Members of the Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter and Friends of Lake Monroe hit the Pate Hollow Trail in Bloomington for an outing Sept. 12 to celebrate 60 years of the Wilderness Act of 1964 — and embraced the outing as a chance to discuss conservation issues in Indiana.
Sierra Club Outings Leader Julie Lowe shared information about S.B. 4402 and H.R. 8535, legislation that would add 15,300 acres and more than double the size of the Charles C. Deam Wilderness. It would also establish the new Benjamin Harrison National Recreation Area adjacent to the expanded wilderness in the Hoosier National Forest, the state’s only national forest. The expansion would provide additional protection to Lake Monroe and more opportunities for recreational activities.
Along the trail, which is part of Hoosier National Forest, the hikers pointed out — and pulled — Japanese stiltgrass, an invasive species that displaces native plants in the area. They also took note to report to the Department of Natural Resources potentially dangerous areas where trees and tree limbs overhang the trails after a recent severe storm. Hikes such as these are as much for recreation as education and awareness.
“It’s important to get out and visit public land in Indiana that has been set aside and protected for us,” says Lowe. “From the grasslands in northwestern Indiana to the forested lands in other parts of the state, we have a lot to explore and appreciate in the Hoosier state.”
Want to take action? Here are a few ways you can make an impact on conservation efforts in Indiana:
- Take a walk. Get out into nature with some friends and talk about what you love most about the outdoors and what you’d miss most if the forests weren’t protected.
- Take action. There are countless ways. Here are a few:
- Take a breath. Activism can be stressful, so remember to take care of yourself while you fight to take care of Mother Nature.
Kasey Grau Jackson
Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter member