The Central Indiana Land Trust, Inc. has closed on the purchase of 67 acres adjacent to the Portland Arch Nature Preserve on the west side of the state. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources owns the Fountain County preserve, which was designated a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service in 1973.
Portland Arch Nature Preserve, a 435-acre hiking destination near the Wabash River, features a natural sandstone archway, one of only a few natural arches in Indiana. The nature preserve is home to cliffs, canyons, high-quality forests with native white pines, and endangered species.
Adding to the preserve will help protect Bear Creek and Rattlesnake Creek Canyons, as well as the plant and animal species found there.
CILTI received $450,000 from an anonymous donor to purchase the property from private landowners.
“I consider Portland Arch part of the ‘Mount Rushmore of Indiana nature preserves,’” said Cliff Chapman, president of the Central Indiana Land Trust. “The arch itself may be the most unusual geological feature in Indiana. That along with the landscape’s sheer beauty put it at the top of the list of preserves to visit across the state.”
He added, “The addition, which is bordered on three sides by the Portland Arch Nature Preserve, was pursued by the DNR for over five decades. Being able to finally protect this special place after all those years is truly an honor.”
The newly acquired land will be donated to the people of Indiana and managed by the DNR.
