Donor Recognition Opportunities

Shirley Heinze Land Trust offers major donors the opportunity to be recognized for their generosity in a number of ways. Donors may, according to the size of their gift, name a nature preserve or a hiking trail, or be recognized on a footbridge, information kiosk, viewing bench, or interpretive sign. They may also choose to sponsor a staff position. Details of the program are shown below.

Nature Preserve Naming Opportunities

The requirements for naming opportunities vary, and donors are encouraged to discuss their ideas or concerns with the Executive Director. The following offers a basic overview of the various naming opportunities that Shirley Heinze Land Trust offers.

Gift of $500,000 or more

Ambler Flatwoods ---This 208-acre state dedicated nature preserve is located in northern LaPorte County and features a diverse plant community.
Cressmoor Prairie --A 38-acre preserve in Lake County, it is the largest protected silt-loam or “black soil” prairie in Indiana and represents one of the rarest ecosystems in the state.

Gift of $250,000 to $500,000

Bur Oak Woods–This 84-acre bur oak savanna remnant is located in Hobart. It features massive, open-growth bur oak trees greater than three feet in diameter and a series of wetlands that contribute surface water to the Hobart Marsh complex.
Spangler Fen–This preserve, 74 acres in total, is composed mainly of fen and wet prairie communities. It includes a rare stepped fen on Liverpool Road south of Ridge View School in Hobart.
Ivanhoe South - This 30-acre nature preserve is globally rare dune and swale topography that features black oak savanna and interdunal wetland habitats. The site is managed to restore these natural communities and improve habitat for the federally endangered KarnerBlue Butterfly, which occupies this and several other nearby natural areas.
Hidden Prairie --One of several protected tracts of land in the Hobart Marsh complex, a 12,000-year-old remnant of glacial lake Chicago. A 17-acre parcel, it is characterized by an ecotone that ranges from wet-mesic prairie to swamp to marsh to open water.
McAllister Prairie --This protected area consists of 8.5 acres comprising 45 lots in Beverly Shores. This area is located in a “bowl” that is occupied by an interdunal wetland which provides habitat for a high-quality native plant community that includes several rare species.

Gifts of $100,000 to $250,000

Green Heron Pond –This is a 12-acre property located in the Miller neighborhood of Gary. This diverse site features a range of habitats from interdunal wetland to high dune.
Hiawatha Meadow –This is a small interdunal wetland in the east end of Beverly Shores that supports a diverse sedge meadow community.
Marquette Park Estates –This is an 8-acre parcel featuring dry oak woodland situated on one of the many high dunes in Miller.

Trailhead Infrastructure Naming Opportunities

Nature Trails - $20,000

Existing trails at Ambler Flatwoods, Cressmoor Prairie, Bur Oak Woods, Spangler Fen, and Ivanhoe South Nature Preserves.
Additional Trails projected for Hidden Prairie and Walnut Woods.

Footbridge or Kiosk - $5,000

Existing footbridges at Ambler Flatwoods, Bur Oak Woods, and Spangler Fen.
Additional footbridges projected for Ambler Flatwoods, Bur Oak Woods, Spangler Fen, and Ivanhoe South Nature Preserves.
Existing kiosks at Ambler Flatwoods, Cressmoor Prairie, Bur Oak Woods, Spangler Fen, and Ivanhoe South Nature Preserves.
Additional Kiosks projected for Hidden Prairie, Walnut Woods, and McAllister Prairie.

Viewing Bench - $2,500

A viewing bench at one of Shirley Heinze Land Trust’s Nature Preserves.
Additional viewing benches projected for Ambler Flatwoods and Cressmoor Prairie Nature Preserves.

Interpretive Sign - $1,000

Existing interpretive signs at Bur Oak Woods Nature Preserve.
Additional interpretive signs projected for Spangler Fen, Cressmoor Prairie, Ivanhoe South, and Ambler Flatwoods Nature Preserves.

Sponsored Staff Positions

Education and Outreach Coordinator - This staff position will enable Shirley Heinze Land Trust to undertake several projects including: promoting the “Leave No Child Inside” community campaign; developing a consistent and sustainable in-school education program; and increasing visibility and use of our nature preserves by community members for educational awareness and scientific research.
Conservation Planner and Land Acquisition Coordinator - This staff position will enable Shirley Heinze Land Trust to develop a hub for all Northwest Indiana planning efforts and partnerships to utilize our resources more effectively, assist with “Greenways and Blueways Northwest Indiana Regional Plan;” identify landowners of properties targeted for possible acquisition within designated project areas, cultivate landowners’ understanding and interest in land preservation and conservation options available to them; and enable us to preserve a much greater amount of land in Northwest Indiana.