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Sycamore Land Trust 15 results
Monroe Lake is “the source of our drinking water, a destination for many outdoor activities, and home to a wide variety of critters and flora,” writes Michael G. Glab. This year marks the 60th anniversary of its dedication, and many events are planned to commemorate it. Above, swimmers enjoy the beach at Fairfax State Recreation Area. | Limestone Post

Celebrating Monroe Lake’s 60th Anniversary Series of events and programs planned for lead-up to October reception
Michael G. Glab
We couldn’t imagine living without Monroe Lake, writes Michael G. Glab. The reservoir is “the source of our drinking water, a destination for many outdoor activities, and home to a wide variety of critters and flora.” This year marks the 60th anniversary of its dedication, with many events planned to commemorate it. Read Glab’s article, featuring Interpretive Naturalist Jill Vance.
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Journalist Steven Higgs “trained” at Beanblossom Bottoms Nature Preserve for a photographic expedition to the Colombian Amazon. Shown here on an Uplands Group Sierra Club hike he led are Amy Henn (front), Mary Carol Reardon (white hat), Will Cowan, and others. | Photography by Steven Higgs

A Half-century Trail from Beanblossom Bottoms to the Colombian Amazon
Steven Higgs
Bloomington environmental photographer and writer Steven Higgs has spent his career covering nature. Soon, though, he will connect two dots in a “half-century trail” when he photographs the Colombian Amazon. This spring, he made several trips to our own protected wilderness, Beanblossom Bottoms, to hone his photographic skills for the Amazonian expedition. Connect the dots here.
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The wide-ranging issues about protecting Indiana’s wetlands present a conflict between people who advocate for the critical functions wetlands provide and those who say wetland regulations drive up construction prices and hamper growth. Above, a swamp in Beanblossom Bottoms in Monroe County. | Photo by Anne Kibbler

What’s at Stake in the Debate Over Indiana’s Wetlands? Deep Dive: WFHB & Limestone Post Investigate Wetland Preservation
Anne Kibbler
Laws protecting Indiana wetlands have been rolled back in recent years. Some people argue that wetlands must be preserved because of the critical functions they provide. Others say wetland regulations drive up construction prices and hamper growth. This Deep Dive by Anne Kibbler looks at the myriad questions and wide-ranging issues in the debate over Indiana’s wetlands. Read it here.
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It wasn’t until Sean Chung volunteered for a local environmental group that he realized how destructive invasive plants were to the integrity of local ecosystems. In Monroe County, the invasion is held at bay by individuals, neighborhood associations, nonprofit organizations, local government, and even the U.S. Forest Service. The Park Ridge East neighborhood, for example, took advantage of a city grant program to install a native plant garden (pictured) to provide a habitat for butterflies and other pollinators. | Limestone Post

Keeping Invasive Plants at Bay to Prevent ‘Ecological Collapse’
Sean Chung
Before volunteering for a local environmental group, Sean Chung was unaware of the problems invasive plants were causing here in Monroe County and “every single community in the U.S.” For this article, he interviewed people working to “contain the invasion” and prevent the kind of “ecological collapse” that invasives can cause. Click here to read the article.
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Limestone Post Begins 2nd Year As Nonprofit
Ron Eid
Although Limestone Post Magazine launched in 2015, this month we’re celebrating our one-year anniversary as a nonprofit! What a year. Despite the challenges, we’ve continued publishing important stories and have made progress in other significant ways. We’re carrying that momentum into 2021 with renewed hope and enthusiasm. Click here to read about Limestone Post’s past, present, and future.
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‘Paper Pavilions’ Exhibition Looks at Race, Nature, and Public Art
Ian Carstens
‘Paper Pavilions’ is a group exhibition of Midwestern artists, showing virtually and physically at the 411 Gallery in Columbus, Indiana. Curated by Sean Starowitz, the City of Bloomington’s assistant director for the arts, the exhibition allows artists to set the tone for the future of public art. Click here to read a review from writer and photographer Ian Carstens.
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A lone bike rider on the nearly empty streets of Bloomington, Indiana, March 25, 2020. Local officials, organizations, and individuals have developed programs and resources to help people trying to cope during the COVID-19 crisis. | Limestone Post

List of COVID-19 Resources for Bloomington and Monroe County
Limestone Post
Bloomington and Monroe County officials, organizations, and individuals have responded to the COVID-19 crisis by developing programs and resources to help people trying to cope in the pandemic. Limestone Post has compiled this list for people who need help, who want to help, or who just want more information. Click here for the list.
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Hikers wander along the trails at Sycamore Land Trust’s Porter West. Writer Jonah Chester describes the preserve as a “diamond in the rough,” with sinkholes, a former composting site, and a cemetery. | Limestone Post

Porter West: Sycamore Land Trust’s ‘Diamond in the Rough’
Jonah Chester
A lot goes into preserving the natural beauty of an area — but sometimes that means just letting it be. Sycamore Land Trust’s Porter West Preserve, for example, includes a former composting site, sinkholes, and a cemetery. Writer Jonah Chester explores how SLT manages problems like invasive species in such “diamonds in the rough.” Click here to read the full story and to see many photos of Porter West.
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Feeling idle in the post-holiday lull? Writer and LP editor Dason Anderson has compiled a list of 12 happenings to get you out and about this winter season. Indoors, outdoors, alone or with friends, there’s something to do for everyone until spring comes again. | Photo by Tim Gouw, Pexels

Beat the Cold with These 12 Winter Events
Dason Anderson
Feeling idle in the post-holiday lull? Writer and LP editor Dason Anderson has compiled a list of 12 happenings to get you out and about this winter season. Indoors, outdoors, alone or with friends, there’s something to do for everyone until spring comes again. Click here to read the full story.
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‘Read Local’: A Letter from the Desk of Emily Winters, LP’s Marketing and Advertising Director
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Limestone Post Marketing and Advertising Director Emily Winters toots her horn about why she loves LP (and you should, too)! A woman with a mission, Emily helps LP’s in-depth, informative stories find their way to loyal readers and the broader community. “The need for homegrown stories and independent voices is ever-pressing," she writes. "LP publishes stories that not only showcase Bloomington’s creativity and quirkiness, but they also examine issues and pose questions that help make us a more informed and engaged community." Click here to read more.
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John Lawrence, the assistant director of Sycamore Land Trust, sprays a patch of vinca near the Sycamore headquarters with herbicide. | Photo by Annie Corrigan, WFIU

With Invasives, an Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure
Earth Eats
A healthy environment requires native plants that interact with insects, birds, and wildlife. When invasive plants are introduced, they can quickly crowd out native species and wreak havoc on an ecosystem. Annie Corrigan, announcer and producer at WFIU Public Radio, wrote about invasive plants for her weekly radio show, Earth Eats. Click here to read the full story.
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You can help out in the Bloomington Community Orchard during their Work and Learn Days on Wednesday evenings. | Photo courtesy of Bloomington Community Orchard

Out-of-the-Ordinary Summer Events for Your Next Adventure
Sierra Vandervort
A-a-a-ah, summer. Bloomington is a different town when school is out. The traffic is thinner, the pace is slower, and the small-town feel really settles in. Boring? Hardly. Here’s a short list of out-of-the-ordinary events to keep your summer happening — all during the week! Click here to read the full story.
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