Four conservation groups form NWI alliance
Post-Tribune staff report March 13, 2013 10:00AM
Updated: April 15, 2013 11:16AM
PORTER — Four local organizations have joined together as the initial members of the Indiana Coastal Land Conservation Alliance. Save the Dunes, Shirley Heinze Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, and the National Park Service signed the founding charter of the new alliance.
Indiana Coastal Land Conservation Alliance seeks to represent land trusts, other nonprofit organizations and government agencies whose missions are to protect, preserve and restore the natural ecosystems of the Lake Michigan watershed area of Northwest Indiana.
The goals of the alliance are to preserve and protect the natural ecosystems of Northwest Indiana; restore degraded landscapes to their natural conditions; provide education to the public on the importance of the natural environment; encourage people to use the outdoors and become involved in protecting natural lands; seek to reduce the impact of development on natural lands by encouraging set-back ordinances and other measures; and work with farmers, homeowners, businesses, industry and governments to preserve privately owned and publicly owned natural and open lands.
Constantine Dillon, superintendent of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and the initiator of the effort, stated that having such an alliance will allow the members to work cooperatively and strategically and leverage the capabilities and strengths of each member.
The ICLCA agreement does not change or supersede the mission and directives of the individual organizations.
