In 2022, a 191-acre Indiana land listing triggered a much bigger conservation effort; 3,950 acres of former coal-mining land are now protected for wildlife and public access, a new account of the project reveals

What began as an attempt to save a 191-acre piece of land from a potential sale has grown into one of southern Indiana’s significant conservation efforts. Nearly 4,000 acres in Sullivan County are now permanently protected as the Busseron Creek Fish and Wildlife Area, preserving wetlands, forests and former coal-mining land for wildlife and public recreation. A November 2 account by the Conservation Law Center, alongside reports from Indiana Public Media and The Indianapolis Star, has shed more light on how an unexpected property listing in 2022 set the larger project in motion. The conservation effort began when the Conservation Law Center’s Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape team noticed a 191-acre parcel listed on the open market in late 2022. The property was part of a much larger holding of nearly 4,000 acres owned by American Land Holdings of Indiana, a subsidiary of Peabody Energy.The land had a complicated history. Much of it had previously been part of the Minnehaha Fish and Wildlife Area, which closed in 2016 after the former landowner declined to renew its lease. The landscape, which includes reclaimed surface-mining ground, had gradually developed into a mix of bottomland forests, marshes, wetlands and upland grasslands. Conservationists feared that selling individual parcels could divide the connected landscape, potentially affecting wildlife habitats and the wetlands that help manage floodwater and filter water naturally.

How a small land deal became a 3,950-acre conservation project

The Conservation Law Center worked with the landowner and a local realtor to take the 191-acre parcel off the market while a longer-term solution was explored. The Conservation Fund stepped in with immediate financial support, purchasing the property with the intention of eventually transferring it into public ownership.That initial intervention created an opportunity to negotiate for the entire 3,950-acre holding rather than protecting just the smaller parcel. The Conservation Fund and the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape worked with American Land Holdings to secure the larger property, helping prevent the landscape from being divided into smaller privately owned plots.The project eventually brought together several organisations and public agencies. Funding support came from the US Navy through the Department of Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration programme, the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Program, The Nature Conservancy, the State of Indiana and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through Walmart’s Acres for America programme.After more than two years of negotiations and fundraising, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources completed the acquisition in December 2024. The 3,950 acres, valued at more than $12 million, were permanently protected and established as the Busseron Creek Fish and Wildlife Area. The acquisition was also reported by Indiana Public Media and The Indianapolis Star.

Why protecting this landscape matters

The property’s location makes it valuable for more than its size. It sits in a transition zone between the western tallgrass prairie and the central hardwood forest, supporting a range of habitats that are increasingly important for wildlife. Its wetlands help absorb excess rainwater, reduce flooding and filter water, while the wooded and grassland sections provide shelter and feeding grounds for different species. The area also supports wildlife such as deer, wild turkey and migratory waterfowl.There is another reason the conservation project attracted federal support. The property lies close to the US Navy’s Lake Glendora Test Facility, which is part of Naval Weapons Support Center Crane. Protecting compatible land uses around military installations helps preserve the surrounding environment while ensuring that nearby development does not interfere with military operations. This is one of the central ideas behind the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape initiative.

A new public space for outdoor recreation

The property opened as Busseron Creek Fish and Wildlife Area in April 2025, giving residents and visitors access to land that had previously been unavailable to the public for several years. Managed by the Indiana DNR’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, the 3,950-acre area now offers opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife watching, hiking, foraging, trapping and other outdoor activities. Visitors can also explore its waterways using small boats, canoes and kayaks, while birdwatchers can observe migratory waterfowl gathering around its wetlands.The area does not have established hiking trails, but visitors can use available roadways and game trails to explore the property. The project also highlights how conservation efforts can depend on quick decisions and partnerships between organisations that bring different resources to the table. What initially appeared to be a relatively small land purchase became an opportunity to protect an entire ecological landscape.For Indiana, the result is not simply another addition to its public land network. It is the preservation of a former mining landscape that has developed into an important natural habitat, while ensuring that its wetlands, wildlife and recreational opportunities remain available to future generations.