Before settlers came to the territory that we currently know as Indiana the natural landscape looked very different. Indiana was once covered by approximately 86 % forest. The natural forest have declined to cover  about 18% of Indiana. The forests have been removed to make farmland and urban development. Likewise, only about 14 % of Indiana's original (relative) wetlands exist today. This, of course, has displaced the homes of a large number of wildlife species and individuals.

Habitat and Water Quality

Habitat is the number one issue relative to wildlife management, a healthy balanced environment, as well as safe air and drinking water. Naturally our quality of water and air is not what it used to be, and the ramifications of industrialization will only increase in the foreseeable future. The wetland resource is an integral part of the natural water purification process. This purification process filters out sediments, as well as chemical pollutants that fill our watersheds. 

So wetlands and green space are fundamental for our well being, as well as numerous species of wildlife.

At the Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge you can see many different examples of wetlands. There are five different types of naturally occurring wetlands: marine, estuarine, lacustrine, riverine, and palustrine. Indiana can support three of these wetland structures:

“Lacustrine wetlands are areas associated with large, permanently flooded lakes and reservoirs, and smaller basins greater than six feet deep.”

“ Palustrine wetland, the second type found in the state, are associated with small and or shallow waters, usually with a dominance of vegetation that has adapted to areas that contain saturated soils at least part of the year. Palustrine areas include marshes, swamps, bogs and fens.”

“The Third wetland type found in Indiana is Riverine. These are wetlands contained within a channel that at least periodically has flowing water."

1993 IDNR SCORP

These three types of land were present in Indiana throughout the state. What remains is a very slight remnant of the naturally balanced ecosystem. As the perpetrator of change and restructuring, the humans have taken on the responsibility of land managers. Managing the earth for future generations of increasing populations is quite a task, though many of us take our gift of existence and our role as ecosystem manager for granted. 

Growth and urban sprawl seem to be out of control as we wrestle for higher and higher qualities of life for more and more people. Education has increased our awareness of this most fundamental issue. Some really positive things have evolved out of our increased knowledge bank. Today we see framers taking advantage of federal assistance programs that give land owners a tax incentive to keep some of their farm land in its most natural state. This is very important on the "fringe areas" such as rivers and streams. These areas act as migrational corridors for various terrestrial wildlife as well as helping control agriculturally induced erosion.

Developers have also increased the usage of ponds and lakes in new communities. Greenway, park,  and even golf coarse communities are extremely important  innovations of development that will insure a quality environment for future generations.

The Muscatatuck Park has two recently restored watersheds. The wetland areas are an aesthetic and functional  improvement to the grounds. The park is seeing an increase in the wildlife throughout the park. By the marshes or along the river, the sighting of a great blue heron or the red fox are a exhilarating experience that unfortunately is not very common place.

For more information on federal assistance programs please contact:

Jennings County Soil and Water Conservation District     (JC SWCD)

(812) 346-5657

(812) 346-4236

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