Employees of the Hoosier National Forest strive to enhance Indiana wetlands

Bedford, Indiana – Water levels at Crawford County’s Otter Creek Riparian Restoration area were recently checked and corrected by Hoosier National Forest staff. The project is a component of a larger initiative to restore and improve the natural wetlands in southern Indiana.

Wetlands are places where water either continuously or intermittently covers the soil or is present close to the surface. Indiana has lost about 85% of its wetlands from a century ago as a result of farming and industrialization.

Reclaiming the lost habitat is the goal of the Otter Creek Riparian Restoration project. A wetland referred to as a moist soil unit is the Otter Creek wetland region. “Traditionally, in the fall, moist soil units are flooded to facilitate wildlife foraging and to give waterfowl a place to roost,” explained Bryan King, a wildlife technician with the Hoosier National Forest. Water levels are then lowered in the summer to facilitate the germination of annual plants. The aim is to preserve the shallow water wetlands that were present prior to the arrival of farmers. To help animals and restore the wetland regions, we have planted native trees and shrubs and put in water control devices.

For almost 30 years, employees of the Hoosier National Forest have been working to restore wetlands in ten distinct forest locations, including as the Roland Wetlands, Paw Paw Marsh, and the Houston Pin Oak Riparian Area. Because wetlands are so important to nature, their job is vital. Numerous species of plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish, and mammals can be found in these ecosystems, which are among the most prolific in the world.

“The adjustment and monitoring of Otter Creek Restoration Riparian area water levels (and the water levels of other Hoosier National Forest wetlands) is essential in making sure that wetlands in southern Indiana continue to serve as a beneficial habitat to the thousands of species of aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals that live there,” stated King.