NICHES Land Trust [1], a non-profit organization headquartered at Clegg Memorial Garden in Lafayette, Ind., maintains more than 40 public conservation properties across 13 counties in western and central Indiana.
Their properties, including several parcels in Jasper County [2], allow them to help preserve native habitat in a variety of ecosystems. These properties offer a variety of public use options which vary from site to site, but can include hiking, bird watching, fishing and mushroom hunting. Sites are typically open from dawn to dusk and offer miles of public trails for discovering natural habitat.
Founded in 1995 by a small group of citizens concerned with conservation of natural areas, NICHES Land Trust is non-adversarial; choosing to work cooperatively with land owners, other nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and various entities in the pursuit of areas ranging from small green spaces to pristine nature preserves of high biological integrity.
Their mission is "Responsible conservation through collaboration."
Several photographs of their properties, including work done at the properties, are on display in January and February at the Rensselaer Library. To learn more, visit the NICHES Land Trust [1] website or their facebook page [3].