Next Level Conservation Trust
The DNR is establishing the Next Level Conservation Trust, a program that will acquire property that will become part of the public trust and be protected for future generations of Hoosiers to use and enjoy.
“The Next Level Conservation Trust will continue the DNR’s legacy of preserving Indiana’s rich natural heritage,” said DNR Director Dan Bortner. “Outstanding natural features, unique habitats, significant historical and archeological sites, and areas for conservation, restoration, and recreation will be protected for Hoosiers today and for future generations.”
 Watch fireworks at several Indiana State Parks
Enjoy fireworks at Indiana State Park properties on July 2.
 Fishin' Pond volunteers needed
DNR is looking for volunteers to help youth fish at the Indiana State Fair Fishin’ Pond. As a volunteer, you can register families on-site, work with kids as they fish with cane poles, or tie fishing knots and untangle lines.
The Fishin’ Pond will be open on the fair's opening day (July 29), as well as Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 4 - 7 p.m. Volunteer shifts last four hours, and volunteers receive free parking, a free State Fair ticket, and a free T-shirt.
 Looking for a summer job that gets you out into nature?
We’re hiring seasonal staff for the 2022 recreation season at State Parks and Fish & Wildlife areas. Some of the available jobs include, labor/property workers, lifeguards, gate attendants, naturalist aides, office help & more. Apply online at on.IN.gov/dnrjobs.
Indiana State Park Inns are also hiring for an assortment of jobs at all seven locations. Find out more at Indianainnsjobs.com.
 First set of reserved draws opens July 1
Beginning July 1, hunters can apply online for the following reserved hunts by visiting on.IN.gov/reservedhunt. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET. on Aug. 1 for these hunts:
- Dove hunts at Atterbury, Goose Pond, Jasper-Pulaski, Kankakee, Kingsbury, Pigeon River, Willow Slough, and Winamac Fish & Wildlife areas (FWAs).
- Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge youth deer hunt on Sept. 24-25.
- Indiana Private Lands Access (IPLA) reserve hunts for squirrel and youth deer on private lands. View the hunt dates and locations when applying.
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Gov. Holcomb joined officials from the town of Zionsville and the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy to officially open a recently completed section of the Big-4 Rail Trail.
“The Next Level Trails program is about creating quality of place through connectivity,” Gov. Holcomb said. “The Big-4 Rail Trail is another piece of the puzzle in building a statewide trail network that makes Indiana stand out as a place to live, work, play, study and stay.”
Next Level Trails awarded Zionsville $1,812,295 in March 2021 for a 1.79-mile extension of its southern section, which connects to Overley-Worman Park and the Vonterra neighborhood at Zionsville Road.
To date, $120 million has been awarded to build 190 miles of trails throughout Indiana.
Wear it Indiana!
Personal flotation device. PFD. Life jacket. Life preserver. Whatever you call this piece of life-saving equipment, remember to wear it while boating or swimming.
Each summer, too many lives are lost on the water. Wearing a PFD can prevent most, if not all, of these tragedies.
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Watch the sand come alive at this year’s 25th anniversary event on Saturday, July 16. This year’s theme is “Food.” Registration table opens by 9 a.m., but groups may begin as early as 7 a.m. Whether building or not, come vote for your favorite in the “People’s Choice Award.” Park volunteers will be judging sculptures for the funniest, most creative, and most thematic.
 Natural Resources Foundation supports habitat restoration at Cedar Swamp Wetland Conservation Area
Thanks to our partnership with generous donors in northeast Indiana, INRF recently contributed $59,000 to support upland and wetland habitat restoration at Cedar Swamp WCA.
About 179 acres of habitat will be renovated through the multi-year, multi-partner effort, and the project has the scope to make an impact on up to 400 acres.
 Help the DNR by reporting a mammal
Did you get something unusual on a trail camera and want to share it to help wildlife in Indiana? DNR has launched a new Report a Mammal page. We are asking for the public’s help to submit sightings to the new online report form. Report a Mammal includes animals like armadillos, badgers, gray foxes, flying squirrels, star-nosed moles, ground squirrels, weasels, and more.
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Two Division of Water staff members received awards at the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) Conference awards program recently.
David Knipe (Left), division director, received the Jerry Louthain Award for Distinguished Service to ASFPM. Established in 1995, the award is the highest honor ASFPM gives to recognize individuals who, through their long-term efforts, have clearly supported and advanced the work of the Association of State Floodplain Managers.
Doug Wagner (Right), senior planner in the Floodplain Management Section, won the John Ivey Award for Superior Efforts in Certification. This award was established by the ASFPM Board of Directors in 2001 to recognize exceptional efforts to promote the professional certification of floodplain managers.
 The turkey brood survey is coming soon
Turkeys throughout Indiana are leading their newborn turkey chicks, known as poults, through the woods in search of food. Beginning in July, Indiana DNR needs your help to count the turkeys, including broods with poults and hens without poults.
These reports help support biologists’ efforts to determine the Wild Turkey Production Index, which is used to estimate populations in the state and guide future wildlife management decisions. In 2021, observers submitted more than 5,100 sightings, and 68 out of Indiana’s 92 counties shared more than 25 sightings. Let’s boost our numbers for 2022.
Get your copy of Outdoor Indiana magazine
The new Outdoor Indiana features a cover article on kites as well as a features on the French heritage of Indiana and the state’s love of ice cream. Read excerpts of the latest issue and subscribe today.
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The Foundation celebrates and preserves Indiana’s natural legacy by raising funds to support the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and its programs.
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