2020 Educational Hike Series ​(In Progress) 

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Explore the beauty of the Calumet Region and beyond and support Shirley Heinze Land Trust in working to preserve natural lands in Northwest Indiana by attending our educational hikes. Attendees are treated to a wealth of knowledge from a variety of expert hike leaders, in groups of 15 or less. Hikes are held at a variety of outstanding nature preserves located across Northwest Indiana, Northeast Illinois and Southwest Michigan. 

Saturday, March 28, 2020
Birding in Lake County with Matt Kalwasinksi
9 am - Noon (Central time)

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Join Matt Kalwasinski in early spring in pursuit of waterfowl and whatever other early or overwintering birds we might come across.  We will meet at the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond and, depending upon bird activity and weather, visit such locations as the Highland Heron Rookery, Grant Street Marsh, Seidner Dune and Swale, and Jeorse Park.  Matt birds extensively in Northwest Indiana and has led many birding trips for the Shirley Heinze Land Trust, Indiana Audubon Society and others.

Saturday, May 2, 2020
Spring Wildflower Hike at Bendix Woods County Park, New Carlisle, Indiana.
9 am to Noon Eastern Time (8 am to 11am Central Time)

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Bendix Woods of St. Joseph County Parks was once owned by the Studebaker Corporation, and its Nature Center is in the 1926 Studebaker Clubhouse.  An Interpretive Naturalist from St. Joseph County Parks will lead us on our hike through high quality, old-growth beech-maple forest, where we should see ephemeral marvels including wild ginger, purple spring cress, blue cohosh, cut-leaved toothwort, squirrel corn, Dutchman’s breeches, yellow trout lily, false mermaid, wild geranium, blue phlox, bloodroot, large-flowered trillium, red trillium, Canada violet, and possibly the locally rare crinkleroot. ​

Saturday, June 20, 2020
(Time and Location to come)
Herpetology with Brad Struecker

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Brock Struecker is a Herpetologist and Ecologist working for Cardno where he conducts botanical and wildlife surveys throughout Northwest Indiana. Brock earned his Bachelor’s in Environmental Science from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa and a Master’s in Biology from Loyola University Chicago. During his Master’s program he studied food web ecology of ephemeral wetlands examining the diets of larval salamanders in addition to other research projects involving reptiles and amphibians of the Midwest.

Saturday, August 29, 2020
Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area, Coastal Plain Ponds and Tefft Savanna Nature Preserves,  Jasper County, Indiana,
​with Indiana State Botanist Scott Namestnik,
 9 am to Noon

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You probably know Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area as a great place to observe the migration of thousands of sandhill cranes.  But there is a lot more to see in this over 8,000 acre natural area including some state dedicated nature preserves where rare coastal plains “disjunct” plant species can be found.  In ephemerally wet, shallow basins, there is an impressive array of unusual flora which are more commonly associated with the distant coastal plains of the southeastern United States.  This is where the term “disjunct” comes in.  Uncommon or rare plants like long-horned beakrush, sessile-leaved bugleweed, narrow leaved sundew, scaly mild water pepper, creeping Saint John’s wort and many others could be seen.  Who better to show us these rarities than Indiana State Botanist Scott Namestinik.  There are no trails in this area so walking may be difficult and the walk is limited to 12 people.

Registration Information

There is a limit of 15 participants for each hike.

There is a registration fee of $25 per person for each hike. This helps to support our mission and make the hike series possible.

Participants will receive a reminder via email prior to each hike with directions to the site along with any other instructions. 
 
Hikes are conducted rain or shine, except during thunderstorms.

Recommendations for hikers

  • Bring drinking water, binoculars and/or hand lenses, and field guides.
  • Be prepared for sun (or rain) and insects.
  • Wear comfortable clothing and shoes that can handle muddy going.
  • Please be on time.  Hikes will begin promptly at the time indicated.​