In southern Indiana, nature has reclaimed a former coal mine, thanks to the collaborative efforts of state environmentalists and conservation organizations to ensure the land is accessible to all residents of Indiana. The state’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in partnership with the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape initiative and The Conservation Fund, has successfully acquired nearly 4,000 acres of diverse habitats that will be transformed into the Busseron Creek Fish and Wildlife Area in Sullivan County. Dan Eckstein, the southwest public lands supervisor with DNR’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, expressed excitement about the project, highlighting the variety of landscapes including bottomland forests, marshlands, grasslands, dry forests, and upland areas that can be found in the new wildlife area. Some of the bottomland forest remains untouched by mining, showcasing healthy natural plant communities that are often rare on reclaimed lands.
Previously, DNR had managed the land through a leasing agreement with a subsidiary of Peabody Energy, which allowed them to create the Minnehaha Fish and Wildlife Area over a span of 30 years before the lease expired in 2016. During that time, significant efforts were made to convert the mining site into a public recreation area, showcasing the potential of restored landscapes. With the acquisition completed, DNR intends to enhance the area further, incorporating hunting units, parking areas, and trails. In anticipation of the youth turkey season in spring, there is optimism that the land may be opened for public access by then.
The acquisition of the Busseron Creek property came with a price tag of $10.8 million, with funding support from various organizations, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Program, the U.S. Navy, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape took immediate action when the land appeared on the open market, facilitating the coordination of the purchase to re-establish DNR’s management. Since DNR cannot rapidly purchase available land, The Conservation Fund’s ability to acquire and hold the land until the state could take over played a vital role in this successful transaction.
The collaboration between various stakeholders such as the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape initiative, DNR, and other conservation organizations aligns with their shared goals of conserving land near military sites, particularly the close proximity to the U.S. Navy’s Lake Glendora test facility. This partnership enabled the initiative to establish a priority conservation area, offering resources to private landowners without imposing new obligations on them. The designation of the sentinel landscape reflects the ongoing commitment to protect the environment while maintaining essential connections between conservation efforts and military operations.
As DNR develops a management plan for the Busseron Creek Fish and Wildlife Area, it will focus on addressing the invasive plant species, establishing grazing leases, and planning for prescribed fires to manage the diverse ecosystems. The agency is also committed to transforming the property into an accessible and welcoming space for the public, which will entail adding necessary infrastructure such as boundary markings, sign-in kiosks, and parking lots. Eckstein indicated that substantial work would be done over the winter to prepare the area for future visitors while maintaining the integrity of the ecosystems.
The involvement of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in this initiative has been significant, supporting due diligence for the real estate acquisition by conducting environmental assessments and addressing data concerns associated with the land’s history. The financial risk of embarking on such a project was mitigated by a grant from TNC to The Conservation Fund, allowing them to evaluate the viability of the project before committing to a purchase. Biesecker, TNC’s director of land strategies, articulated the value of reclaimed mine lands and the generational opportunity presented by this acquisition, reinforcing the idea that restoring such areas can yield assets valuable for recreation and wildlife habitats in the state. Overall, the Busseron Creek Fish and Wildlife Area signifies a successful endeavor to restore and preserve Indiana’s natural landscapes, demonstrating the potential for collaborative conservation efforts to revitalize areas once heavily impacted by industrial activities.