ENSURING OUR NATION’S MILITARY READINESS AND PROTECTING INDIANA’S NATURAL HERITAGE
In 2022, the federal government designated the 3.5 million acre Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape (SISL), at the time one of only ten such areas in the country, recognizing the critical importance of southern Indiana’s four military installations and the area’s rich natural and agricultural heritage. The four critical Department of Defense installations and ranges that are the cornerstones of the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape are Naval Support Activity Crane, the Lake Glendora Test Facility, Atterbury-Muscatatuck Training Center, and the Indiana Air Range Complex. The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is a coalition of federal agencies, state and local governments, and non-governmental organizations that works with private and public landowners to advance sustainable land management practices around military installations and ranges. Founded in 2013 by the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Agriculture, and Department of the Interior, the Partnership’s mission is to strengthen military readiness, conserve natural resources, prepare for drought and flood, and bolster agricultural and forestry economies. In 2024 FEMA was incorporated into the Federal Sentinel Landcape partnership. FEMA’s mission—to help people before, during, and after disasters—aligns seamlessly with the sentinel landscapes’ commitment to conservation, working lands, and national defense. This vast landscape contains approximately 470,000 acres of protected lands including State Parks, Recreation Areas, State Forests, Fish and Wildlife Areas, and Nature Preserves managed by the Department of Natural Resources; National Forest; National Wildlife Refuges; Land Trust properties; local parks; military installations and ranges; and private lands with conservation easements.. The Conservation Law Center (CLC) at Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law coordinates the Sentinel Landscape program in Southern Indiana.
Sentinel Landscape Partners work to:
- Preserve and protect military missions
- Support sustainable farming and forestry
- Restore and sustain ecosystems
- Ensure thriving human communities
- Improve climate resiliency
Why is the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape important?
The four installations and ranges provide a variety of testing and training opportunities for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Guard, as well as federal and state partners.
Indiana’s four military bases are critical to our national security and are essential economic drivers for their local communities and the State of Indiana.
Encroachments and incompatible land use near the installations have increased over the past several decades, impacting the military’s ability to maintain mission readiness.
Compatible land uses, including farms, forests, wetlands, and grasslands are good neighbors to our military installations.
SISL supports sustainable land management of farms and forests by connecting private landowners with available resources and programs.
Encouraging sustainable compatible land uses near our military installations will help keep farms and forests healthy and productive, improve water quality, and provide important habitat.
Healthy working and natural landscapes adjacent to our military bases make our local economies stronger.
How can you join the effort to conserve our natural resources while supporting our military?
If you are a landowner who values conservation, reach out to us and we can help you navigate what partners and programs might best fit your goals for your property. Our new Conservation Discovery Web Application can also help you discern your options.
If you are an agency or organization that feels like you might be a good fit for a partnership and are not already engaged with us, please reach out so that we might explore a potential partnership.
