Northwest Indiana Land Conservation Survey
With the support of the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Save the Dunes is conducting an assessment of land conservation in Northwest Indiana to identify key strategies, opportunities, and limiting factors for land conservation in the region. Your organization is invited to participate in this assessment.
Since the founding of the Indiana Dunes State Park and the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Northwest Indiana has been a national leader in conservation of natural lands in what is a largely urban landscape. Regional land conservation efforts have expanded since those early accomplishments. Today, in addition to local, state, and national agencies, a broad range of organizations conserve land in Northwest Indiana.
The expanding number of conservation-oriented organizations in the region ensures that a wider range of lands than ever before are now being actively conserved. This increase in the amount of land under conservation presents new opportunities for collaborative work amongst various stakeholders. This survey aims to help identify and prioritize these opportunities.
Results of this survey will be compiled to a final report, and an electronic copy will be presented to each of the participating organizations. The report will include an evaluation of the current state of conservation within Northwest Indiana as well as an examination of opportunities and gaps suggested by existing efforts and attitudes. Our hope is that the report will make it easier for organizations to work together to preserve, protect, and restore the natural ecosystem of Northwest Indiana and provide a better quality of life to the people of our region.
Land conservation in Northwest Indiana faces unique opportunities and challenges, especially in light of the highly industrialized nature of the region. Thank you for taking the time to contribute to stronger conservation in our region.
For the purposes of this survey, land conservation is defined as: supervision of rivers, forests, open spaces, agricultural or recreational lands and other types of undeveloped land in order to preserve and protect them in perpetuity through prudent management. |