DNR Establishes Busseron Creek Fish and Wildlife Area in Sullivan County

In a coordinated effort between state environmental protection agencies, almost 4,000 acres in Sullivan County are destined to become the new Busseron Creek Fish and Wildlife Area. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources partnered with the Conservation Fund and Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape to secure the property. Named Busseron after the local waterway, the property is located just a short drive from Dubois County. Formerly a coal mine, the acreage is a true reflection of southern Indiana’s diverse landscape. There are dry forests, upland areas, and grasslands, as well as marshes and bottomland forest. Some of the bottomland areas have strong native plant communities and appear to have been untouched by mining operations. 

The DNR leased the land for 30 years from a Missouri-based coal producer, a subsidiary of Peabody Energy, until its lease ended in 2016. During that time, the DNR was able to open and manage the Minnehaha Fish and Wildlife Area, transforming the former mining land into a public recreation property. When the lease ended and the acreage went back into private holding, environmental conservation groups went to work. 

While the DNR is unable to raise funds quickly for large land purchases, other groups make it their mission to do just that, holding it until the state is able to raise the funds for purchase.  

Staff at the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape saw the land being divided up for public sale, prompting them to coordinate a purchase with The Conservation Fund so that it could be held for the DNR. The Nature Conservancy’s Indiana Chapter also provided resources for the purchase, with a grant to The Conservation Fund for other costs like environmental assessments. 

The state’s $10.8 million Busseron Creek property acquisition will be open to the public, with a goal to open ahead of the youth turkey season this spring. The addition of trails, hunting units, and parking areas are being planned by the DNR as they also develop their management plan for the fish and wildlife area. As they restore the habitats, the DNR will plan prescribed burns to deal with invasive plant species and establish grazing leases. While it will take a while for all of the infrastructure to be completed, the DNR, SISL, TNC, and The Conservation Fund have secured an irreplaceable natural resource for Hoosiers to enjoy for years to come.  

For more information on these and other updates, visit www.in.gov/dnr