​For more information, check out the below links:

• https://www.purduelandscapereport.org/article/asian-jumping-worms-id-impact-and-prevention/#:~:text=Follow%20the%20steps%20we%20recommend%20on%20reportINvasive.com%3A%201,EDDMaps%203%201-866%20NO%20EXOTIC%20%281-866-663-9684%29%204%20depp%40dnr.IN.gov
• https://extension.purdue.edu/news/county/whitley/2023/03/gardeners-urged-to-look-for-invasive-jumping-worms.html
• https://www.fs.usda.gov/features/invasive-jumping-worms-can-change-their-world?_ga=2.112054660.1278558526.1692975643-2020676267.1692731526
• https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/highly-invasive-jumping-worms-have-spread-15-us-states-180977566/

​W​hen cutting the seeds off a plant, immediately put it into a yard waste bag without walking around or shaking the seed off of the plant (this will spread the seed). Additionally, it is smart to use shears, trimmers, or a knife which is sharp to minimize shaking the plant.  It’ is important to make sure that the bag is tied shut and there aren’t any holes or tears in the bag so that seed can’t escape and spread further. If your bag gets a hole in it or tears simply double bag it before disposal.

It’s important to remember that cutting seed heads off won’t kill the plant, but it does help to significantly reduce how fast it spreads to buy time until next growing season. A good practice after cutting seed heads is to spray the plant with an appropriate herbicide, this will kill the existing plant, opening up space for natives to colonize the area. After you have cut off the seed head and sprayed, cut, or mowed the plant to kill the plant you will need to keep an eye out for any new sprouts or missed seed heads and treat those accordingly. 

Visit theoutcomesfund.com for more information and to enroll.
Email contactus@theoutcomesfund.com.

David Bradway - Conservation Administrator 

State and local environmental agencies will sometimes undertake large projects that show results regionally rather than by city or county divisions. One such project was conducted in 2020 wherein a multi-agency crew surveyed the West Fork White River and White River from its headwaters in Randolph County to the confluence with the Wabash River. I was able to ask some questions of the group. Drew Holloway with the Muncie Sanitary District Bureau of Water Quality, Kevin Gaston with Indiana Department of Environmental Management, and Sandy Clark with Indiana Department of Natural Resources shared their insight from the work they completed. Links to the data and referenced websites can be found in the interview below. 

Can you summarize the project?

• Good water quality is required to support diverse fish communities. A 2020 survey involving three agencies, 21 full-time staff members, and four interns collectively sampled 65 sites along the White River encompassing 405 river miles. These sites consisted of three rounds of water quality monitoring (900+ sample bottles), 62 electrofishing sites and habitat evaluations (using nine boats, two canoes, two tote barges and one backpack electrofishing unit), and 12 macroinvertebrate sample sites. After processing 17,232 fish from 94 different species the results showed a resilient and overall healthy fish community; however, some reaches of the river had conditions unsuitable for healthy fish populations. Therefore, more work is still needed to reduce sediment and nutrient loads within the watershed. 

 
What was the initial goal of the project?

• This project started with Kevin and I [Drew] discussing the possibility of working together in 2020 when IDEM was next scheduled to be working in the West Fork White River drainage. As our conversation grew, so did the scope of this project and we decided to loop in the IN DNR. When it was all said and done, our goal was to complete a one-year study of White River to get a better understanding of its biological communities and chemical water quality.

 
Were any outcomes gleaned through collected data for White River? Hamilton County?

• One of our goals of this project was to share data with the public as quickly as possible and create interest for people living within the watershed. As a result, an interactive White River Project Storymap was created with all the data collected available to the public in an easy-to-use format. We also focused on reaching out to the media and local organizations to get the word out about the project and create awareness about the river.

 
How do sections of White River through Hamilton County look chemically, biologically, habitat?

• We had a total of 8 sites throughout Hamilton County. Biologically, fish sites are scored using the Index of Biotic Integrity, which uses 12 metrics to determine the overall health of the observed fish community. The average score for our Hamilton County sites was a 45 (Good integrity class). Similar to our fish data, habitat is scored using the Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index, which scores all aspects of a stream from the substrate to the riparian zone beyond the streams edge. The average score for these sites was a 71 (Good rating) as well.

 
Describe your thoughts on sport fishing in White River through Hamilton County.

• The sport fishing opportunities throughout Hamilton County are great! We had some of our biggest Smallmouth Bass come from these sections as well as some nice Rock Bass and Bluegill. Smallmouth Bass up to 17 inches and Rock Bass over 10 inches were documented in the areas upstream of Noblesville. Access to the river is also good through Hamilton County and people can find public access sites on the IN DNR Where to Fish in Indiana website.

 
Do your findings show anything about the level of conservation work done in Hamilton County?

• Water conditions in Indiana and across the country have seen great improvements since the passing of the Clean Water Act in 1972. However, monitoring water quality improvements on rivers presents a challenge as it is not just the result of local conditions but a combination of conditions upstream and from the entire watershed. Many tributaries in the Upper White River have high levels of E.coli bacteria and excess nutrients. Pollution sources in the watershed include nonpoint sources from agriculture and pastures, land application of manure and urban and rural run-off, as well as point sources from straight pipe discharges, home sewage treatment system disposal, and combined sewer overflow outlets. New emphasis has been placed on the river over the last couple years with major media stories about the condition of the river and calls for renewed focus on partners working together to continue work within the watershed. As conditions on the river have improved, we have seen an increase in recreational activities including fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and wildlife viewing. As more people find connection to the river, we hope conservation efforts will continue. Groups like Friends of the White River, The White River Alliance, and Hamilton County Parks and Recreation have made great strides in educating the public about how they can help the river by organizing trash cleanups and river outing events. Seeing a healthy stream with lots of diversity should invoke a sense of pride to anyone who lives, works, or plays along the banks of White River.

​Any plans for similar projects on other streams?

• This project got the attention of various groups across Indiana including universities and other monitoring agencies but at this time there isn’t anything planned. We were also asked about repeating the project after the “Dig Indy” sewer separation project is completed in 2025.

 For additional information on Hamilton County water concerns contact David.Bradway@hamiltoncounty.in.gov.

Taylor Wilson, Urban Conservation Technician
​​
Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) might actually be everyone’s least favorite garden weed. Brought to North America in the 1600’s on accident, this weed has become a widespread problem throughout the USA and beyond. It infamously colonizes natural areas, roadsides, and is also an incredibly aggressive weed in lawns and landscaping beds. You might know it best by remembering running through the grass barefoot and stepping on thistles that were forcing their way through the lawn.
Canada thistle’s aggressive nature is due to its root structure. The root structure contains both vertical roots (taproots) and horizontal roots (rhizomes). Because of this, generally several Canada thistle shoots (the above ground portion) are actually part of the same massive plant connected by root system. So, usually when you pull a thistle, you’re just pulling out one part of a larger plant.
I once heard Canada thistle compared to a hydra—for every thistle you pull two more pop up. This is due to the resprouting response of the root system, and this is why manual control of Canada thistle can be really difficult. 

Identification
This Cornell University page walks you through the identification of this plant. We also have several native thistles!

Management
As mentioned above, manual control of Canada thistle can be very difficult—but is possible with years of consistent work. The goal is to “starve” the root system by removing green growth consistently, taking away the plant’s ability to photosynthesize. Herbicide treatment is usually far more effective and works more quickly, but may not be ideal for some areas.
An in-depth explanation of Canada management can be found here at this Purdue Extension page.
​
Noxious weeds
Canada thistle is one of the declared “noxious weeds” in Indiana and falls under the Destruction of Detrimental Plant law. Purdue Extension’s explanation of this law is listed below:
"Plants mentioned in this law are the noxious weeds listed in the code for county weed control boards. This law also empowers the township trustee to act to investigate and control the noxious weeds. A 48- hour notice can be issued notifying the property owner that the township trustee wishes to come on the property to investigate any noxious weed problem. Once a problem has been determined, similar to the weed board’s requirements, a five day notice has to be given to the property owner to start actions to control the noxious weed. If no action is taken the township trustee can either notify the county weed control board, if there is one, or initiate control measures themselves at the expense of the land owner. Once a bill has been sent to the property owner through registered mail or hand delivered, it has to be paid in 10 days. If the bill is not paid after 10 days it may appear on the land owner’s taxes that year."
 
Where to report
You can report instances of Canada thistle to the township trustee in the township the land is located in. Alternatively, you can always report it directly to the park, school, land manager, parcel owner, etc. To see who owns the parcel, you can utilize the county GIS program. On interstates and highways, you can report any invasive species via their online reporting system.

Makayla Reel, Office Coordinator 
​
​Be cautious of water quality.​  It is possible to contract illnesses from dirty water. Giardia is a common illness to contract from dirty pond/lake water. The symptoms are unpleasant to cope with and it is not easily eliminated. Giardia is an intestinal infection caused by parasites. Many other parasitic infections camp out in lake and pond water. It is also worth mentioning that many diseases are zoonotic meaning it can be transferred to humans. 

​Leeches, ticks and turtles OH MY! Snapping turtles are the most common widespread turtle species in Indiana. From below your dogs’ paw can look like a tasty snack. Be sure to do research about the body of water you want to explore before going. You want to educate yourself on the types of species that may lay in wait.

Diane Turner - Conservation Technician and Outreach Assistant ​