3rd Annual Bus Tour

Photo by Barb Labus

By Education Assistant Sarah Hanauer (shanauer@heinzetrust.org)

A Cardinal tour bus departed the morning of August 23rd, from the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Visitors Center. Shirley Heinze Land Trust was off on our 3rd Annual Bus Tour, with a full bus with 54 attendees, some who had been on a bus tour with us in years past, and many who had not.

The mission was to visit a variety of different Shirley Heinze Land Trust (SHLT) properties so that people could see the fruits of our labor in a tour of eight properties. SHLT protects over 1300 acres of natural area in the Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties of Northwest Indiana. 

Photo by Barb Labus

With a welcome and introduction from our current Board President, Margaret Milliford, and Executive Director, Kris Krouse, we were off! As we drove, we heard from local experts including Erin Argyilan, a professor of geology at Indiana University Northwest; Dale Enquist, former Board President of SHLT and current board member; Myrna Nugent, a life Board Member who has been with the organization since it took root; and our own Stewardship Manager, Paul Quinlan, who spoke about the ongoing restoration efforts at each site. The tour gave everyone a chance to catch a glimpse of the rich mosaic of habitats that exists in Northwest Indiana.

This year, stops included:

Seidner Dune & Swale Nature Preserve in Hammond
Ivanhoe South Nature Preserve in Gary
Bur Oak Woods Nature Preserve in Hobart
Gordon and Faith Greiner Nature Preserve in Hobart
Cressmoor Prairie Nature Preserve in Hobart
Meadowbrook Nature Preserve in Valparaiso
Little Calumet Wetlands in Chesterton
Hildebrand Lake Nature Preserve near Westville
Great Marsh in Beverly Shores
Beverly Shores Depot Museum and Art Gallery, to see the Shirley Heinze Land Trust Exhibit

At some of the preserves, the bus unloaded to give a chance for everyone to stretch their legs and see things up close, and at others we did a drive by to look out from comfort of the bus. We stopped at SHLT headquarters at the Meadowbrook Nature Preserve for a wonderful lunch prepared by Board Member Jennifer Burkhart, and a short hike around the preserve. 

The tour finished up right before a summer storm blew in, and we think it was a great success! We hope to see those who attended at more events here.

Keep an eye out next summer for our next bus tour. Spots are limited, and you won’t want to miss the chance to see a variety of preserves, and learn about the natural history of our area!

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