On Tuesday, August 8, members of the Izaak Walton League of America’s Porter County Chapter met at their Frame Family Little Calumet Conservation Area, located on the west side of County Line Road-- across the road from Michigan City. They met with USDA/NRCS engineers and Greenline Landscaping to finalize details of their new NRCS wetland restoration contract. The chapter refers to this conservation area by two names; Frame One and Frame Two. The “Frame One” parcel was purchased with the help of NIPSCO funds and the Indiana Heritage Trust, and the “Frame Two” parcel was purchased with Enbridge L-6b Mitigation Funds and the Indiana Bicentennial Trust. Both parcels have conservation easements and are managed for the benefit of migratory birds.
“It is the largest wetland restoration that the NRCS has ever engaged in Porter County.” noted chapter VP, Gary Brown. The project will restore portions of the 60 acre property to wetland as it had been before it was modified for farmland over 100 years ago by PCC member, Don Frame’s grandfather. “Along with this restoration, the property will also feature frog ponds and a new access road. We intend to invite groups here for educational and recreational purposes; this property is quite diverse actually,” said Don Frame, “woodland, prairie, river, stream, and wetland are all represented here.” Greenline will soon break ground and the chapter expects to finish the restoration this winter, in time for spring rains and thaw.
PCC is also waiting on final approval by the Porter County Stormwater Engineer to fill the drainage ditch along their northeastern border along County Line Road which would redirect surface waters away from the Little Calumet River, through the newly restored weltand, and out to Reynolds Creek. A wetland filters that water naturally and creates habitat for native species as well. “Our chapter can assist folks in learning more about how they can manage increasing water on their own properties too,” said Brown. “Our neighbors should think of PCC as a resource.”
PCC’s Frame Conservation Area is also the site of ongoing forest/woodland restorations, serves as a pollinator habitat, a developing Early Learner Nature Playground, and the chapter’s annual June “Gnomes Day Out” fairy festival. To learn more about the conservation work in NW Indiana by Porter County Chapter of Izaak Walton, like them on Facebook@PCCIWLA or visit NWIconservation.org.