Save the Dunes
Description
Save the Dunes is an environmental organization that protects and advocates for the Indiana dunes, Lake Michigan, and surrounding natural areas in Northwest Indiana. It works for the health of the environment and for the people who live, work, and recreate in the region. The organization was founded in 1952, originally as the Save the Dunes Council, to protect the remaining untouched dunes.
Its early advocacy helped establish the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, later renamed Indiana Dunes National Park, and led several campaigns that expanded its protected acreage over the decades. The organization owns and manages conservation land, including the historic Barker House, which serves as its headquarters. It has also intervened in legal cases to secure public access to the Lake Michigan shoreline.
Today Save the Dunes carries out habitat restoration, invasive species removal, and pollinator garden projects, and publishes landscaping guides for homeowners in dune communities. It works across Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties in Northwest Indiana, partnering with other organizations such as the Indiana Dunes National Park and Shirley Heinze Land Trust. It also serves as the Indiana state lead for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, advocating in Washington, D.C. for Great Lakes conservation funding.
Latest news
Take Action: EPA’s Latest Clean Water Act Proposed Changes
Check out our Native Pollinator Garden blog series! Our first post features a major update about what native plants bloomed in May, a visit from a special pollinator, invasives and aggressive natives removed, and a recap of our Barker Seasonal Forum. The post Take Action: EPA’s Latest Clean...
22 Sep 2026
Conservation Success Stories: Mary V.
Environmental Success Stories: Mary V. Welcome to our Environmental Success Stories Series! We’re excited to share a new project Save the Dunes will be implementing over the next year through generous funding from the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coatition Through this funding, Save the Dunes...
11 Sep 2026Conservation Success Stories: Valpo Parks
Environmental Success Stories: Valpo Parks Welcome to our Environmental Success Stories Series! We’re excited to share a new project Save the Dunes will be implementing over the next year through generous funding from the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coatition Through this funding, Save the...
1 Sep 2026
Request for Proposals: Smart Parking System for Indiana Dunes National Park
Request for Proposals (RFP):Smart Parking System for the Indiana Dunes National Park Save the Dunes, in collaboration with Indiana Dunes National Park, invites proposals from qualified consultants and firms to develop, deploy, validate, and evaluate a pilot system designed to provide real-time...
28 Aug 2026
Your Voice Matters: Advocate for our Indiana Dunes National Park!
Your Voice Matters: Call Senator Banks to Support Indiana Dunes Conservation Efforts Calling all Hoosiers! We are requesting Senator Jim Banks’s support for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). This important bill helps support thousands of conservation projects that depend on this...
25 Aug 2026Sustainability Success Story: Farmed and Forged
Sustainability Success Story: Farmed and Forged Welcome to our Environmental Success Stories Series! We’re excited to share a new project Save the Dunes will be implementing over the next year through generous funding from the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coatition Through this funding, Save...
24 Aug 2026
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