John Merle Coulter Nature Preserve is a complex of oak savanna, sand prairie and
inter-dunal wetlands that support over 400 species of plants and the federally endangered
Karner Blue Butterfly. This unique property was sand mined in the 1930s, producing
surprising results: habitat was created for several rare species and the disturbed
areas were re-colonized almost exclusively by native plants. This dedicated state
nature preserve (protected by law, and part of the system of nature preserves administered
by Indiana DNR) is owned and managed by SHLT and is located on the east side of
County Line Road between US 12 and US 20 in Portage. It is bounded on the north
by the MonoSol, LLC plant and on the north and east by the Indiana Dunes National
Lakeshore.
This 90-acre site is mostly a former sand mine, with black oak savanna and sedge
meadows on the north and south sides. The federally endangered Karner Blue Butterfly
occurs at this site. The former sandpits have reverted to good quality sand prairie
and oak savanna, sustaining a remarkable 19 state-listed plant species! The property
is bordered by the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (Inland Marsh) on the north
and east, residences on the south and County Line Road on the west. An old RR bed
serves as a hiking trail on the preserve from west to east.