Purdue University
OP-T2-20: Wildlife Habitat

Purdue University recently drafted a Sustainable Landscape Plan in partnership with the Indiana Wildlife Federation. This plan indirectly establishes wildlife habitat across campus via increased use of native vegetation in lieu of traditional turf grasses, while aggressively mitigating invasive species using reduction and removal protocols. Additionally, the Purdue Wildlife Society actively establishes and maintains a variety of bird and wildlife boxes year-to-year on university and city-maintained reserves. Purdue is proud to maintain long-term, natural preserves on institution-owned land: the Ross Reserve, Peterson Prairie Plot, Horticulture Park, Martell Forest, and the Purdue Wildlife Area. On the bank of the Wabash River, the Ross Reserve (est. 1949) preserves a biologically diverse forest ecosystem that harbors nearly 400 species of vascular plants and more than 100 species of vertebrate animals. Rapid regeneration of the clearings and slow maturation of the forest have produced a haven for wildlife that is rare in the Midwestern landscape. The Peterson Prairie Plots (est. 2003) are symbolically placed where the Grand Prairie from the west met the Great Hardwood Forest from the east. Lands were converted from a farm purchased for agronomic research into a Big Bluestem dominant tall grass prairie. Many species of wild flowers were reseeded, as well as small, transitional Bur Oak trees. Horticulture Park and adjacent Stewart Woods comprise approximately 35 acres of landscaped and wooded land within easy walking distance of campus. The site is managed for personal reflection and habitat protection: large group activities are discouraged, and high-impact activities are prohibited. Martell Forest contains 370 acres of Central Till Plain Forest used for research and teaching. Martell Forest is home to the Van Camp Arboretum, a collection of 100 trees native to Indiana. The Purdue Wildlife Area is comprised of 159 acres; 8 acres are forested. The site contains the only large wetland in the Indian Pine Natural Resource Field Station. Through its land grant extension programming, Purdue also educates and encourages agricultural and residential land owners to establish and manage habitat for wildlife.