Southern Indiana Trails

Wildflower Extravaganza Saturday, April 3 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. Audubon Museum Join us for three leisurely hikes to see the vibrant forest flora. Additional programs for all ages will also be available. 9 —10:30 a.m. Wildflower walk - Audubon Museum - Front Porch Learn about the traditional uses of native wildflower plants on this one-mile hike. 11 a.m.—12 p.m. Wildflower walk - Audubon Museum - Front Porch Learn about the traditional uses of native wildflower plants on this half a mile hike. 12 —12:30 p.m. Kids Wildflower Scavenger Hunt - Audubon Museum Back Porch In this 30 minute program for children ages 3-5, we’ll learn about shapes, colors and our local flowers on this easy paved trail. 1 —2 p.m. Making Your Yard a "Backyard Habitat” - Museum Meeting Room Naturalist Julie McDonald takes you through the steps needed to make your yard into a National Wildlife Federation "Backyard Habitat." You'll see examples of the ha...

Most every gardener strives to grow the best, most stunning flowers around, but that goal is hard to get hold of. Whether you want to raise prize-winning blooms or just have a home garden filled with of beautiful flowers, there are some things you can do in order to ensure your garden is in the best shape possible. Soil chemistry counts The chemical make-up of the soil is one of the biggest factors that contribute to the success or failure of your garden. If the soil in your planting beds is poor in nutrients, it is unlikely that your plants will thrive or produce those beautiful flowers that you want until you enrich the soil with the nutrition the plants need. Don't make the mistake of thinking that the soil chemistry is the same all over your yard. It is important to test the soil in each area of your property that you plan to plants, especially if the areas are away from each other. This can be important if part of your property is on a slope, or if it has been used for other t...

For every home, a garden is not just an extension of one's home, but a place to relax, unwind and soak up the nature. A beautifully contoured landscape, blooming flowers and just spending restful hours in the midst of beauty is what every homeowner yearns for. Gardening can definitely become a passion; when you get to pick your very own fresh vegetables and fruits. Although there are landscaping firms who can take care of your backyard just as well; but you could end up paying thousands of dollars just to recarpet a lawn and perhaps a little more to maintain it. It is especially important for the beginner gardener to choose the right types of plants, determine the spot in the backyard where the garden needs to be designed; select the right garden space, adopt appropriate techniques to take care of one's plants in the backyard and much more. Pre-plan each and every step before setting up your backyard garden, so it becomes a fun filed adventure rather than a nightmarish ritual. ...

Reserve your favorite Indiana campsite for 2010 online at http://www.camp.in.gov/ or by calling 1-866-622-6746. The rates listed below will apply for all camping from April 28 – Nov. 3. For camping and rates outside of these dates, please call the property directly. NEW for the 2010 Recreation Season! * Clifty Falls and Lincoln State Park have new comfort stations, turning their primitive campgrounds into non-electric with the luxury of modern facilities. * Roush Lake, Kil So Quah, has a handful of new electric sites. Reserve yours today. * Ouabache State Park has converted the non-electric campground to electric. Come check it out! State Parks & Reservoirs : * State Parks: Brown County, Chain O'Lakes, Charlestown, Clifty Falls, Lincoln, McCormick's Creek, Mounds, O'Bannon, Ouabache, Pokagon, Potato Creek, Prophetstown, Shades, Shakamak, Spring Mill, Summit Lake, Tippecanoe River, Turkey Run, Versailles, Whitewater Memorial * Reservoirs: Brookville, Cecil M. Harden ...

Entrance Fees $4.00 Gate fee (Monday - Thursday) ($5.00 combined entrance at Prophetstown State Park to the park and Historic Prophetstown) For noncommercial vehicles which have INDIANA license plates. Admits driver and passengers. $5.00 Gate fee (Friday - Sunday, Holidays) ($6.00 combined entrance at Prophetstown State Park to the park and Historic Prophetstown) For noncommercial vehicles which have INDIANA license plates. Admits driver and passengers. $7.00 Gate fee (daily) ($10.00 daily at Indiana Dunes State Park) ($8.00 combined entrance at Prophetstown State Park to the park and Historic Prophetstown) For noncommercial vehicles which do not have Indiana license plates. Admits driver and passengers. $2.00 Daily fee for each person, 5 years old and older, entering as a pedestrian, on bicycle or horseback.^ Passenger Vans/School Buses with no Scheduled Group Program/Motorcoaches/Commercial buses $2.00 per person, ages 5 years and above Groups with program reservations $1.00 per p...

An estimated 5,000 to 6,000 snow geese, along with 100 or so Canada geese, have gathered for the last several days on a private lake at the Interstate 64 exit at Griffin, Ind. Sitting on the ice edge and loafing in vast flotillas in open water, the mass defies actual count. According to Bish Mumford, a Griffin, Ind.-area farmer, the count is more like "two or three gazillion." Those numbers may be more accurate. While Canada geese spilled into the protected lake some 10 years ago, only recently have snow geese appeared. A count by the Department of Natural Resources a couple of years ago indicated a site estimate of 10,000 to 12,000 snow geese. "The snows have been coming here for the last couple of years when we have these severe cold spells," said Mumford. "They like to move as far north as they can as soon as they can, so they'll leave as soon as we get a break in the weather. I expect they'll lift off in the next week." The flock likely will le...

DNR to present Canada goose management seminars next month If Canada geese have become a problem on your property, attend one of six seminars being presented in March by the Department of Natural Resources' Urban Wildlife Project. The seminars will cover various aspects of Canada goose management, including relevant laws, basic biology, and methods to control goose damage. A demonstration on the proper techniques for egg and nest destruction will follow. Adhering to proper techniques is vital—if eggs are broken or completely removed from nests, the females will just lay another clutch of eggs. The population of Canada geese in the Mississippi Flyway exceeds 1.5 million birds. Destroying eggs and nests in urban areas is helpful in controlling these numbers in areas where hunting cannot, which can reduce conflicts with people and Canada geese. Federal rules allow landowners properly registered at https://epermits.fws.gov/eRCGR/geSI.aspx to complete Canada goose egg and nest dest...