Williams Woods is located at the historic meeting zone of Indiana’s prairie and forest, a transitional landscape that once supported a rich band of savanna habitat. Today, savannas and many of the species that depend on them are endangered in Indiana (and across the country) due to conversion to agriculture or the forest canopy closing in the absense of fire management. NICHES Land Trust manages the 116-acre preserve through removing invasive species, restoring prairies and thickets, and using prescribed fire.
The idea of expanding the preserve had been planted for years. Protecting surrounding parcels allows for expansion of critical savanna habitat and enhances the effectiveness of the ongoing restoration. The opportunity to do so sprouted with the May 2022 announcement of the largest investment into conservation in Indiana’s history: the Next Level Conservation Trust (NLCT).
Expansion of Williams Woods was identified as a top priority, and landowner Jeff Williams generously agreed to partner with the land trust through the state’s extensive application process. NICHES moved swiftly, aligning matching funds and submitting a 60-page application.
The approved funding covered 75% of the purchase price, and marked the single largest contribution in NICHES’ history. In February 2024, NICHES officially expanded the Williams Woods preserve by 124 acres to a total of 240 acres, making it the organization’s 6th largest property.
This expansion was made possible by substantial funding through the Next Level Conservation Trust and the generosity of the Williams Siblings, the Whistler Foundation, the Warren County Community Foundation, the Geoff and Josie Fox Family Foundation, the Central Indiana Land Trust, and the Ropchan Foundation.
The addition includes 34 acres of remnant savanna and old hay fields, as well as 90 acres in agricultural production. In the coming years, NICHES will make habitat improvements with a diverse prairie restoration mix designed using historical plant records from adjacent fields. Through thoughtful stewardship, native thicket species and burr oaks will regenerate. In time, a thriving, contiguous 240-acre bur oak savanna will stand as a shining example of strategic conservation and community partnership.
This story was originally published in the 2025 State of the Lands. Read the entire edition here.