Ritchey Woods is an important natural area in a rapidly urbanizing setting within Hamilton County. CEES, with support from J.F. New and Associates and the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, has been conducting ecosystem restoration within Ritchey Woods by converting 130 acres of former agricultural land to prairie and wetland ecological communities as well as protecting and improving the existing flatwoods community.
10410 Hague Rd.
Fishers, IN 46038
Work day description: The type of work done varies from year to year. In past projects, participants have joined CEES and Fishers Park staff to clean up sections of Hare Creek, Cheney Creek, and remove invasive exotic honeysuckle from the high quality woodland. Participants must wear clothes appropriate for outdoor field work. Long pants and closed toe shoes are required. If you are participating in a creek clean-up event, dress appropriately for being in the water: protective footwear (closed toe, closed heel shoes minimally, waterproof boots are preferable) is essential.
Meeting location: We will gather at the small cabin at the south end of the parking lot.
Additional resources: Visit the Topical Resources page for information related to topics discussed during or related to service learning projects and work days. Please refer to your instructor's guidelines for specific requirements regarding course paper research.
Ritchey Woods is an important natural area in a rapidly urbanizing setting within Hamilton County. The Center for Earth and Environmental Science, with support from J.F. New and Associates and the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, has been conducting ecosystem restoration within Ritchey Woods by converting 130 acres of former agricultural land to prairie and wetland ecological communities as well as protecting and improving the existing flatwoods community. Wetland restoration projects began in 1997 and have included restoring the naturalistic hydrology to the depressional wetlands by removing or plugging drainage tile networks to create a wetland / wet prairie / sedge meadow mosaic. A prairie successional community was seeded with native genotype plants in summer of 2001 and is on-going. Native genotype tree species were planted around the flatwoods community in fall of 2000 to establish an ecotone buffer. Installed groundwater monitoring wells are collecting wetland water levels as well as surface and ground water chemistry. The research program is additionally combining research scientists with graduate and undergraduate students from IU Indianapolis, K-12 students and community families to deliver environmental educational outreach opportunities. A major goal of this project and its programs will be to instill a shared sense of environmental stewardship among all participants regardless of their age, level of expertise or involvement.
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis transferred ownership of the Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve property to the Town of Fishers in June 2004.
Center for Earth and Environmental Science (CEES)IU Indianapolis
723 West Michigan Street