https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2026/resolutions/senate/simple/34/details
A SENATE RESOLUTION recognizing the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape Partnership.
Whereas, Indiana landowners and rural communities have long provided essential support to the agricultural economy by maintaining working farms, forests, and landscapes;
Whereas, Nestled within these communities, Southern Indiana is the home to key military installations and ranges, including Naval Support Activity Crane, Lake Glendora Test Facility, Camp Atterbury, Muscatatuck Training Center, and the Indiana Air Range Complex;
Whereas, Agricultural operations contribute $35.1 billion to Indiana’s economy, and military installations contribute $1.6 billion in payroll to Indiana’s military personnel, together generating employment, investment, and long-term economic stability;
Whereas, Over the years, disruptive land use and encroachments around the installations have impacted the military’s ability to maintain readiness;
Whereas, In 2013, the United States Departments of Defense, Agriculture, and the Interior established the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership to protect landscapes critical to military readiness while sustaining working economies and conserving natural resources;
Whereas, In 2022, 3.5 million acres in Southern Indiana were designated a sentinel landscape through an effort led by the Conservation Law Center, The Nature Conservancy, and Naval Support Activity Crane;
Whereas, Private conservation organizations, including Central Indiana Land Trust and Sycamore Land Trust, also support sentinel landscape priorities;
Whereas, The Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape Partnership ensures long-term protection of open spaces for agriculture and recreational use, benefiting Indiana and our national security; and
Whereas, In 2024, the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape Partnership spearheaded a historic initiative to permanently protect nearly 4,000 acres of land near Lake Glendora Test Facility, establishing Busseron Creek Fish & Wildlife Area for the conservation of wildlife habitat and recreational land use: Therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
SECTION 1. That the Indiana Senate recognizes and thanks the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape Partnership for its contributions to land preservation for agricultural, military, and recreational uses.
SECTION 2. The Secretary of the Senate is hereby directed to transmit copies of this Resolution to the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape Partnership, Adjutant General Larry Muennich, Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture Don Lamb, Director of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Alan Morrison, and Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management Clint Woods.
https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2026/resolutions/senate/simple/34/details
