Registration is now open for Patoka Lake’s Women’s Wilderness Weekend, a women-only event for learning outdoor skills in a relaxed environment scheduled for May 15-17.

The event will start at the Patoka Lake Nature Center and includes overnight camping for the duration of the weekend. Women age 16 and older can participate in activities including in-depth archery lessons, kayaking, Dutch oven cooking, basic wilderness survival skills, hunting 101, wilderness first aid, trap shooting, rifle shooting and boat operation.

Meals will be provided on Saturday and Sunday, and camping will take place in Patoka Lake’s modern electric campground. There is also the option to rent cabins, at the participants’ expense, at a nearby private facility.

Advance registration is required by April 15, and the cost to attend is $85. This year, priority registration will be given to women who have never attended the event.

The registration link can be found at: https://forms.office.com/g/M7L2Yv0td3.

 

Tri-County FWA to get new 3D archery range and walking trail

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been awarded a $49,377 grant by the Community Amenities Program (CAP) to support the construction of a 3D archery range and walking trail at Tri-County Fish & Wildlife Area (FWA).

The archery range will have 25 target stations, allowing archers to hone their skills in an outdoor setting. The trail will be 1.5 miles long through an oak-hickory woodlands with scenic lake views and have three rest areas.

Located north of North Webster, Tri-County FWA is the largest publicly accessible green space in Kosciusko County, encompassing 3,546 acres of land with more than 650 acres of lakes and streams. The property also includes upland fields, wetlands, and 10 natural lakes, making it a unique destination for residents and visitors alike.

Trail construction is currently underway with plans for completion by mid-2026.

CAP is a countywide initiative designed to enhance the quality of life across Kosciusko County by investing in shared spaces and projects strengthening community connection. Backed by a portion of the Orthopedic Industry Retention Initiative’s $30 million commitment from the State of Indiana, CAP helps bring bold community visions to life by combining local, state, and philanthropic resources.

 

Indiana Master Naturalist Gathering

Indiana Master Naturalists are invited to the 2026 Indiana Master Naturalist Gathering, May 1-3, at New Harmony State Historic Site.

The gathering is open to any IMN student, certified IMN, Advanced IMN, IMN host, and IMN workshop speaker. IMNs may bring a guest. Teen/Junior IMNs may join too, but must be accompanied by a guardian with paid registration.

Registration deadline is April 10, or once it’s full. Space is limited to 120 people.

If you have questions, please contact Jody Heaston at jheaston@dnr.IN.gov or 463-203-6562.

 

New nature preserve dedicated and another expanded

The Natural Resources Commission recently approved the dedication of Barnebey Woods in Owen County as a nature preserve as well as an expansion of Hoosier Prairie Nature Preserve in Lake County.

“Nature preserves represent Indiana’s most unique and significant natural areas, which is why we’re committed to continuing to work with partners to protect them,” Gov. Mike Braun said. “These new and expanded protected natural areas in Owen and Lake counties now have Indiana’s highest level of protection, conserving them for future generations.”

A nature preserve is an area of high natural significance representative of what Indiana would have been in the pre-settlement period, and it is given the highest protection possible by state law.

Barnebey Woods Nature Preserve is owned and managed by Sycamore Land Trust, which acquired the property last year with funding from the President Benjamin Harrison Conservation Trust. It features 141.5 acres of mature upland forest with excellent tree species composition. It has moderate slopes with deep drainages interspersed among long ridges. A small bedrock overhang creates a waterfall when it rains and is a habitat for rock dwelling species such as the walking fern.

There are currently no trails at Barnebey Woods Nature Preserve, but Sycamore is considering future trail additions as part of its long-term planning for the property. The preserve is not currently open to the public to protect the sensitive natural area.

The expansion to Hoosier Prairie Nature Preserve is known as Sundew Prairie and adds 24.77 acres of wet sand prairie and oak savanna to one of the largest tracts of its type in the state. Many rare species such as Northern bog clubmoss, paper birch, and several sedges can be found on the addition.

The preserve lies within the boundary of Indiana Dunes National Park and is owned by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Sundew Prairie is not currently open to the public.

Learn more about nature preserves at: IN.gov/dnr/nature-preserves. Learn more about the blue Environmental Plate at: on.IN.gov/enviroplate.

 

‘till next time,

Jack

Readers can contact the author by writing to this publication or e-mail Jack at jackspaulding1971@outlook.com

Spaulding’s books, “The Best Of Spaulding Outdoors” and “The Coon Hunter And The Kid,” are available from Amazon.com as a paperback or Kindle download.