SUPPORT PHARES WETLAND
Monday, June 11 @ 5PM
LOCAL WETLAND FACES LOSS OF HABITAT
COME SUPPORT JIM AT THE STORM WATER ADVISORY MEETING JUNE 11, 5PM
The Jim Phares Wetland at 580 Burdick Rd, Westville, IN 46391 may be in jeopardy of shrinking to 10% of it’s current size. Nearly 30 years ago, the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife helped Jim in restoring the private property to it's natural wetland state. In 2011, the property was put into the Wetland Reserve Program. Currently, the NRCS (Dept of Agriculture) is looking at this "regulated drain" and is communicating that they need to make some changes to the Phares Wetland to comply with updated codes.
Some of the possible restructuring may cause the Phares Wetland to decrease in size from covering about 20 acres to an estimated <3 acres. There is the possibility that the wetland would dry up completely. Phares' property is bordered in the north by the Izaak Walton League of America - Porter County Chapter's Carol Cook Wetland Overlook which has a DNR Conservation easement, recent Eagle Scout boardwalk and overlook platform for bird watchers. The overlook has been listed on the Audubon Birding List in Indiana for the last 2 years. The site is featured and highly appreciated as a touring spot during the annual Dunes Birding Festival. The Discovery Trackers 4-H Club also recently built an Osprey Tower for the site and eagerly await the coming of the fishing bird for citizen science research. Local residents can enjoy the overlook all year round.
At the south border of the Phares property lies the Izaak Walton League of America - Porter County Chapter's Bedenkop Spring Run Woodlands. It also has DNR Conservation easements and a Quality Deer Management Association agreement in its 2nd stage. Altering the footprint of the Phares Wetland would cause loss of habitat to native and migrating wildlife at 580 Burdick Rd as well as imbalance at both of these adjacent properties. A devastating blow to Phares’ act of conservation and to the public that enjoys these conserved lands for outdoor recreation and appreciation of native species.
Phares has made application for an agreeable solution to be talked about at the next advisory meeting of the Storm Water Board on June 11 at 5:00pm.
Interested parties are called upon to support the preservation and maintenance of this peaceful 20 acre wetland, by whatever means, while following drainage rules and keeping Phares’ and the public’s interest at heart. Please come on June 11, 5pm to show your support for maintaining the Phares Wetland at the Storm Water Advisory Board of the County of Porter meeting in the Porter County Administrative Center, 155 Indiana Avenue, Suite 205, Valparaiso, IN 46383.
PCC's CALENDAR OF EVENTS
IMPORTANT PCC UPCOMING EVENTS
6/2 IWLA Indiana Awards Night
6pm at Griffith Chapter, 1532 Main
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6/6 June PCC Monthly Meeting
5:30pm Thomas Library 2nd floor meeting room
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6/16 Gnomes Day Out...fairy festival
11-4pm Frame Conservation Area
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6/23 Naturepalooza 10am set-up (11am-3pm)
Rogers Lakewood Park
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7/21 July PCC Monthly Meeting
1-3pm Thomas Library 2nd floor meeting room
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July 21-28 (noon-7) PCC's TSC Family Tent at Porter County Fair
Volunteer for a shift!
To volunteer to help with Gnomes Day Out! or NATUREPALOOZA or Porter Co. Fair; contact Annette Hansen executivedirectoriwlapcc@gmail.com
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