Our Mission:
The mission of Little River Wetlands Project, Inc. is to facilitate the restoration of
wetlands in the historical Little River watershed and provide educational
opportunities that inspire and challenge individuals to be good stewards of all
natural resources.
The mission of Little River Wetlands Project, Inc. is to facilitate the restoration of
wetlands in the historical Little River watershed and provide educational
opportunities that inspire and challenge individuals to be good stewards of all
natural resources.
Little River Wetlands Project
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| For more about the Eagle Marsh Woods, click here! |
| View of the new 7 acres of forested wetland. Photo by Heather Hoover |
| Fungus found in the new forest wetlands. Photo by Heather Hoover |
| Fall colors in our new 7 acres. Photo by Heather Hoover |
| Eagle Marsh Habitats and Towpath Trail |
| Steve W. Ross after heavy August rains at an Eagle Marsh culvert that's usually dry. Photo by Betsy Yankowiak |
It began as the biggest LRWP Open House ever. By 10:45 a.m.
almost 50 hardworking volunteers were at their posts. Guests were
streaming in, lots of them. The raptors soon arrived--two kinds of owls,
a kestrel and a red-shouldered hawk. Displays, T-shirt sales,
children’s discovery and face painting tables were drawing
participants. Free native plant seeds, courtesy of Heartland
Restoration Service of Fort Wayne and Spence Nursery of Muncie,
were being given to visitors and the Eagle Marsh tours had begun.
At 11:45 a.m. LRWP President Thom Maher welcomed everyone and
introduced Nick Harter of the Mayor’s office of Energy and
Environmental Services, who touted Eagle Marsh as an asset for
residents of the greater Fort Wayne area. Jane Hardisty, State
Conservationist of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which
has helped with the acquisition and restoration of Eagle Marsh,
presented LRWP with a new Eagle Marsh sign. As an added bonus,
Jill Korte, Manager of Community Affairs for Indiana Michigan Power,
gave LRWP a $10,000 check toward the restoration of Eagle Marsh.
About 300 people had arrived at the Open House by noon when the
brief speeches were over and lunch was being served. With so many
guests in a little over an hour, attendance seemed set to break last
year’s record of about 500 visitors.
And then the rain came—strong rain, plus hail and winds that the
weather service said reached 60 miles an hour. We closed all but one
of the big barn doors and stood inside—hundreds of people, listening
to the rain and hail on the metal barn roof, awed by the natural
phenomenon around us, impatient for the rain to end.
But that never really happened. A little later, when we learned a whole
line of storms was coming toward us from Illinois, we began to pack
up. It was very wet in the wetland that Saturday, for a strange and
wonderful Open House that we will always remember.
almost 50 hardworking volunteers were at their posts. Guests were
streaming in, lots of them. The raptors soon arrived--two kinds of owls,
a kestrel and a red-shouldered hawk. Displays, T-shirt sales,
children’s discovery and face painting tables were drawing
participants. Free native plant seeds, courtesy of Heartland
Restoration Service of Fort Wayne and Spence Nursery of Muncie,
were being given to visitors and the Eagle Marsh tours had begun.
At 11:45 a.m. LRWP President Thom Maher welcomed everyone and
introduced Nick Harter of the Mayor’s office of Energy and
Environmental Services, who touted Eagle Marsh as an asset for
residents of the greater Fort Wayne area. Jane Hardisty, State
Conservationist of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which
has helped with the acquisition and restoration of Eagle Marsh,
presented LRWP with a new Eagle Marsh sign. As an added bonus,
Jill Korte, Manager of Community Affairs for Indiana Michigan Power,
gave LRWP a $10,000 check toward the restoration of Eagle Marsh.
About 300 people had arrived at the Open House by noon when the
brief speeches were over and lunch was being served. With so many
guests in a little over an hour, attendance seemed set to break last
year’s record of about 500 visitors.
And then the rain came—strong rain, plus hail and winds that the
weather service said reached 60 miles an hour. We closed all but one
of the big barn doors and stood inside—hundreds of people, listening
to the rain and hail on the metal barn roof, awed by the natural
phenomenon around us, impatient for the rain to end.
But that never really happened. A little later, when we learned a whole
line of storms was coming toward us from Illinois, we began to pack
up. It was very wet in the wetland that Saturday, for a strange and
wonderful Open House that we will always remember.
Welcome to the Little River Wetlands Project!
| Heartwood of a Black Cherry tree in Eagle Marsh Woods. Photo by Betsy Yankowiak |
| Crayfish Castle covered in water at Arrowhead Marsh. Photo by Betsy Yankowiak |
June 21 Open House Starts Big, Ends Wet |
22.4 Acres of Forested Wetland Added to Eagle Marsh!
LRWP has purchased 22.4 acres of mature forested wetland adjacent
to Eagle Marsh! The new property, along with seven acres of the
same forest acquired in 2007, will be called the Eagle Marsh Woods
(see map below). With it Eagle Marsh, already the largest preserve in
Allen County and the third largest wetland restoration in Indiana,
increases to 705 acres of varied wildlife habitat. That’s the size of
534 football fields, including end zones!
We’re very grateful to the Indiana Heritage Trust Fund, The Nature
Conservancy in Indiana, the M.E. Raker Foundation, the Edward M.
and Mary McCrea Wilson Foundation, the Ropchan Foundation, and
Acres Land Trust for help in making this acquisition. Wildlife will
benefit from the new habitat and eventually we’ll have a woods trail for
hikers and birders. Most important, this mature forest wetland will be
protected from development in perpetuity and our dream of creating a
fully restored wetland ecosystem at Eagle Marsh moves one step
closer to reality.
LRWP has purchased 22.4 acres of mature forested wetland adjacent
to Eagle Marsh! The new property, along with seven acres of the
same forest acquired in 2007, will be called the Eagle Marsh Woods
(see map below). With it Eagle Marsh, already the largest preserve in
Allen County and the third largest wetland restoration in Indiana,
increases to 705 acres of varied wildlife habitat. That’s the size of
534 football fields, including end zones!
We’re very grateful to the Indiana Heritage Trust Fund, The Nature
Conservancy in Indiana, the M.E. Raker Foundation, the Edward M.
and Mary McCrea Wilson Foundation, the Ropchan Foundation, and
Acres Land Trust for help in making this acquisition. Wildlife will
benefit from the new habitat and eventually we’ll have a woods trail for
hikers and birders. Most important, this mature forest wetland will be
protected from development in perpetuity and our dream of creating a
fully restored wetland ecosystem at Eagle Marsh moves one step
closer to reality.
Four board members were reelected at LRWP’s Annual Meeting at 10
a.m. on June 21. They were Thom Maher, Board President, and
continuing board members Dwight Ericsson, John Schutt, and Dani
Tippmann. We very much appreciate these talented individuals being
willing to give so much of their time to LRWP.
We also wish to thank retiring board member April Franke for her very
valuable and continuing service to LRWP.
a.m. on June 21. They were Thom Maher, Board President, and
continuing board members Dwight Ericsson, John Schutt, and Dani
Tippmann. We very much appreciate these talented individuals being
willing to give so much of their time to LRWP.
We also wish to thank retiring board member April Franke for her very
valuable and continuing service to LRWP.
| Board Member Tim Skiver shakes hands with State Conservationist Jane Hardisy. Photo by Lyle McDermott. |
| New Eagle Marsh Woods, May 2008. Photo by Lyle McDermott. |
| Board Members Elected at LRWP’s Annual Meeting June 21 |
| President Thom Maher receives a $10,000 check from Indiana Michigan Power's Jill Korte. Photo by Lyle McDermott. |
| Attendees enjoy Open House activities. Photo by Lyle McDermott. |
| Red-shoulder Hawk at Open House. Photo by Ray Steup. |
| Volunteer Russ Voorhees leads Open House tour between our newly planted trees and shrubs and our mature forested wetland, by Lyle McDermott. |
| Thom Maher introduces John Schutt for reelection to the Board at the Annual Meeting. Photo by Lyle McDermott. |
| Young LRWP supporter shows off her beautiful face and hand paintings. Photo by Betsy Yankowiak. |
| Volunteers enjoy their well deserved free lunch after the first storm. Photo by Lyle McDermott. |
| Blue Spotted Salamander found before Open House by volunteer. Photo by Lyle McDermott. |