individuals and as honorariums, or memorials. Donations should be made to TGCI with Land Trust entered in the memo line.
To make a contribution: Download the form and follow directions.
LAND TRUST CONTRIBUTION FORM
State Chair: Sarah Nahmias
Updated August 2023