2 NE Indiana sites designated nature preserves

Indiana DNR Release:

The Indiana Natural Resources Commission has approved nature preserve status for two sites in northeast Indiana that over the years have become popular destinations for school children and Scout groups.

The Evelyn and Wendell Dygert Nature Preserve is a 55.7-acre property near Columbia City in Whitley County that is noted for its high quality oak-hickory forest. The site contains one of the best wildflower displays in northeast Indiana, featuring blue-eyed Mary, Jack-in-the pulpit, spring beauty, firepink and various violets.

The preserve is part of a 134-acre area managed by ACRES Land Trust, which acquired the property from the Dygerts in 2001 with financial support from the DNR’s Indiana Heritage Trust program.

The other new preserve is the Wildwood Nature Preserve, a 93.8-acre property near Silver Lake in Kosciusko County. It also is noted for a high quality oak-hickory forest mixed with well-drained uplands and a forested swamp. Numerous large white oak, chinkapin oak, swamp white oak, shagbark hickory and black walnut are present.

Wildwood is part of a 238-acre tract that ACRES acquired from Bob and Alice Frantz in 2002 with financial support from Indiana Heritage Trust.

The status given to both sites boosts the total number of state-designated nature preserves to 229. The DNR Division of Nature Preserves was created in 1967, and the first nature preserve – Pine Hills at Shades State Park – was designated in 1969.

Visit IN.gov/dnr/naturepreserve for more on nature preserves in Indiana.