Skip to Main Content

Actively managing natural resources

Conservation through Community Leadership is bringing different interest groups together to plan the future of Cedar Creek, which flows 31.9 miles from northwestern DeKalb County through the center of Auburn and into Allen County, where it joins the St. Joseph River.

The program, a partnership of Purdue Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, helps communities plan and think through environmental challenges. They used the Tipping Point Planner, which helps communities directly link data to their local decision-making processes. “Cedar Creek presents a unique challenge,” says Allen Haynes, natural resources coordinator in DeKalb County.

NR.jpg

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources in 1976 designated a portion of Cedar Creek that crosses county lines as one of only three in its Indiana natural, scenic and recreational river systems. But the two counties govern and manage their sections of Cedar Creek differently, and environmental, agricultural and recreational groups have long debated its use, Haynes says.

“Everybody had pieces of this thing, but it was so fragmented that nobody knew what the puzzle looked like,” he says.

Although everyone wanted to preserve the integrity of the designated area, “We didn’t know how to manage it in a way that all parties are served well,” Haynes explains. “It wasn’t, ‘What needs to be done?’ but more, ‘How do we do it?’”

This year Kara Salazar, Assistant Program Leader and Extension Specialist for Sustainable Communities, and her team pivoted largely to online programming to help the Cedar Creek Collaboration begin addressing natural resource conservation, agriculture and land use planning issues related to Cedar Creek.

“Purdue Extension has given us the facilitation piece,” Haynes says. “Giving everyone an opportunity to come to the table is a good first step. We’re going to end up with an action plan.”

 

Since 2014, Purdue Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant have collaborated with 22 communities on their environmental planning efforts, using the Tipping Point Planner and Conservation through Community Leadership programs to successfully address environmental challenges.

 

See how Extension served your Indiana community in the 2020 Purdue Extension Impact Report: extension.purdue.edu/annualreport/.

Featured Stories

4-H camp councelors standing around a campfire in the woods
Camp Counselors Demonstrate Leadership and Teamwork Across Differences

Indiana 4-H delivered 14 Camp Counselor Training programs addressing social and emotional...

Read More
Purdue University student studying leaves.
Learning How Science Can Be Used to Help Solve Everyday Problems

Indiana 4-H led 22 science and engineering programs for youth. Fluid Power was statewide, and...

Read More
Young Indiana 4-Her preparing her show cow at the fairgrounds.
Indiana 4-H Youth Demonstrate Proper and Safe Care of Animals

Many 4-H activities and opportunities involve animals. Knowledge and skill are needed for proper...

Read More
Indiana teen trying the tight rope at adventure camp.
Military Teen Adventure Camps Develop Leadership, Self-Confidence and Teamwork

In U.S. military deployments since 2001, more than 2.5 million soldiers have deployed overseas;...

Read More
Richard Beckort, Brian Richert, Steve McKinley
Purdue Extension announces winners of 2024 Paul B. Crooks Award, Eric G. Sharvelle Award and Director’s Award

Purdue Extension recognized many outstanding individuals during its annual Professional...

Read More
Rachel McCarty accepting the Friend of Extension Award
2024 Friend of Extension awarded to Monroe County Extension board member and advocate

Purdue Extension presented Rachel Peden McCarty with the 2024 Friend of Extension award at this...

Read More
4-H camp councelors standing around a campfire in the woods
Camp Counselors Demonstrate Leadership and Teamwork Across Differences

Indiana 4-H delivered 14 Camp Counselor Training programs addressing social and emotional...

Read More
Purdue University student studying leaves.
Learning How Science Can Be Used to Help Solve Everyday Problems

Indiana 4-H led 22 science and engineering programs for youth. Fluid Power was statewide, and...

Read More
Young Indiana 4-Her preparing her show cow at the fairgrounds.
Indiana 4-H Youth Demonstrate Proper and Safe Care of Animals

Many 4-H activities and opportunities involve animals. Knowledge and skill are needed for proper...

Read More
Indiana teen trying the tight rope at adventure camp.
Military Teen Adventure Camps Develop Leadership, Self-Confidence and Teamwork

In U.S. military deployments since 2001, more than 2.5 million soldiers have deployed overseas;...

Read More
Richard Beckort, Brian Richert, Steve McKinley
Purdue Extension announces winners of 2024 Paul B. Crooks Award, Eric G. Sharvelle Award and Director’s Award

Purdue Extension recognized many outstanding individuals during its annual Professional...

Read More
Rachel McCarty accepting the Friend of Extension Award
2024 Friend of Extension awarded to Monroe County Extension board member and advocate

Purdue Extension presented Rachel Peden McCarty with the 2024 Friend of Extension award at this...

Read More
4-H camp councelors standing around a campfire in the woods
Camp Counselors Demonstrate Leadership and Teamwork Across Differences

Indiana 4-H delivered 14 Camp Counselor Training programs addressing social and emotional...

Read More
Purdue University student studying leaves.
Learning How Science Can Be Used to Help Solve Everyday Problems

Indiana 4-H led 22 science and engineering programs for youth. Fluid Power was statewide, and...

Read More
Young Indiana 4-Her preparing her show cow at the fairgrounds.
Indiana 4-H Youth Demonstrate Proper and Safe Care of Animals

Many 4-H activities and opportunities involve animals. Knowledge and skill are needed for proper...

Read More
Indiana teen trying the tight rope at adventure camp.
Military Teen Adventure Camps Develop Leadership, Self-Confidence and Teamwork

In U.S. military deployments since 2001, more than 2.5 million soldiers have deployed overseas;...

Read More
Richard Beckort, Brian Richert, Steve McKinley
Purdue Extension announces winners of 2024 Paul B. Crooks Award, Eric G. Sharvelle Award and Director’s Award

Purdue Extension recognized many outstanding individuals during its annual Professional...

Read More
Rachel McCarty accepting the Friend of Extension Award
2024 Friend of Extension awarded to Monroe County Extension board member and advocate

Purdue Extension presented Rachel Peden McCarty with the 2024 Friend of Extension award at this...

Read More
To Top