The amount of land permanently protected for wildlife habitat and public recreation along the Wabash River continues to grow, thanks to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Healthy Rivers INitiative (HRI). HRI recently acquired 1,048 acres from American Electric Power in HRI’s Wabash River Project Area.

The acquired land was previously leased by DNR as part of Fairbanks Landing Fish & Wildlife Area, which is south of Terre Haute. The land will continue to be part of Fairbanks Landing but is now permanently protected through DNR ownership.

The acquisition was made possible with funding assistance from conservation partners, including U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy and National Wild Turkey Federation.

HRI is the largest conservation initiative to be undertaken in Indiana. The initiative is a partnership of resource agencies and conservation organizations who are working with willing landowners to permanently protect a combined 70,000 acres of bottomland in the Wabash River and Sugar Creek watersheds in west-central Indiana, and along the Muscatatuck River in southeastern Indiana.

The acquisition will increase the number of protected acres within HRI to 36,985, more than half of the overall goal. HRI projects involve protecting, restoring and enhancing riparian and aquatic habitats for wildlife including migratory birds and waterfowl, and threatened and endangered species.

The initiative also benefits the public and surrounding communities by providing flood protection, increasing public access to recreational opportunities and creating tourism destination for outdoor enthusiasts. More information on HRI is at www.dnr.IN.gov/6498.htm

More information about Fairbanks Landing is at www.wildlife.IN.gov/3096.htm

High praise for Brown County mountain bike trails

Most people think they have to drive for hundreds of miles for an excellent mountain bike experience. Maybe that’s just not so, as Bicycling magazine’s website has named Brown County State Park among its “Top 6 Secret Mountain Bike Destinations in the U.S.”

Brown County’s trails are already well known in Indiana and throughout the Midwest. But the magazine’s online article published July 12 helped introduce the Indiana trails to readers across North America.

The author, Robert Annis, is a cyclist from Indiana. He praised the park trails for being “fast, flowy and full of thrills.” He listed the recently completed Hobbs Hollow Trail as a must-ride.

“It’s impossible not to smile as you rocket through the bermed turns, building up speed and launching yourself off tabletop after tabletop,” he wrote about Hobbs Hollow. “Your tires spend almost as much time in the air as they do on the dirt.”

Brown County State Park offers 35 miles of mountain bike trails ranging from beginner to expert. The park has previously been designated a Bronze-Level Ride Center by the International Mountain Bike Assoc.

Annis also suggests riders on overnight trips stay in the park’s campgrounds because of their proximity to the trail system. Brown County State Park is located at 1450 State Road 46 E, Nashville, IN 47448.

Indiana’s Bird of the Month

Wood ducks (Aix sponsa) are a common duck species found throughout the United States, Mexico and parts of Canada. They were threatened with extinction in the late 1800s and early 1900s, primarily due to yearlong hunting seasons and a lack of bag limits and regulations.

Thanks to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1918, which enacted hunting regulations, as well as efforts to increase breeding habitat and the installation of nest boxes, their population has steadily increased since the 1950s. Their revival was also due in part to heavily vegetated swamplands in Florida and other southern states offering more protection than many other regions.

Wood ducks are a favorite of Indiana waterfowl hunters and birders. They are preferred not only because of their lovely colors and features, but also because many hunters claim they are the tastiest of duck species.

There was a ban on hunting wood ducks from 1918 until 1941, when a handful of states opened a one-bird bag limit on them. The Mississippi Flyway (including Indiana) closed wood duck hunting again from 1954-56, and resumed one-bird bag limits in 1957.

By 1962, populations were deemed sufficient to set a daily bag limit of two, where it remained until 2008. Since 2008, the bag limit for wood ducks has been three per day.

Wood ducks can be seen in Indiana throughout the early spring and summer, and well into the fall. Most usually leave by the end of November or early December (earlier in the North and later in the South Zone), though a few are reported throughout the winter months.

The best hunting opportunity for wood ducks in Indiana is typically at the start of the season in October.

Inaugural motorcycle ride for state parks

Experience the beauty of four southeastern Indiana state parks by motorcycle on August 25, and contribute to state park friends groups as you ride.

Motorcyclists will begin with breakfast at Hardy Lake, served from 7-10 a.m. After breakfast, participants can have their photo taken at Rose Island in Charlestown State Park, participate in a poker run at Versailles State Park and enjoy a hog roast at Clifty Falls State Park, to finish.

Cost is $35 per person, and registration is required before August 1. The ride is limited to the first 400 participants. The ride is expected to last 2-4 hours. Participants may choose an easy, challenging or scenic route between parks.

The charity ride is a collaboration of participating Indiana State Parks, Friends of Hardy Lake, Friends of Versailles State Park and Friends of Charlestown State Park. For more information about the charity ride, including directions and maps for the various routes, visit www.indianastateparksride.org

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments may contact Jack Spaulding by email at jackspaulding@hughes.net or by writing to him in care of this publication.