Home / Environment / Indiana Garden Club Revives Rare Oak Savanna at State Park
Indiana Garden Club Revives Rare Oak Savanna at State Park
4 Oct, 2025
Summary
- Garden club to finance black oak savanna restoration
- Project aims to remove invasives, plant native trees and plants
- Savanna ecosystem once covered 50 million acres, now only 30,000
In a significant conservation effort, the Garden Club of Indiana, Inc. (TGCI) has announced its commitment to finance the restoration of a black oak savanna at Tippecanoe River State Park in Pulaski County. This project, undertaken by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, aims to revive a unique and endangered ecosystem where eastern hardwood forests meet western tall grass prairies.
Once covering roughly 50 million acres across the Midwest United States, oak savannas now occupy only approximately 30,000 acres. These sparsely treed grasslands, where fire-resistant oaks stand among prairie plants, support a diverse array of threatened and endangered species. The TGCI's support will help finance the planting of black oak trees and native plant plugs to develop the savanna in four designated areas within the state park.
"We are thrilled to support this unique project at Tippecanoe River State Park," said TGCI president Wanda Zahrt. "Our focus for 2025-2027 is all about encouraging people to replant native species in Indiana." The club's previous efforts, such as the "LEAF a Legacy - Plant Trees" initiative, have resulted in the planting of 20,000 trees in Putnam County, earning recognition from the National Garden Clubs.
