By Shawndra Miller / Communications manager, Central Indiana Land Trust
Indiana’s only site for an endangered butterfly is safe from development. The Central Indiana Land Trust worked with partners to purchase a 13-acre property containing a high-quality wetland. Conserving this land protects habitat for the Mitchell’s satyr, one of the rarest species in the U.S. It’s a butterfly on the brink of extinction.
Larimer Fen, as it is known, will be transferred to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources in the future when funding becomes available.
The survival of Mitchell’s satyr, a federally endangered butterfly, requires the unique conditions of high-quality wetlands such as Larimer Fen. Nationally, the loss of similar habitats is putting Mitchell’s satyr at risk of extinction. Only a handful of sites remain that are hospitable to the species, and Larimer Fen is the only one in Indiana.
But the butterfly isn’t the only imperiled species safe within Larimer Fen, located in Northern Indiana just south of the Michigan border. Blanding’s turtles, sphagnum sprite damselflies, elfin skimmers (North America’s smallest dragonfly) and death camas, a state-threatened plant, also rely on the habitat for survival.
About the site, noted conservationist and best-selling author Kenn Kaufman said, “The Mitchell’s satyr is an unbelievably rare butterfly, worth protecting in its own right, and it’s also an indicator of unique, high-quality habitat. This fen is also home to rare wildflowers, rare dragonflies and other special creatures. I am so pleased this natural gem is preserved forever.”
A native Hoosier, Kaufman is co-author of a popular butterfly field guide, among other books. He now lives in Ohio, where there is one site remaining for the Mitchell’s satyr.
Land Trust President Cliff Chapman expressed gratitude for the organization’s generous donors and forward-thinking board that enabled swift action on the purchase. “Thanks to our support base, we can move fast when speed is of the essence,” said Chapman. “We’re interested in more partnerships with individuals, groups and state government when it means protecting the natural places that make Indiana special.”
The Central Indiana Land Trust’s Evergreen Fund for Nature made the rapid transaction possible. Donors contribute to the fund so the land trust has access to ready capital, which allows it to move quickly when desirable land is for sale. This project’s critical endangered species habitat also brought support from donors as far away as California. In cases like Larimer Fen, the Land Trust can hold onto a property until the state can free up funds to purchase it for long-term protection.
“Even though the site will never be open to the public, I believe saving part of our natural heritage increases overall quality of life in Indiana,” Chapman said. “It’s wonderful to know that places like this still exist in 2024, and we were fortunate to put a deal together fast enough to buy the land, ensuring that the state wouldn’t end up with development that would wipe out the endangered species.”
Headquartered in the Old Northside, Central Indiana Land Trust partners with conservation organizations statewide to preserve the best of Indiana’s natural areas, protecting plants and animals, so Hoosiers can experience the wonder of the state’s natural heritage. Find publicly accessible preserves at conservingindiana.org.
