LITTLE RIVER WETLANDS PROJECT INC
5000 SMITH ROAD, FORT WAYNE, IN 46804 www.lrwp.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: TO RESTORE AND PROTECT WETLANDS IN THE HISTORIC WATERSHED OF THE LITTLE RIVER, A MAJOR TRIBUTARY OF THE WABASH RIVER, AND TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT ENCOURAGE GOOD STEWARDSHIP OF WETLANDS AND OTHER NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS.

LITTLE RIVER WETLANDS PROJECT'S (LRWP) MISSION IS TO RESTORE AND PROTECT WETLANDS IN THE HISTORIC WATERSHED OF THE LITTLE RIVER, A MAJOR TRIBUTARY OF THE WABASH RIVER, AND TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT ENCOURAGE GOOD STEWARDSHIP OF WETLANDS AND OTHER NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS. LRWP PROTECTS 1,227 ACRES OF RESTORED AND NATURAL HABITAT INCLUDING WETLANDS, FORESTED WETLANDS, SEDGE MEADOWS AND PRAIRIES. IT PROVIDES STEWARDSHIP CARE OF ITS FOUR WETLAND NATURE PRESERVES IN ALLEN COUNTY: ARROWHEAD MARSH, ARROWHEAD PRAIRIE, EAGLE MARSH (756 ACRES) IS "THE LARGEST INLAND URBAN WETLAND RESTORATION IN THE U.S.", BUTTONBUSH BOTTOMS, AND IN HUNTINGTON THE LITTLE RIVER LANDING PRESERVE. LRWP ALSO WORK WITH PROPERTY OWNERS WHO WISH TO CONSERVE THEIR LAND, AND LRWP HOLDS A 140 NATURAL ACRES IN A CONSERVATION EASEMENT. WETLANDS BENEFIT NEARBY COMMUNITIES AND AREAS DOWNSTREAM BY ENHANCING FLOOD CONTROL, CLEANSING GROUNDWATER, AND OFFERING RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL. BIRD WATCHING, HIKING, A

STEWARDSHIP AND PROTECTION: LRWP WETLANDS HELP CONTROL FLOODING AND CLEANSE GROUNDWATER IN THIS AREA. EACH ACRE OF A WETLAND STORES UP TO 1.5 MILLION GALLONS OF EXCESS RAINWATER AND SNOWMELT TO HELP PREVENT FLOODING THAT MAY OTHERWISE INVADE NEARBY ROADS, YARDS AND BASEMENTS. EAGLE MARSH ALONE CAN STORE OVER 1 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER IN A MAJOR FLOODING EVENT. WHEN WATER POLLUTED WITH CHEMICAL RUNOFF FROM BUSINESSES, FARMS, AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS REMAINS FOR A TIME IN A WETLAND, THE WETLAND PLANTS FILTER MANY OF THE UNDESIRABLE MATERIALS TO LEAVE THE GROUNDWATER CLEANER THAN IT WAS BEFORE. LRWP'S PRESERVES BEAUTIFY THE AREA AND ATTRACT OUT-OF-TOWN VISITORS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, WHILE IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND PLACE FOR THOSE LIVING IN ALLEN COUNTY. STUDIES SHOW THAT PEOPLE THINKING OF MOVING TO AN AREA WANT PARKS AND PRESERVES NEARBY. EAGLE MARSH AND OUR OTHER ALLEN COUNTY PRESERVES ARE FILLED WITH BEAUTIFUL WILDFLOWERS, TREES, PONDS AND BIRDS THAT DELIGHT VISITORS AND ARE OFTEN VISIBLE FROM THE ROAD. OUR PRESERVES ALSO DRAW OUT-OF-TOWNERS WHO SPEND MONEY HERE, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE NORTHERN INDIANA LAKES MAGAZINE NAMED EAGLE MARSH (WITH FOX ISLAND COUNTY PARK) AS ONE OF THE TOP TEN BIRDING AREAS IN NORTHEAST INDIANA. THE LRWP PRESERVES OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR FREE NATURE RECREATION SUCH AS HIKING, BIRDING, NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY, AND NATURE STUDY FOR THE MANY INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO VISIT THE PRESERVES' 15+ MILES OF NATURE TRAILS EVERY YEAR. NUMEROUS STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT NATURE EXPERIENCES IMPROVE PEOPLE'S EMOTIONAL HEALTH AS WELL AS THEIR PHYSICAL HEALTH AND THAT CHILDREN WHO REGULARLY GET OUT IN NATURE ACHIEVE BETTER GRADES, SHOW IMPROVED COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING, AND ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE DEPRESSED OR HYPERACTIVE. WALKING IN NATURE IS ALSO GOOD EXERCISE THAT CAN SUPPORT BETTER HEART HEALTH AND COMBAT OBESITY. LRWP WETLANDS PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT HABITAT FOR NATIVE WILDLIFE, MANY IMPERILED. OF MORE THAN 245 BIRD SPECIES SEEN AT EAGLE MARSH, 28 ARE ENDANGERED OR OF SPECIAL CONCERN IN INDIANA. BALD EAGLES ARE REPORTED ALMOST DAILY AT OUR PRESERVES AS THEY PROVIDE GREAT HABITAT FOR FOOD. BLANDING'S TURTLES THAT ARE ENDANGERED IN INDIANA AND SEVERAL NEARBY STATES RESIDE AT EAGLE MARSH. NORTHERN LEOPARD FROGS, A SPECIES OF SPECIAL CONCERN IN INDIANA, ARE FOUND AT ALL OUR PRESERVES. CURRENTLY, EAGLE MARSH CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL IS ON THE AUDUBON'S INDIANA BIRDING TRAIL. LRWP CONTINUED INVASIVE PLANT CONTROL AND OTHER NEEDED STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES AT ITS FIVE WETLAND PRESERVES: EAGLE MARSH (831 ACRES), ARROWHEAD PRAIRIE (158 ACRES), AND ARROWHEAD MARSH (97 ACRES), BUTTONBUSH BOTTOMS PRESERVE (25 ACRES), 53-ACRE LITTLE RIVER LANDING PRESERVE (CO- OWNED WITH ACRES LAND TRUST) ALREADY IN A NATURAL STATE, A NEWLY ACQUIRED 19 ACRES IN HUNTINGTON COUNTY AND A 140-ACRE CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON PRIVATE LAND, LRWP PROTECTED 1,323 ACRES IN ITS PROJECT AREA AS OF 12/31/2019. EAGLE MARSH GREW BY 75 ACRES IN 2019 IN TWO LAND ACQUISITIONS AND IS CURRENT 831 ACRES. EAGLE MARSH IS NOW A SPRAWLING COMPLEX OF VARIED WETLAND HABITATS LOCATED ON ENGLE ROAD ON THE SOUTHWEST EDGE OF FORT WAYNE, IS THE "LARGEST INLAND WETLAND RESTORATION IN THE UNITED STATES", THE LARGEST NATURE PRESERVE IN ALLEN COUNTY AND ONE OF THE LARGEST WETLAND RESTORATIONS EVER IN INDIANA. WITH ADJACENT FOX ISLAND COUNTY PARK AND PRIVATE NATURAL LAND, IT COMPRISES NEARLY TWO SQUARE MILES OF WILDLIFE HABITAT. RESTORED TO A NATURAL ECOSYSTEM BETWEEN 2006 AND 2009, EAGLE MARSH OFFERS SHALLOW WATER WETLANDS, A SEDGE MEADOW, WET AND DRY PRAIRIES, MATURE FORESTED WETLAND, AND YOUNG TREES AND SHRUBS AS HABITATS FOR THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF WILDLIFE THERE. THE ADDITIONAL 41 ACRES OF MATURE FORESTED WETLAND PURCHASED BETWEEN 2007 AND 2010 FURTHER ENHANCED HABITAT DIVERSITY AT THE PRESERVE. AN ADDITIONAL 38 ACRES WERE ADDED AT THE CORNER NORTHEAST CORNER OF SMITH AND ENGLE ROAD IN 2016. THE NEW 75 ACRES IS SOUTH OF THE 2016 ADDITION AND FEATURES FORESTED WETLAND HABITAT THAT IN SOME AREAS HAVE NOT BEEN DISTURBED SINCE THE 1938 AS THE AERIAL PHOTOS SHOW. EAGLE MARSH IS KNOWN NATIONALLY AS THE PLACE WHERE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALTERED THE HYDROLOGY IN 2015 AND MOVED THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TO PREVENT THE TRANSFER OF ASIAN CARP AND 200+ OTHER PROBLEMATIC AQUATIC SPECIES BETWEEN THE GREAT LAKES AND MISSISSIPPI RIVER WATERSHEDS. THIS PROJECT HAS BROUGHT POSITIVE ATTENTION TO FORT WAYNE ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, INCLUDING ARTICLES IN THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE, NEW YORK TIMES, AND SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE. LRWP STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS CONTINUED INTENSIVE WORK TO MANAGE INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES SUCH AS CALLERY PEAR TREES, REED CANARY GRASS AND PHRAGMITES WITH PRESCRIBED BURNS, MOWING, HERBICIDE APPLICATIONS AND HAND-PULLING. LRWP STAFF CONTINUED TO REGULARLY MONITOR THE BERM COMPLETED IN THE FALL OF 2015 THAT STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES HAD BUILT EARLIER AT EAGLE MARSH TO PREVENT ASIAN CARP FROM CROSSING BETWEEN THE MISSISSIPPI AND GREAT LAKES WATER SYSTEMS DURING A FLOOD EVENT. ARROWHEAD MARSH (97 ACRES) AND ARROWHEAD PRAIRIE (158 ACRES) LOCATED ACROSS THE ROAD FROM EACH OTHER NEAR ABOITE, INDIANA, WERE RESTORED TO WETLAND, PRAIRIE, AND FOREST DURING TWO TIME PERIODS. THE ORIGINAL 188 ACRES WERE RESTORED BETWEEN 2002 AND 2006, EXCEPT A 13-ACRE MATURE WOODLAND AT ARROWHEAD MARSH WAS LEFT INTACT. SIXTY-SEVEN ACRES ADDED TO ARROWHEAD PRAIRIE IN 2009 WERE RESTORED IN 2009 AND 2010. INTENSIVE STEWARDSHIP OF THE TWO PRESERVES CONTINUED IN 2019 TO HELP THE NATIVE PLANTS SURVIVE AND THRIVE. BUTTONBUSH BOTTOMS (25 ACRES) IS LOCATED ON AMBER ROAD IN NEAR ABOITE, INDIANA. IN 2019 MAINTENANCE CONTINUED ON THE TWO LOOP TRAILS THAT TOTAL OVER 1.5 MILES COMBINED. HABITAT RESTORATION CONTINUES WITH INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES REMOVAL. LRWP'S STAFF CONTINUALLY MONITORS THE SITE FOR INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES LEVELS ALONG WITH NATIVE PLANT ESTABLISHMENT ANNUALLY. LITTLE RIVER LANDING NATURE PRESERVE (53 ACRES, CO-OWNED WITH ACRES LAND TRUST) IN HUNTINGTON BENEFITTED IN 2015 FROM STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES GUIDED BY A COMPREHENSIVE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN CREATED BY LRWP. A SECOND PROPERTY IN HUNTINGTON COUNTY WAS ACQUIRED IN 2019 AND RESTORATION PLANS ARE IN THE WORKS FOR THIS PROPERTY. THIS LAST ADDITION BRINGS LRWP LAND HOLDINGS TO 1,183 ACRES. PROVIDING STEWARDSHIP CARE OF OUR RESTORED WETLAND NATURE PRESERVES IS VITAL TO NOT ONLY THE LRWP MISSION BUT TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. WITHOUT SUCH CARE, MOST TO THE PRESERVES' BENEFITS TO WILDLIFE, OUR COMMUNITY, AND VISITORS WOULD BE LOST. IN REGARD TO STEWARDSHIP OF OUR WETLAND PRESERVES, THE PLAN CALLED FOR STAFF TO ANNUALLY UPDATE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PLANS IDENTIFYING PROJECTS AND BUDGETS FOR EACH PROPERTY BY FEBRUARY 1 FOR THE COMING YEAR. A NUMBER OF CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IN 2019 HAVE ASSISTED IN WETLAND RESTORATION EFFORTS INCLUDING LRWP'S FIRST PICKUP TRUCK, A POLARIS RANGER, AND VARIOUS SPRAYERS AND EQUIPMENT TO CONTINUE THE INTENSE STEWARDSHIP ON OUR PROPERTIES. ACTIONS TAKEN AS A RESULT OF COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS IN 2019: 1. CONTINUED TO PARTICIPATE WITH ALLEN COUNTY TRAILBLAZERS TO ENCOURAGE HIKING, WITH TRAIL SELECTED AT BOTH OUR EAGLE MARSH AND ARROWHEAD PRESERVES WHERE HIKERS COULD USE TO EARN AN ACT MEDALLION. 2. LRWP ORGANIZED SEVERAL DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS COUNTY-WIDE TO HOLD EVENTS IN CELEBRATION AND RECOGNITION OF WORLD WETLANDS DAY ON HELD ON FEBRUARY 1, 2019 AND INCLUDED A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUTH SERVICES AT THE MAIN BRANCH OF THE ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY. 3. PARTICIPATED WITH HOOSIER RIVERWATCH, AN INDIANA DNR PROGRAM, TO DO QUARTERLY WATER TESTING AT SITES ALONG THE GRAHAM-MCCULLOCH DITCH AND LITTLE RIVER. LRWP ALSO CONDUCTS MONARCH MONITORING THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA'S MONARCH LARVA MONITORING PROGRAM. LRWP CONTINUED OUR NEST WATCH THROUGH CORNELL UNIVERSITY EFFORTS AT OUR PRESERVES. 4. MADE PRESENTATIONS TO GROUPS SUCH AS INDIANA MASTER NATURALISTS, INDIANA MASTER GARDENERS, UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS STUDENTS, PURDUE FORT WAYNE STUDENTS, GOSHEN COLLEGE GRADUATE STUDENTS AND OTHERS. 5. WORKED WITH CANTERBURY MIDDLE SCHOOL, ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, EMMAUS ST. MICHAEL SCHOOL, ST. JUDE, LA PETIT ACADEMY, WHITNEY YOUNG, YOUTH SOCIAL SERVICES, FORT WAYNE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, EASTER SEALS/ARC, ICAN, SCOUT GROUPS, AND MORE ON YOUTH PROGRAMS. 6. SUPERVISED SUMMER-SEMESTER STUDENT INTERNS FROM UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS AND WORKED WITH PROFESSORS TO BRING COLLEGE CLASSES FROM PURDUE FORT WAYNE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. FRANCIS, TO EAGLE MARSH FOR FIELD TRIPS, AND FACILITATED RESEARCH AT OUR NATURE PRESERVES.

WETLAND EDUCATION: THE WETLAND EDUCATION COMPONENT OF OUR MISSION IS FULFILLED BY PROVIDING AN ARRAY OF FREE EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS, CHILDREN, AND SENIORS. THESE INCLUDE: SPECIAL COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT FOCUS ON EDUCATION ABOUT WETLANDS, OTHER NATURE TOPICS AND CONSERVATION SUCH AS EARTH DAY FORT WAYNE, URBAN TURTLE FESTIVAL, AND THE MONARCH FESTIVAL AT EAGLE MARSH. THESE FREE EVENTS ALL FEATURE CHILDREN'S AND ADULT ACTIVITIES, PRESENTATIONS ON NATURE TOPICS, EDUCATIONAL STATIONS ON TRAILS, AND VOLUNTEERING. THE URBAN TURTLE FESTIVAL ALSO RAISES AWARENESS OF WETLANDS, TURTLE CONSERVATION EFFORTS, AND SUPPORT WETLAND HABITAT AT EAGLE MARSH. LRWP ALSO OFFERS FREE YOUTH WETLAND EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOLS, PRESCHOOLS, AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS; YOUTH GROUPS; AND FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AGED THREE AND OLDER. WEEKLY GUIDED HIKES AND MANY SPECIAL TOPIC HIKES AT OUR WETLAND PRESERVES WITH A STAFF MEMBER OR A TRAINED VOLUNTEER. SENIOR PROGRAMS INCLUDING BREAKFAST ON THE MARSH, AND WETLAND/NATURE AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO SENIORS THAT INCLUDE HIKES, BUS TOURS, AND PRESENTATIONS. COMMUNITY WETLAND EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE ALSO OFFERED BY STAFF OR VOLUNTEERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. STEWARDSHIP EVENTS AND VOLUNTEER TRAINING THAT INCLUDE LEARNING ABOUT WETLANDS ARE ALSO OFFERED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. LRWP'S FREE WETLAND EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN 2019 REACHED 10,000+ PEOPLE, OF WHOM ALMOST HALF ARE YOUTH, AND WHERE ABOUT 30% ARE YOUTH ARE FROM LOW- INCOME AND UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. THESE NUMBERS DO NOT REFLECT PASSIVE VISITORS INCLUDING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES PARTICIPATING IN THEIR OWN NATURE RECREATION AT OUR PRESERVES. ABOUT 415 HOURS OF PROGRAMS WERE OFFERED WITH APPROXIMATELY 680 HOURS OF STAFF TIME AND MORE THAN 1,650 VOLUNTEER HOURS FOR THE FREE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ALONE. STAFF WILL CONTINUE EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN PROGRAMING FOR THOSE WITH VARIOUS ABILITY LEVELS. LRWP ALSO EDUCATES THE PUBLIC VIA WEBSITE, NEWSLETTER, E-NEWSLETTER (3,100 RECIPIENTS), AND FACEBOOK (3,350 FOLLOWERS AND GROWING). BESIDES PROVIDING THE BENEFITS OF BEING OUTSIDE IN NATURE, THESE PROGRAMS INSPIRE CHILDREN AND ADULTS TO CARE MORE ABOUT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AS THEY LEARN MORE ABOUT IT. AS THE SENEGALESE CONSERVATIONIST BABA DIOUM WRITES, "IN THE END WE WILL CONSERVE ONLY WHAT WE LOVE, WE WILL LOVE ONLY WHAT WE UNDERSTAND AND WE WILL UNDERSTAND ONLY WHAT WE ARE TAUGHT." OUTREACH TO LANDOWNERS TO ENGAGE IN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING TO REDUCE POLLUTION, HELP POLLINATORS SUCH AS BEES AND BUTTERFLIES, AND MORE ARE ALSO A PART OF OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM. THE SEED TO MARSH PROGRAM GREW IN 2019 AND ENABLES PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES TO ASSIST LRWP STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS WITH THE COLLECTION AND PROPAGATION OF SEEDS, TO GROWING, AND PLANTING NATIVE PLANTS SO EVERYONE CAN BE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN RESTORATION AT OUR PRESERVES. THIS PROGRAM TIES TOGETHER EDUCATION AND RESTORATION. ONGOING STEWARDSHIP INCLUDING REMOVAL OF INVASIVE SPECIES, CONTROLLED BURNING, MAINTENANCE OF TRAILS, AND GATHERING NATIVE SEEDS ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF THE ON-GOING STEWARDSHIP WORK AT OUR PRESERVES. IN 2019, OUR SEED TO MARSH ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY TO HELP GROW 800 MILKWEED PLANTS THAT WERE GIVEN AWAY AT OUR MONARCH FESTIVAL. ALSO, OVER 1800 NATIVE WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES THAT WERE GIVEN AWAY TO PARTNERS SUCH AS PURDUE FORT WAYNE'S ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES CENTER, CONCORDIA HIGH SCHOOL, NORWELL HIGH SCHOOL, OSSIAN MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THE VOLUNTEER CENTER. LRWP HAS TAKEN GREAT STRIDES TO FORMALIZE OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS OF STEWARDSHIP AND EDUCATION. IN 2019, WE OFFERED MORE VOLUNTEER WORK DAYS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES INCLUDING HOSTING A GROUP DURING THE UNITED WAY DAY OF CARING. WE ALSO BUILT VOLUNTEER CAPACITY TO ASSIST WITH THE EVER INCREASING DEMAND FOR WETLAND EDUCATION PROGRAMS WITHIN THE ALLEN COUNTY COMMUNITY. LRWP IS STRIVING TO KEEP THESE PROGRAMS FREE SO THAT EVERYONE CAN HAVE ACCESS TO NATURE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCES. AN ARRAY OF VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IS OFFERED TO THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY INCLUDING STEWARDSHIP, CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECTS, EDUCATION, OFFICE, AND LARGE EVENTS. ON AVERAGE 268 VOLUNTEERS ASSIST LRWP EACH YEAR. VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED 4,062 DONATED HOURS IN 2019 EQUALING ONE HUNDRED AND THREE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND NINE DOLLARS (103,309). THIS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW ANNUALLY AND IS A VITAL ASSET TO LRWP. IN 2019, LRWP FACILITATED FIVE (5) CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECTS INCLUDING HOOSIER RIVER WATCH; MONARCH LARVAL MONITORING; NEST BOX MONITORING; TURTLE RESEARCH; AND PHENOLOGY RECORDING AT EAGLE MARSH. LRWP FACILITATED SIX (6) RESEARCH PROJECTS AT OUR PRESERVES INCLUDING, TURTLES, BATS, INVERTEBRATES, POLLINATORS, VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY, AND AQUATIC BIOLOGY. LRWP IS A GROWING PARTNER IN THE STRENGTHENING OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE GREATER FORT WAYNE AREA BY PROVIDING NATURE PRESERVES AND FREE WETLAND/NATURE PROGRAMS THAT ARE SUPPORTED THROUGH FINANCIAL PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

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