Protecting northwestern Indiana’s natural heritage
Across northwestern Indiana, forests, wetlands, prairies, and waterways provide habitat for wildlife and places for people to connect with nature. For more than four decades, Shirley Heinze Land Trust has worked to protect these natural resources. Established in 1981, the organization preserves and restores natural lands and waters across the region while helping people build deeper connections with nature and conservation.
Today, the Land Trust protects more than 4,175 acres across six counties in northwestern Indiana, including seven state-dedicated nature preserves. Founded in memory of Dr. Shirley Heinze, a champion for the Indiana Dunes, the Trust has grown into one of the region’s leading conservation organizations. It stewards diverse landscapes while creating opportunities for people to experience, learn about, and care for the natural world.
Conserving and restoring critical ecosystems
Land protection is only the beginning of the Trust’s work. Staff, interns, and volunteers actively restore and manage natural areas to improve biodiversity and strengthen ecosystem health. Their stewardship efforts include removing invasive species, planting native vegetation, improving water quality, and managing habitats such as wetlands, prairies, and savannahs.
The impact of this work can be seen across the region. Nearly 100 acres of wetlands are currently under restoration. In 2025, the Land Trust added 550 more acres to its preserve landholdings. These efforts create healthier habitats for plants and wildlife while preserving natural spaces for surrounding communities. Executive Director Kris Krouse stated that the stewardship program continues to advance biodiversity, improve water quality, and provide hands-on conservation training through one of the Midwest’s strongest land conservation internship programs.
Many of these preserved lands are also open to the public. More than 35 miles of trails invite residents and visitors to explore nature firsthand, while public access sites along the Little Calumet and Deep Rivers provide opportunities for paddling and outdoor recreation. By making these landscapes accessible, the Trust helps ensure that conservation benefits not only wildlife, but also the people who live nearby.
Connecting people with nature
A central part of the Trust’s mission is helping people experience and appreciate the natural world. Over the years, the organization has expanded beyond preservation and restoration to include environmental education, outdoor recreation, and community involvement. School groups visit preserves for field experiences, students participate in internships that introduce them to conservation careers, and educational partnerships help connect younger generations with local ecosystems. One staff member described the impact: “There’s nothing better than seeing kids out on the preserve get an experience in nature that they might not find any place else.” Through these experiences, young visitors learn about prairies, boreal flatwoods, and oak savannahs while developing curiosity about the plants and wildlife around them.
Volunteers also play a vital role in advancing the mission. In 2025 alone, 290 volunteers contributed nearly 1,932 hours of service. They assist with trail maintenance, habitat restoration, invasive species management, seed collection, citizen science projects, outreach activities, and educational programs. These efforts help care for protected lands while giving community members a direct role in conservation.
For many participants, those experiences foster a lifelong connection to nature. As one student intern reflected, working with the Trust helped them reconnect with “the refreshing and deep joy nature gives me” while gaining a deeper appreciation for conservation. Another volunteer credits the program with inspiring her to pursue a career as a wildlife biologist.
Collaborating to support conservation and community
As northwestern Indiana continues to grow, collaborations are increasingly important to balancing community engagement with ecological conservation. Microsoft’s support will help Shirley Heinze Land Trust protect and restore natural areas across the region, advancing public access and restoration planning for the Ridgeway Wetlands near Microsoft’s datacenter facilities in La Porte County. The project reflects an innovative approach to conservation planning, focusing not just on individual sites but also on the broader network of wetlands, waterways, parks, and open spaces. As part of this work, the Land Trust is partnering with the City of La Porte on the Clear Loop Greenway, a downtown trail that connects residents to the city’s natural assets. The collaboration includes conservation planning and improvements that will revitalize a beloved local space, promote accessibility and environmental health, and strengthen ties between urban life and the surrounding landscape.
Together, these projects contribute to healthier ecosystems, stronger communities, and landscapes that remain accessible and resilient for generations to come.
