RESTORATION AT EAGLE CREEK PARK

INDIANAPOLIS – Recently named a Top 10 City for Wildlife by the National Wildlife Federation, Indianapolis will designate 120 acres of land and plant 11,000 native trees for wetland restoration at Eagle Creek Park in the next two ths. The project is coordinated by the City’s Land Stewardship team, Department of Parks and Recreation, Office of Sustainability, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“Eagle Creek Park is home to both rare and common animals and plants,” says Indy Parks Director John Williams. “This wetland restoration will restore what was once farmland to a natural area that will provide wildlife habitat for generations to come.”

During the next two months, a project area at the southeast corner of Eagle Creek Park will be selectively cleared, planted with seedlings, and protected with a temporary fence. The fence will keep new tree and shrub seedlings safe from over-browsing animals for a period of three years. It will be constructed to leave a trail corridor for park visitors and wildlife to continue to pass through the area. This first phase of the project will be funded and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Several park trails will be temporarily rerouted while workers clear and plant the project area, located just north of 56th Street and west of I-465. Park visitors should look for detour signs on the Orange and Green trails.

After the 3-year phase of vegetation control, the protective fence will be removed, and the longer process of ecological restoration will begin. The City’s Land Stewardship team hopes that the recovery process will bring back a natural ecosystem called ‘flatwoods’ to the park. The ongoing project will provide additional breeding habitat for wildlife which have been on the decline throughout the eastern United States due to habitat loss. The restoration will also reduce stormwater discharge, leading to a decrease in downstream flooding and an increase in overall water quality.

The 120 acres of land dedicated to wetland restoration is in addition to approximately 620 acres already in management at Eagle Creek Park to maintain and restore native, natural features. The park’s programs also include many environmental education opportunities at its Earth Discovery Center and Ornithology Center.

Visit indy.gov/eaglecreek or call (317) 327­-7148 to learn more about Eagle Creek Park educational programs and upcoming conservation opportunities, such as the Great Indy Cleanup at Eagle Creek Park on Saturday, April 11.