Shirley Heinze Land Trust
Description
Shirley Heinze Land Trust is a nonprofit land trust that preserves and restores natural lands and waters in northwestern Indiana. It manages more than 4,000 acres of protected land across Lake, Porter, LaPorte, St. Joseph, Starke, and Marshall counties. It was established in 1981, originally as the Shirley Heinze Environmental Fund, through an endowment honoring Dr. Shirley Heinze, an Ogden Dunes resident who helped preserve the Indiana Dunes.
Its preserves cover dune, wetland, prairie, and forest ecosystems, including six designated Indiana Nature Preserves. Many parcels sit within the heavily developed Calumet Region and were degraded when acquired, so the trust carries out restoration to return them to ecological health. It also engages people through educational hikes, volunteer workdays, and other public programs at its preserves.
The organization works to acquire, restore, and protect environmentally significant landscapes for present and future generations, and to educate people about the value of land conservation. It is a supporting member of the Indiana Land Protection Alliance, a network of land trusts and conservation partners across Indiana. It is guided by an all-volunteer board of directors and advisory council.
Latest news
45 Stories for 45 Years: What Is a Land Trust?
Many of you reading this blog have volunteered at Shirley Heinze Land Trust preserves, have walked our trails, or have attended our events, without knowing much about what we are and what we do. This post is for you! As our name suggests, Shirley Heinze is a land trust. Land trusts are...
9 Sep 2026
45 Stories for 45 Years: Festival of Banners
Shirley Heinze Land Trust is proud to have participated in the 2026 Festival of Banners, hosted by the South Bend Museum of Art. This year’s theme, “Our Ecosytem,” featured 89 artist-designed banners that lined the streets of downtown South Bend from mid-July through mid-September. Shirley...
3 Sep 2026
Student Experiences in Conservation Branches into New Fields
Summer 2026 has come and gone, but the positive impact made by each student intern is here to stay at Shirley Heinze Land Trust. With the support of generous donors, foundations, and university partners, Shirley Heinze hosted 14 college students from 7 universities in its 2026 summer cohort...
2 Sep 2026
45 Stories for 45 Years: Growing Roots — A Full-Circle Moment at Meadowbrook
Each year, Shirley Heinze Land Trust hosts a summer Student Experiences in Conservation program for college students interested in pursuing careers in conservation. The program has increased steadily in size and scope over time, this year to a record of fifteen interns. As part of their summer...
28 Aug 2026
45 Stories for 45 Years: A Lifetime Spent Walking the Conservation Trail
Valued partners of Shirley Heinze Land Trust, Kevin & Claudia Wood serve as part of the Volunteer Water Quality Program and as Preserve Stewards of Ambler Flatwoods. These two LaPorte County residents have contributed vital support to conservation efforts in northwestern Indiana. However, their...
28 Aug 2026
45 Stories for 45 Years: The Lady of the Lake
Our dear friend, the late Leila “Lee” Botts, was one of the leading environmentalists of the Indiana Dunes and Great Lakes region. Lee passed away in 2019 at the age of 91. Over a remarkable 60-year career, she worked tirelessly and relentlessly for the cause of conservation and environmental...
20 Aug 2026
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