You may have noticed we took a break from our last newsletter as we anxiously awaited to hear the results of some exciting projects we have been pursuing. We can confidently say the wait was worth it. In this newsletter, you will find two keys projects that have now secured funding and will move to implementation over the coming months and years. Following that, we are highlighting several stories about fantastic progress by just a few of our committed and hard-working partners. As always, we remain thankful and grateful for the landowners of this landscape who choose conservation and the numerous partners whose work supports those positive actions.

Regional Conservation Partnership Program

The Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape (SISL) partnership is excited to announce approval of a Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) for the 3.5-million-acre SISL area.

RCPP is a partner-driven approach to conservation that funds innovative solutions to natural resource challenges. The Natural Resources Conservation Service within the US Department of Agriculture oversees the federal program.

This RCPP will increase private lands conservation on farms and forests in southern Indiana. NRCS will provide funding to the partnership over the next five years to permanently protect and restore over 2,500 acres of forestland through conservation easements, restore an additional 5,000 to 10,000 acres of oak-hickory forest ecosystems, and increase sustainable farming practices on tens of thousands of acres.

Since designation in February 2022, the SISL partnership has been working on ways to advance the pace and scale of conservation in southern Indiana. This RCPP will help achieve many of the program’s goals. The diverse partnership advancing this project includes NSA Crane, Atterbury-Muscatatuck Training Center, The Conservation Fund, The Nature Conservancy, Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative, American Bird Conservancy, Let the Sunshine IN, Indiana Forestry and Woodland Owners Association, Indiana DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife, Central Indiana Land Trust, and Indiana State Department of Agriculture Division of Soil Conservation.

America the Beautiful Challenge Grant

We were successful in this grant application led by the State of Indiana Cooperative Invasive Species Management and including the following additional partners: Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) in Bartholomew, Brown, Jennings, Johnson, and Sullivan Counties; Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs) in Bartholomew, Brown, and Johnson County; Naval Support Activity Crane; Atterbury-Muscatatuck Training Center; and the Cordry Sweetwater Conservation District. The grant will include three components: invasive species control projects, establishment of two new CISMAs, and outreach and education.

Invasive plant species removal on adjacent private lands to military installations - Approximately 80 properties, encompassing approximately 1,200 acres, will receive invasive species control through a grant program managed by SICIM. This work will occur primarily on pre-identified properties near Camp Atterbury Training Center and the Muscatatuck Training Center. In addition to their locations, these properties have been selected because they are not likely eligible to receive cost share support through existing federal programs supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Establishment of CISMAs in Sullivan and Jennings Counties - Cooperative Invasives Species Management Areas work with Indiana County SWCDs. CISMAs are instrumental in providing long-term support to landowners for invasive plant removal and invasive plant education. SICIM will establish two new CISMAs: one in Sullivan County where the Lake Glendora Test Facility is located and another in Jennings County where the Muscatatuck Training Center is located. This will put in place the infrastructure to establish long-term support for community based invasive species management in these counties with military installations that currently do not have CISMAs. SICIM will assist, train, and facilitate leadership for these CISMAs. Sullivan and Jennings CISMAs will join with other Indiana CISMAs under the Indiana Invasives Initiative project for support and resources.

Outreach and Education - SICIM will host a minimum of forty (40) Weed Wrangles® that demonstrate how to manage invasive species to support native habitat. Weed Wrangles® often assist local parks with habitat management projects and one of the project areas will be 40 acres of the Johnson County Park which is adjacent to Camp Atterbury Training Center. Each Weed Wrangle® consists of a brief educational session and at least two hours of invasive species control activities in a local park or natural area open to the public. These events are designed to teach residents the value of native species, the impacts of invasive species, how to identify invasive species, how to manage them, as well as inspire residents to collaborate for habitat improvement in their parks and at home. In addition to Weed Wrangles®, six workshops will be held across the project area on private lands. These workshops will be led by professionals and hosted by residents, which is key to building trust for the program. They will consist of an overview of basic ecology, species identification, and hands-on demonstration of management techniques that address ecological issues relevant to landowners.

Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape Charter Fully Executed

All twelve Landscape Coordinating Committee member organizations have now signed onto the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape charter. This charter is the foundational document of the partnership and lays out our shared vision, purpose, and principles. The charter also outlines governance and expectations of the partnership. As we continue to work on our strategic plan, we will begin to look at formally incorporating more partners into the subcommittees and working groups. Many of these partners have already been working with us on projects and initiatives. The following are the twelve Landscape Coordinating Committee partners: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Forest Service Hoosier National Forest, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Navy, Indiana National Guard, Conservation Law Center, Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indiana Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, Sycamore Land Trust, and Central Indiana Land Trust.

New NRCS Indiana State Conservationist

After a vacancy covered by multiple acting state conservationists, SISL is excited to share the news of the new permanent State Conservationist, Damarys Mortenson. Her 31-year career with NRCS has seen her serve in various roles in Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, and West Virginia. We welcome Damarys to Indiana. With NRCS being one of the three Federal partners and also serving on our Landscape Coordinating Committee for SISL, we hope to engage her in the SISL partnership soon.

The Nature Conservancy and Hoosier National Forest

The Nature Conservancy recently purchased a 360-acre property within the Hoosier National Forest in southern Monroe County in the Sentinel Landscape. This large in-holding will eventually be transferred to Hoosier National Forest for permanent protection and management. This is a great victory for SISL and two of our valued partners, The Nature Conservancy and Hoosier National Forest.

Indiana Karst Conservancy Secures Key Property

In mid-November, after five months of fundraising, they officially acquired an important 20 acre expansion to the Wayne Cave Preserve in development-prone Monroe County. The main motivation was a years-long wish to physically connect the preserve with the nearby Richard Blenz Nature Conservancy property owned by the National Speleological Society. The two organizations now protect over 120 continuous acres containing two multi-mile caves and numerous smaller ones. Ecologically, the IKC preserve also contains an uncommon sinkhole swamp which happens to support a rare sedge. This summer, through acoustical monitoring, the IKC documented that the Wayne Preserve seasonally hosts at least four bat species that are either listed as endangered or of special concern. And of course by protecting this karst landscape from development, they are protecting the watershed for the long-term in the important Garrison Chapel Karst Area. See more photos and details here: ikc.caves.org/wayne-cave-preserve-expansion

White River Military Coordination Alliance 5-year anniversary

The White River Military Coordination Alliance celebrated their 5-year anniversary at NSA Crane on November 14. The Alliance is a community organization that was formed in 2018 to promote positive development and growth in the communities that surround Naval Support Activity Crane. In attendance were local community member and leaders; local, state, and federal elected officials and their staff; Crane leadership and staff; and numerous partner organizations. The event was inspirational and highlights the power of partnerships within the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape.

Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape Update - Winter 2023