Indiana is often taught in horticulture classes as unique for merging four natural habitats. Soil types are also representative of those regions and the plants and wildlife that thrive in those conditions. In the northern counties of the state are more northern plants perferring cooler climates like wetland and bog plants like blueberries and cranberries often at the southern edge of their native ranges. Eastern counties of the state have more eastern forest woodland plants on the western edge of their ranges. Southern Indiana has southern acidic soil preferring plants on the northern edge of their natural range such as azaleas and mountain laurel in southeastern Indiana, and cypress trees in southwest Indiana preferring southern style swampland. And the western edge of the state with drier open grassland prairies on the eastern edge of their native ranges. So it is not surprising to find these plants can intermix under the right conditions.
Modern life has completely altered many of these native habitats which makes life a challenge for the existing wildlife and people who try to establish gardens and landscaping. Historically Allen County, Indiana was a beech, oak, hickory forest often swampy woodland habitat, modern development methods, extensive drainage systems for flood control, results in a wildlife habitat resembling an open, often dry for extended periods of time in the heat of summer, sparsely wooded prairie habitat.
Our ancestors arrived from other continents at various times finding existing diverse habitats with native plants and animals similar but often different from their homeland. Allen County, Indiana was originally beech oak hickory forests with some prairie areas, wetlands such as Eagle Marsh and Little River Wetland in southwest Allen County and the Great Black Swamp that stretched from eastern Allen County northwest through Ohio to Lake Erie. See our Trees page.
Some of our ancestors brought their favorite plants and animals for food, pets, and economic reasons eventually changing the habitats of this New World
. Modern technology advances enable researchers to show that over time our activities are changing the native habitat where native animals and plants successfully co-exist together. Every year it becomes easier to find examples of wide spread problems with non-native plants, animals, and diseases. Native pollinators are vital to pollination and reproduction of many native plants. These changes are affecting the survival of many native species often costing taxpayers millions of dollar and untold volunteer hours to stop and try to reverse negative changes. Our Maps page shows aerial, border, street, and highway changes over time, our Timeline page shows history milestones, and our Wildlife pages will show wildlife changes.
Early 20th century newspaper advertisements for South Wood Park development emphasized the big trees as a fine place for Fort Wayne children. See our Historic South Wood Park Neighborhood page.
1917 - South Wood Park preserve hundreds of finest specimens of the forest The Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Monday, August 13, 1917, Page 7
In cutting the streets and boulevards through the forest in South Wood Park, the landscape architect has been guided by the desire to preserve hundreds of the finest specimens of the forest. The photograph is a typical view in the broad wooded seetion of South Wood Park.
1917 - A Fine Place Fort Wayne Children - Big Trees are Characteristic of South Wood Park The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Friday, August 24, 1917, Page 9
Probably no place in Fort Wayne offers attractive natural playgrounds for children to surpass the broad park ways in South wood Park, the new Hilgeman Schaaf development on the south side. Big trees and broad open areas have proved irresistible for many who have already seen the place. Most of the lot purchasers announce, that they will build homes this summer or fall. The work of paving and laying of sidewalks as well as the placing of sewers and water mains, is now engaging attention, ,The yast work has been going forward since midsummer.
Bald eagles have been nesting in the Catholic Cemetery for many years. See our Bald Eagles page for more information.
Eagle's nest on Lake Avenue A bald eagle sits on a nest in Lake Avenue’s Catholic Cemetery on Monday Mike Durbin The Journal Gazette newspaper.
We often notice common garden plants when visiting pioneer cemeteries. Most are not native and were planted by someone. Whether planted at the time of burial or years later is hard to determine as it is not something most people would think to record. Daylilies shown in this Dekalb County cemetery are commonly found in old cemeteries. Modern maintenance methods have eliminated most of these naturalized plantings in Allen County cemeteries so we have to use photos from other counties. Sometimes in early spring before mowing season begins remnants of some of these plantings can be seen struggling to continue another growing season.
Wednesday, May 8, 2024 post by the DeKalb County Historian on Facebook.
Wednesday, June 5, 2024 post by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on Facebook:
Imagine just a few drops of water could tell you which species were present in an area. 
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Turns out, we already have a tool like this. Using a small sample of water, scientists can look for genetic material left behind by anything with a genome—a species’ genetic fingerprint made from DNA—which scientists call environmental DNA, or eDNA.
Recognizing the power of this tool, the White House Office of Science, Technology, and Policy (OSTP) brought together experts from several federal agencies to develop a ‘National Strategy for Aquatic Environmental DNA'. The White House announced this strategy and two more Monday: White House Releases New Strategies to Advance Sustainable Ocean Management
The USGS has been at the forefront of eDNA research for over a decade and will play an important role in implementing this strategy. Learn more about USGS eDNA science in our new science snippet here: A new strategy to help unleash USGS eDNA capabilities
USGS Photos
#eDNA
Friday, May 24, 2024 post by the U.S. Forest Service - Hoosier National Forest on Facebook:
Oak-hickory forests, which are comprised of a variety of different tree species, shrubs, grasses, sedges and wildflowers, as well as wildlife, including songbirds, are important to Indiana’s biodiversity. Learn how you can support oak-hickory ecosystems on your property through a new publication, “Forest Stewardship for Oak-Hickory Ecosystems in Indiana,” produced by Let the Sun Shine In - Indiana.
For more on this publication, and to download it, visit: Publication Teaches Landowners How to Support Oak-Hickory Ecosystems
#oak #forestmanagement #pollinators #birds #ForestFriday
Monday, January 9, 2017 post by the Northeast Chapter of Indiana Native Plant Society - INPS on Facebook:
During his inaugural speech today, Gov. Holcomb informed his audience that "the purist patriotism is to 'convert the gloomy woods into fields waving with luxuriant harvests' " referencing a speech given nearly 200 years ago in Martin County.
What implications would a "gloomy woods" view have on Indiana native plant and wildlife species? Please share your favorite woodsy photos in the comment section below.
The context of that excerpted piece was: "You behold in each other, those on whose industry and perseverance you repose your hopes of seeing, within a few years, a fair and fertile portion of the state rescued from the condition of a dreary wilderness, where nothing was formerly heard but the howling of the wolf—where no living creature cheered the eye, except, perchance, a bounding deer, a rude bear, or a ruthless savage;—men, who will convert the gloomy woods into fields waving with luxuriant harvests, and change the nauseous swamps, emitting pestilence and death, into rich meadows clothed with thick and verdant herbage." An Oration, Pronounced at Hindostan, Martin Co. (I[ndian]a) on the 45th Anniversary of American Independence Dr. M. A. Ward Edited by William Barlow and David 0. Powell* [ Indiana Magazine of History journal in the archives at Indiana University Scholarworks ]
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In 1821, just five years after we became our own state, a speaker at a Fourth of July celebration down in Martin County said, “The purest patriotism is to convert the gloomy woods into fields waving with luxuriant harvests.” from Full text: Holcomb’s inaugural address WANE Staff Reports January 9, 2017 CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15.
See our Trees page for more information.
Lindenwood Cemetery is east across Lindenwood Avenue from Lindenwood Nature Preserve which shows what the cemetery grounds looked like back when the cemetery began in 1859.
In 2023, Lindenwood Cemetery became an Arboretum which is a place where trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants are cultivated for scientific and educational purposes.
The Samuel Hanna grave, Lindenwood Cemetery, Fort Wayne, IN. after he died in June 1866 in the
Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the
Allen County Public Library. The photo with a white obelisk tombstone in the background behind a tree on the left appears to show the early graves in Lindenwood Cemetery founded in July 1859 were literally buried in the existing forest. The cemetery currently has many big old trees but with wide open spaces between them. See Samuel Hanna and our Trees page.
[ See a recent photo for comparison on our Lindenwood Cemetery page. ]
Wednesday, May 15, 2024 post by Lindenwood Cemetery on Facebook:
Pardon the detours on the cemetery grounds today. We have a few trees being removed for safety reasons.
[ See our Lindenwood Cemetery page. The
Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the
Allen County Public Libraryhas many historic photos of gardens in the cemetery in the early 20th century. Their Facebook page shows some recent improvements. A recent drive through the Catholic Cemetery shows recent tree plantings along the roads in open areas. A recent photo in the newspaper shows a bald eagle nest in a tall sycamore tree in the Catholic Cemetery.]
Thursday, May 16, 2024 post by the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo on Faceook:
Did you know about the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo's motus towers? Marrying technology with conservation, and a little bit of elbow grease, the Zoo participates in the Motus Wildlife Tracking System, a collaborative research network that uses coordinated automated radio telemetry arrays to study the movements of small animals. 
[ The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo is located in Franke Park ]
Shared the May 15, 2024 post by The Association of Zoos and Aquariums on Facebook:
Motus towers like the ones Nashville Zoo, Audubon Aquarium, and Fort Wayne Children's Zoo help scientists learn about the migration paths birds use. Plus, a Motus tower on institution grounds provides great messaging for guests and connects them to local #Wildlife. Learn how to join the Motus network at https://motus.org/.
SAFE North American Songbirds has a grant program to assist with the cost of installing a Motus tower at program partner institutions. The application can be found on our website at https://sites.google.com/view/safenas/grants. #SAFESongbirds #SAFETakeover #Birds #Migration #Technology
Wednesday, May 15, 2024 post by the Historic Southwood Park Neighborhood Association on Facebook:
You might think this photo was taken in England... but it's right here in Fort Wayne. We continue to highlight some houses that are featured in the 2008 Southwood Park Historic District brochure for National Historic Preservation month!
Kenneth & Elizabeth Bechtel House (original owners)
4319 Indiana Avenue
Tudor Revival, c. 1925
Only a small percentage of Tudor houses have stucco as the primary wall surface. The steep roof, prominent stone chimney, half-timbering and casement windows are classic Tudor features. The stone foundation and entry arch are nice details. Bechtel was employed at S.F. Bowser Company, manufacturer of gasoline pumps.
Thursday, May 9, 2024 post by Johnston Farm & Indian Agency on Facebook:
We are beginning to work on restoring the front garden at the Johnston House. Not only did this require physical labor to reveal the garden that was abandoned over a decade ago, a great deal of research is going into what sort of plants and vegetables, etc. belong in the garden. Mr. Johnston stated that his garden had all of the things common to a good garden common to the Atlantic states. Contrary to many beliefs, this meant a garden rich with items that could be dried or preserved in another way to get an Ohio family through the long, cold winter.
Some of these foods can be gleaned through a search of John Johnston's letters.
[ John Johnston was an Indian agent in the early 1800s Fort Wayne until 1811 and several of his children were the first "white" children born in Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana. See John Johnston family, Forts of Fort Wayne, and Indians Native American pages ]
#piquaohio #Piqua #historichouses #19thcenturyhistory #historichouse #19thcenturyhistorynerd #miamicoutyohio #historicgarden #historicgardens #historicgardening
Wednesday, April 22, 2015 post by the Virginia Native Plant Society on Facebook:
“The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant, “What good is it?” If the land mechanism as a whole is good, then every part is good, whether we understand it or not. If the biota, in the course of aeons, has built something we like but do not understand, then who but a fool would discard seemingly useless parts? To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering.”
Aldo Leopold
Vernal Ponds
Vernal ponds were more common in Allen Count before many were built over as subdivisions, shopping centers, schools and more developed their sites in woodland habitats.
Friday, April 1, 2016 post by Fox Island County Park on Facebook:
The salamander eggs of March 16th have hatched. The vernal pond is again full of water and life marches on.
Sunday, October 7, 2018 post by Fox Island County Park on Facebook:
To the delight of Fox Island’s amphibians, the vernal pond along the Lake Rd. is being made deeper to hold more of the spring rains. This location is a very active breeding ground for salamanders, frogs and toads and this modification will benefit all of these residents.
Thursday, April 2, 2020 post by Fox Island County Park on Facebook:
NATURE FRIDAY!
Sunshine and warm temperatures should increase wildlife activity at Fox Island on Friday, 4-3-2020.
Come and see the OUTDOOR amphibian display at the Nature Center beginning at 11:00am - 5:00 pm. See frog eggs hatching and week old salamander larvae.(tadpoles).
Hear and watch for frog activity at the Nature Center Pond and other vernal ponds.
PLEASE OBSERVE PROPER PHYSICAL DISTANCING!
Monday, May 1, 2023 post by the Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College on Facebook:
We have some EXCITING news! 
The new Vernal Pond dock is officially done & our field trips kiddos are already making the most of it & finding tons of macroinvertebrates. Make sure you swing by to check it out after you stroll down our seasonally updated StoryWalk trail and read Ducklings and Pollywogs 
by Anne Rockwell!
Saturday, May 4, 2024 post by the Izaak Walton League Fort Wayne on Facebook:
Your May 2024 Edition has arrived. Newsletter - May 2024 Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Fort Wayne Chapter.
Friday, April 12, 2024 post by the Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College on Facebook:
Check out our most recent Merry Leaflet newsletter! 
This edition features details about our Master's students time in Hawaii, controlled burns, updates about our next strategic plan and lessons from a vernal pond. Also featured is a list of our current volunteers who have all together donated a total of 991.75 hours from July 2023 to March 2024!
To read this edition, click the link in our bio: The Merry Leaflet - Winter 2024 includes front page story: Lessons from a Vernal Pond
Saturday, June 29, 2024 post by the Izaak Walton League of America on Facebook:
Our Izaak Walton League Fort Wayne is turning 100 years old! Read about the celebratory events:
Celebrate 100 years of conservation with the Izaak Walton League
“Sometimes we’re called one of the city’s best kept secrets. People could live within 10 miles of here and never know we’re here, we’d like to change that,” Jay Butler, President of the Fort Wayne League said.
The Fort Wayne League was founded in 1924, just two years after the Izaak Walton League was formed. The League aims to conserve outdoor America for future generations.
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