Wetland Expansion in Indiana Meets Many Goals

Working together, several partners expanded a wetland on the Hoosier to provided multiple benefits.

The Hoosier National Forest recently completed the Roland Entrance Riparian Area, which provides vital highway frontage for the 2001 National Taking Wing Award winner: the Roland Riparian Restoration. The French Lick Resort fulfilled wetland mitigation requirement by constructing two small wetlands, restoring a half-mile of stream, planting three acres of native trees and shrubs and mechanically treating five acres of non-native plant species.

This cooperation would lead to many obvious goals for not only the two major parties involved but also for several others as well. Zach Rigg one of the coordinators of this project said, "The success is having one action meet a number of different goals from different government agencies."

Many private corporations and government agencies spent time and money building the Roland Entrance Riparian Area. The French Lick Resort was the financier of the design and construction phases of this project. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management consulted on general project design. Also the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, who restored the original Roland Riparian Area, assisted and received supplies for the work from Ducks Unlimited.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service contributed by helping in the planning process, and the Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District supplied the equipment for the design survey. Another consultant for the project was the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Last but not least is an Eagle Scout candidate who will be building the interpretative signs for the wetland.

The U.S. Forest Service has garnered substantial benefits as they gain publicity through the French Lick Resort, and the contractors working on the site. Through this cooperation, the U.S. Forest Service can redirect the money they would have spent to a number of other projects. As the crown jewel of this achievement, a place has been developed where people can observe and learn about riparian area resources.

Note: This story was written by Luke Taft, a student volunteer working with Zach Rigg on the Hoosier National Forest.