INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana has two new state nature preserves, including a forested southern Indiana refuge that's home to several rare birds.
The Indiana Natural Resources Commission approved the new nature preserves Tuesday, boosting Indiana's state-designated protected sites to 287.
The new 125-acre Dewey Hickman nature preserve is located southwest of Corydon in southern Indiana. It's owned by the Nature Conservancy and includes a variety of forests that are home to bird species deemed of special concern, including the hooded warbler and the state-endangered cerulean warbler.
The new 38-acre Mary Gray nature preserve is located in eastern Indiana near Connersville and is known for its showy spring wildflower display. It's owned by the Indiana Audubon Society and is the focus of research on the migration of the Northern saw-whet owl and ruby-throated hummingbirds.