Hello again!
We wish to thank all our supporters during our first full year as the nonprofit Zionsville Parks Foundation. We know parks and wildlife are important to you and we hear your desire for robust green spaces. This has been a busy year as you will see in our summer newsletter. We are supporting our community through nature education, nature arts and future projects planned for preservation and much more!
The Zionsville Nature Center will celebrate its 20th birthday this year! It all began when the Zionsville School Corporation allowed a group of dedicated Zionsville nature lovers to set up the very first nature center in the former administration office next to Eagle Elementary. The first name was Zion Nature Center, now the Zionsville Nature Center. One of the original residents, Shelly, the box turtle, is still teaching kids and adults to admire and appreciate one of Indiana’s special native species. Stay tuned to the Parks Department for upcoming anniversary announcements and events!
As we work to enhance habitat in Zionsville we’ve been looking at ways to support more pollinators. Thanks to our donors we are able to donate plants that invite more wildlife and beauty to the Zionsville Golf Course. Watch for more native pollinator plants gracing the course next season.
Addtionally, Town of Zionsville leaders continue to develop plans for the future of the Carpenter Nature Preserve. Stay tuned as more news comes out this year. In the meantime, we’ve been working to monitor the property’s wildlife species and recently found two fairly uncommon birds in to Boone County.
The first one is called a blue grosbeak (pictured below, left), which has been found nesting at the Preserve. The other one is known as a Dickcissel (pictured below, right), which is a wonderful grassland bird species, but a bird that struggles to keep populations going as they require tall grasses and diverse habitat that are often mowed down. Protecting green spaces that support unique species like these is one of our primary goals at the Foundation.
Finally, please add your voice in support of parks. The Zionsville Parks and Recreation Department has begun the process of updating its master plan. This 5-Year Parks Master Plan will take a fresh and holistic look at parks and recreation and has begun engaging residents and community leaders to provide recommendations that seek to improve the current parks system. The plan’s recommendations will include physical improvements for parks but will also include recommendations for new programs and activities, maintenance and operations, funding sources, and long-term planning addressing the life-cycle of existing park elements.
Sincerely,
Nancy Carpenter
Zionsville Parks Foundation
Board of Directors, President
