Historic Expansion of Wesselman Woods
Wesselman Woods expands nature preserve through two land acquisitions
The Executive Director of Wesselman Woods (WW), Zach Garcia, announced on Monday, June 5, that the not-for-profit organization has added more land to its urban nature preserve. The first land acquisition is a gift from the City of Evansville (the City): 32 acres formerly known as the Par 3 golf course and the 16-acre forested middle section of Wesselman Park. The second land acquisition was a recent $2 million purchase of the 42-acre University of Evansville (UE) property on Division Street, adjacent to the 220-acre nature preserve. Combined, these three plots of land will add 90 acres to WW, a State Nature Preserve and National Natural Landmark.
Three new plots of land will be added to Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve, highlighted in green.
In 2020, the City and WW began discussions on the future of the former Par 3 course in Wesselman Park. Now that the Master Plan for Wesselman and Roberts Park has been updated, the City has officially added the property to its management agreement with WW. Mayor Lloyd Winnecke marked the occasion with an official proclamation and indicated that the formal agreement between the City and WW will now include the 32 acres of Par 3 plus the 16 acres of wooded area directly across from current entrance of WW.
In time, WW will transform the former golf course in stages that include a forest regeneration project and a new nature center to complement the original nature center. Garcia states, “For years to come, Par 3 may begin to look ‘weedy,’ but that’s what we want – our aim is to allow this area to naturally regenerate with the ancient DNA of the trees in WW. It will take time and it may test the community’s patience, but we must be forward thinking. We are living and breathing in 2023, but we need to be thinking of our community in 2073. Now is the time to reforest our city.”
Deputy Mayor and Interim Parks Director, Steve Schaefer adds, “The expansion of the WW Nature Preserve is historic and symbolizes Evansville’s commitment to this precious asset in our community. Furthermore, the Evansville Parks & Recreation Department greatly appreciates the strong working relationship with WW and is excited to continue moving forward with plans to upgrade Wesselman Park.”
The UE property purchased by Wesselman Nature Society, Inc.
"I am delighted to announce that the University of Evansville has finalized a deal to sell our Division Street property to Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve,” said UE President Christopher Pietruszkiewicz. “This agreement aligns with our commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship, and we are honored to play a role in preserving and protecting this precious natural resource in our community for generations to come."
Funding support for the UE Division Street property will be provided by a $1 million matching grant from the Next Level Conservation Trust. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) created the Next Level Conservation Trust in June 2022. This program slated $25 million toward acquiring land for nature preserves, parks, and other conservation areas in the state.
“Through the Next Level Conservation Trust, Indiana is leading our largest ever financial investment in land conservation, placing a priority on preserving these special places now and into the future,” said DNR Director Dan Bortner. “This expansion of Wesselman Woods follows our goal of thinking big when it comes to conservation – which benefits all Hoosiers.”
Wesselman Woods and UE representatives at the closing of the land purchase.
In September 2022, agencies headed to Indianapolis to present their project proposals to the Next Level Conservation Trust Committee. WW was the first non-state agency to present. “The moment we found out about this opportunity, we got into gear and we were first in submitting and presenting our proposal to the Committee. I am very serious about protecting this old-growth forest and adding to our city’s tree canopy,” Garcia said.
Garcia provided his expertise at the Next Level Conservation Trust Committee meeting: “I emphasized that we are the largest urban old-growth forest in the United States. We are a State Nature Preserve, National Natural Landmark, and one of the most visited Nature Preserves in Indiana. With the addition of the former Par 3 golf course, the plot of land in Wesselman Park, and the UE land, there’s a huge opportunity for this Committee to help us expand the environmental and ecological integrity and legacy of Wesselman Woods.”
After decades of discussion on the future of the UE plot of land, finalizing this purchase confirms that the property will now be under the ownership and management of WW. “The timing was perfect to make this deal. The University of Evansville, the City of Evansville, and Wesselman Woods are pushing for quality-of-life strategies – with this in mind, the ecological and environmental impact of this deal will benefit everyone. This is a symbiotic and positive resolution,” said Garcia.
This additional land will enrich the livelihoods of all species by providing larger habitat, a buffer to air pollution, and will help act as a water filter for Pigeon Creek.
“Wesselman Woods is making big moves in the City of Evansville,” Garcia added. “We mean business when it comes to investing and securing the future of our region's urban ecosystems. The future is now – we ask you to join us.”