Restoration activities involved the voluntary restoration of privately and/or publicly owned lands with perpetual easements offered to the land owner(s) or the acquisition of areas that provide services equivalent to those lost at the WRR site. Efforts were focused primarily on riparian and wetland habitats. Wetland restorations were completed by either plugging drainage ditches or subsurface tiles. Riparian restoration was accomplished essentially through floodplain reforestation projects. In the case where land(s) was acquired, it was deeded to the state of Indiana and/or land management entities with perpetual easements.

Whitley County lies within the preferred project range for the Fish and Wildlife Service's Partner's for Fish and Wildlife Program, specifically for the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP). Therefore, it was decided that it would be appropriate to carry out joint projects with the Partner's Program, using Natural Resource Damage Assesment settlement funds, in order to more efficiently protect habitat and restore wetlands and riparian areas within the region. FWS personnel worked very closely with personnel in the Whitley County Soil and Water Conservation District in locating interested land owners and appropriate projects.

Projects:

Crooked Lake Wetland Restoration Project ? $5,000 (4.6 acres) Using NRDA funds, an earthen berm was constructed near the headwaters of the Crooked Lake watershed, in order to slow and contain surface flow. The berm, or levie, created .5 acres of deeper water for submergent vegetation, and 1.9 acres of wetlands with emergent vegetation. In addition, another 1.1 acres of surrounding upland was planted in grasses, such as big bluestem and buffalo grasses. A total of 4.6 acres will be protected and maintained by the Crooked Lake Association under a 99 year lease agreement.

Behrens Wetland Restoration Project ? $931.06 (4 acres) NRDA funds were used in conjunction with the FWS's Partners Program to restore and protect 4 acres of wetlands on the Behrens? property. FWS involvement consisted of paying for a water control structure and associated outlet pipe to provide water level control to the project area for waterfowl and wetland management purposes. Because the project falls under the Partner's Program, a ten year conservation easement is also gained.

Merry Lea Environmental Center - $8,221.60 (22 acres) NRDA funds were used to restore a previously drained, 20-acre wetland. Restoration work was accomplished via use of a water control structure on the vacated county drain and construction of a berm on the west side to contain water. Further restoration of upland areas (prairie habitat) involved using prairie grass plantings. The upland portion of this project (2 acres) was included in a 10-year easement. Further permanent protection is achieved through an agreement with the landowner.

Richey Wetland Restoration Project - $30,606.15 (25.7 acres) NRDA funds were used in conjunction with the FWS's Partners Program to restore and protect 8.5 acres of wetlands (2 wetland basins). Wetland restoration work included removing field tiles and constructing an earthen dam. Prairie grass planting was accomplished along the wetland borders, as well. An additional 17.2 acres of upland habitat, along with the 8.5 acres of restored wetlands, was protected via a conservation easement, complete with deed restrictions, to be held by Acres, Inc., and Indiana non-profit organization.

Holzinger Wetland Restoration Project - $12,550 (6 acres) NRDA funds were used to carry out a FWS Partners Program wetland restoration project. A total of 6 acres of wetland habitat (2 basins) were restored. Restoration work included excavation of basin, construction of basin, pipe, and water control structure, installation of a 12? tile inlet and stone waterway, installation of an 18? tile and control structure. A permanent conservation easement was included in the restoration plan for this project.

Bandor Wetland Restoration Project - $31,825 (18 acres) NRDA funds were used in unison with the FWS's Partners Program to carry out wetland restoration and vegetative planting. Wetland restoration including removing and re-routing county tiles, excavation of deep area, removal of trees, clearing of fence lines, diversion of artesian well, placing rip rap along re-routed tile drainage, and installation of water level control structures. Additionally, a permanent conservation easement was purchased to protect the newly created wetland, both on the Bandor property and on the adjacent Glen Western property. A total of 23 acres (including the 9-acre wetland) will be protected with the easements, which will be enrolled in the Wood-Land-Lakes (WLL) Farmland Preservation Easement. A stewardship fund was created, to be managed by WLL, for management and monitoring purposes on the easement.

Glen Western Prairie Planting - (5 acres) NRDA funds were used to plant a agricultural field with native prairie grasses. Mr. Western's property starts at the back of the above wetland, where the wetland merges with the tree line. A conservation easement was placed on five acres of Mr. Western's property, allowing for the wetland to encroach onto his property. This property will also be included in the Woods-Land-Lakes Farmland Preservation Easement and managed with the allotted stewardship fund.

Zumbrun Bottomland Hardwood Planting Project - $1,700 (6.7 acres) NRDA funds were used in conjunction with the FWS's Partners Program to carry out bottomland reforestation. The FWS purchased the trees to be planted and paid for 80 percent of the cost of planting the trees on the landowner's property. A 15-year conservation easement was placed on the 6.7 acres, to insure habitat development.

A total amount of 93 acres have been protected through this project, using $90,833.15 of the NRDA funds recovered in this settlement. Currently, FWS personnel are continuing to work with Whitley Cty. SWCD personnel in locating potential project targets and/or interested landowners for additional wetland restorations and bottomland reforestation projects.