Little River Wetlands Project Inc

LITTLE RIVER WETLANDS PROJECT'S (LRWP) MISSION IS TO RESTORE AND PROTECT WETLANDS IN THE HISTORIC WATERSHED OF THE LITTLE RIVER, A MAJOR TRIBUTARY OF THE WABASH RIVER, AND TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT ENCOURAGE GOOD STEWARDSHIP OF WETLANDS AND OTHER NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS. LRWP PROTECTS 1,300 ACRES OF RESTORED AND NATURAL HABITAT INCLUDING WETLANDS, FORESTED WETLANDS, SEDGE MEADOWS AND PRAIRIES. IT PROVIDES STEWARDSHIP CARE OF ITS FOUR WETLAND NATURE PRESERVES IN ALLEN COUNTY: ARROWHEAD MARSH, ARROWHEAD PRAIRIE, EAGLE MARSH (756 ACRES) IS "THE LARGEST INLAND URBAN WETLAND RESTORATION IN THE U.S.", BUTTONBUSH BOTTOMS, AND IN HUNTINGTON THE LITTLE RIVER LANDING PRESERVE. LRWP ALSO WORK WITH PROPERTY OWNERS WHO WISH TO CONSERVE THEIR LAND, AND LRWP HOLDS A 140 NATURAL ACRES IN A CONSERVATION EASEMENT. WETLANDS BENEFIT NEARBY COMMUNITIES AND AREAS DOWNSTREAM BY ENHANCING FLOOD CONTROL, CLEANSING GROUNDWATER, AND OFFERING RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL. BIRD WATCHING, HIKING, A

STEWARDSHIP, PROTECTION, AND EDUCATION: LITTLE RIVER WETLANDS PROJECT (LRWP) IS A NONPROFIT LAND TRUST WORKING IN ALLEN AND HUNTINGTON COUNTIES TO RESTORE AND PROTECT WETLANDS IN THE HISTORIC WATERSHED OF THE LITTLE RIVER, A MAJOR TRIBUTARY OF THE WABASH RIVER, AND TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT ENCOURAGE STEWARDSHIP OF WETLANDS AND OTHER NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS. THE LITTLE RIVER VALLEY STRETCHES APPROXIMATELY 24 MILES FROM FORT WAYNE TO THE CITY OF HUNTINGTON. FORT WAYNE IS THE SECOND LARGEST CITY IN INDIANA AND THE UPPER PARTS OF THE VALLEY HAVE HIGH DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE. WORKING WITH PRIVATE LAND OWNERS, CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS, AND GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, OVER 3,000 ACRES ARE NOW PROTECTED AND RESTORED IN THE PROJECT AREA. LRWP PROTECTS 1,304 ACRES OF NATURAL AND RESTORED WETLANDS AND OTHER HABITATS AND ASSISTS WITH OVER 800 ACRES OF PRIVATELY-OWNED RESTORATION. LRWP HAS HAD AN INCREDIBLE IMPACT RESTORING AND PROTECTING WETLANDS IN THE LITTLE RIVER VALLEY THAT PROVIDES CLEAN WATER, FLOOD STORAGE, AND BOTANICAL AND WILDLIFE REFUGE FOR BOTH THE MISSISSIPPI AND GREAT LAKES WATERSHEDS. RESTORING THE LITTLE RIVER VALLEY DIRECTLY BENEFITS MIGRATING BIRDS AND BUTTERFLIES BETWEEN THESE TWO MAJOR WATERSHEDS. EAGLE MARSH'S 832 ACRES, MAKING IT ONE OF THE "LARGEST INLAND, URBAN WETLAND RESTORATIONS IN THE U.S." HOLDS 3,825 ACRES OF FLOODWATER OR 1.25 BILLION GALLONS OF FLOODWATER DURING A MAJOR STORM EVENT, THUS REDUCING THE IMPACTS OF FLOOD DAMAGE TO THE HEART OF THE CITY OF FORT WAYNE. EAGLE MARSH PRESERVE IS 832 ACRES, THE LARGEST NATURE PRESERVES IN ALLEN COUNTY, AND ONE OF THE LARGEST INLAND URBAN WETLAND RESTORATIONS IN THE U.S. LRWP OWNS THREE ADDITIONAL PRESERVES, AND CO-OWNS ONE PRESERVE WITH ACRES LAND TRUST IN HUNTINGTON COUNTY. ALL LRWP PRESERVES ARE PART OF LARGER CONSERVATION EFFORTS WITH CONSERVATION PARTNERS AND GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES. THE URBAN LOCATION OF EAGLE MARSH MAKES RESTORATION OF PAST HYDROLOGY AND PLANT COMMUNITIES CHALLENGING. EAGLE MARSH'S ADJACENT LANDOWNERS INCLUDE AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, RAILROAD, LANDFILL, WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, BUSINESSES, SENIOR LIVING, A SATELLITE UNIVERSITY, AND RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES. WITHIN THREE MILES THERE ARE TWO ACTIVE GRAVEL OPERATIONS, A REGIONAL HOSPITAL, AND AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. POWERLINES THAT CARRY CLOSE TO HALF OF FORT WAYNE'S ELECTRICITY AND SERVE AS A BACKUP FOR LUTHERAN HOSPITAL AND THE GM ASSEMBLY PLANT BISECT THE PRESERVE. SINCE 2005, OVER 1 MILLION HAS BEEN INVESTED TO RESTORE THE SITE FOR WILDLIFE AND PUBLIC USE WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS. FORT WAYNE TRAILS HAS PROVIDED LRWP WITH THE MOST RECENT TRAIL COUNTS FOR THE TOWPATH TRAIL THAT BISECTS EAGLE MARSH AND RUNS ALONG THE NORTHERN BORDER OF THE MARSH. THERE WERE 46,934 PEOPLE USING THE TOWPATH TRAIL IN 2020. IN 2021, 38,358 PEOPLE WERE RECORDED. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE USING THE TRAIL IN 2022 WAS 37,334. LRWP PRESERVES ARE ALSO VISITED BY BIRD WATCHERS, NATURE ENTHUSIASTS, RUNNERS, AND FAMILIES ON THEIR OWN. LRWP'S SEED TO MARSH PROGRAM ENABLES PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES TO ASSIST LRWP STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS WITH THE COLLECTING AND PROPAGATING OF SEEDS, TO GROWING, AND PLANTING NATIVE PLANTS SO EVERYONE CAN BE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION AT OUR PRESERVES. THIS PROGRAM TIES TOGETHER LRWP'S MISSION OF EDUCATION AND RESTORATION. THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM HAS GROWN TO FOUR GREENHOUSES THAT ARE GROWING NATIVE PLANTS: CARRIAGE HOUSE, MLK MONTESSORI, CANTERBURY, AND CONCORDIA HIGH SCHOOL. VOLUNTEERS ALSO GROW NATIVE PLANTS FROM SEEDS COLLECTED AT THE MARSH AND THEN RETURN THEM TO BE PLANTED ON PRESERVE PROPERTIES OR DISTRIBUTED TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN PLANTING NATIVES IN THEIR OWN YARDS AND LANDSCAPING. THESE PLANTS ALSO PROVIDED DESPERATELY NEEDED POLLINATOR HABITAT AND FOOD SUPPLIES. THE COMMUNITY IS ALSO ENCOURAGED TO JOIN LRWP STEWARDSHIP STAFF ON THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT HOP RIVER BREWING COMPANY (A FAMILY- FRIENDLY VENUE) FOR VOLUNBEERING. VOLUNBEERING VOLUNTEERS MEET TO ASSIST WITH THE SEED TO MARSH PROGRAM WHILE ENJOYING AN OUT. THIS PROGRAM IS HELD YEAR-ROUND. WE SPREAD THESE NATIVE PLANTS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY DURING OUR NATIVE PLANT GIVEAWAY TO CELEBRATE EARTH DAY, AS WELL AS USE THEM DIRECTLY IN OUR RESTORATION. PLANTS AND SEEDLINGS GROWN ARE ALSO PLANTED ON THE LRWP PROPERTIES. WE HAVE ALSO ENGAGED TWO LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS WITH NATURAL AREAS TO TEACH THEM HOW TO IDENTIFY INVASIVE SPECIES AS PART OF THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CURRICULUM. LRWP STAFF, FORT WAYNE PARKS AND RECREATION, AND A REGIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES SPECIALIST ARE TEAMING UP TO CONDUCT INVASIVE REMOVAL WORKSHOPS WITH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO GIVE THEM HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH RESTORATION, AS WELL AS INTRODUCE THEM TO CAREERS IN THIS FIELD. STEWARDSHIP EDUCATION, EVENTS, AND VOLUNTEER TRAINING FOCUSING ON OUR SEED TO MARSH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AND COMMUNITY SCIENCE PROGRAMS ARE HOSTED ALMOST EVERY QUARTER. BEGINNING IN 2020 LRWP ORGANIZED THE FORT WAYNE AREA'S FIRST YEAR PARTICIPATION IN THE INATURALIST CITY NATURE CHALLENGE, A GLOBAL COMMUNITY SCIENCE EFFORT TO DOCUMENT URBAN BIODIVERSITY. WE COULD NOT HAVE FORESEEN HOW IMPORTANT THIS EVENT WOULD PROVE TO BE, WITH MANY FAMILIES TEACHING WHILE SHELTERING AT HOME AND LOOKING FOR ENGAGING SCIENCE ACTIVITIES FOR THEIR CHILDREN. THE COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO BE INVOLVED EACH YEAR WITH THE HELP OF PARTNERS SUCH AS SCIENCE CENTRAL, INDIANA DIVISION OF NATURAL RESOURCES, FORT WAYNE PARKS AND RECREATION, ECKHART PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND MORE. LRWP HAS TAKEN GREAT STRIDES TO FORMALIZE OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS OF STEWARDSHIP AND EDUCATION. ONE EXAMPLE OF THIS IS TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY BY ORGANIZING WEED WRANGLES, NATIONWIDE EVENTS AIMED AT EDUCATING ABOUT THE IDENTIFICATION AND REMOVAL OF INVASIVE SPECIES, AT OUR PRESERVES AND NATURAL AREAS OF LOCAL PARTNERS. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AND PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO GROW ASSISTING WITH EVER- INCREASING DEMAND FOR WETLAND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND FOR PLACES THAT PEOPLE VISIT WITHIN THE ALLEN COUNTY COMMUNITY. VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT ALLOWS SUCCESS IN STEWARDSHIP, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, GUIDED HIKES, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE, RESEARCH PROJECTS, ALONG WITH CITIZEN SCIENCE PROGRAMS. WORKING WITH CORPORATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR VOLUNTEER SERVICE DAYS INCREASES EACH YEAR AND IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THESE COOPERATIVE OPPORTUNITIES WILL EXPAND FURTHER. IN 2022 LRWP RECORDED 3,297 VOLUNTEER HOURS WHICH EQUALS OVER 98,000 IN DONATED VALUE.

WETLAND EDUCATION AND STEWARDSHIP: WETLAND EDUCATION, A COMPONENT OF THE LRWP MISSION IS FULFILLED BY PROVIDING AN ARRAY OF FREE WETLAND EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS, CHILDREN, AND SENIORS. THESE INCLUDE COMMUNITY EVENTS FOCUSING ON WETLANDS, THE SEED TO MARSH RESTORATION EDUCATION PROGRAM, STEWARDSHIP, AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. WEEKLY GUIDED HIKES, SENIOR PROGRAMS INCLUDING BREAKFAST ON THE MARSH, YOUTH FIELD TRIPS, AND COMMUNITY SCIENCE PROJECTS ARE OFFERED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS WELL. COMMUNITY WETLAND EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE PRESENTED BY STAFF OR VOLUNTEERS WHO TRAVEL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. LRWP'S FREE WETLAND EDUCATION PROGRAMS HAVE REACHED OVER 125,000 PEOPLE SINCE 2013, OF WHOM NEARLY HALF ARE YOUTH, AND ON AVERAGE 30% ARE FROM LOW-INCOME POPULATIONS. THESE NUMBERS DO NOT REFLECT PASSIVE VISITORS INCLUDING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES PARTICIPATING IN THEIR NATURE RECREATION AT OUR PRESERVES. STAFF WILL CONTINUE EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN PROGRAMMING FOR THOSE WITH VARIOUS ABILITY LEVELS. LRWP ALSO EDUCATES THE PUBLIC VIA WEBSITE, NEWSLETTER, AND SOCIAL MEDIA. 2022 PROGRAM REQUESTS HAVE RISEN ALONG WITH CORPORATE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, AND PUBLIC ATTENDANCE IS ABOVE THOSE SEEN PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC. EACH YEAR LRWP PLANS ORGANIZES AND HOSTS ALLEN COUNTIES LARGEST EARTH DAY FORT WAYNE AND MONARCH FESTIVAL. THESE FREE, COMMUNITY-WIDE EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO ALL WHO LIVE OR VISIT NORTHEASTERN INDIANA.