An Outdoor Classroom for Wetland Education

By Taryn Schermer, Environmental Education Fellow

When I moved to the Bloomington area five years ago to attend Indiana University, Beanblossom Bottoms Nature Preserve was the first trail I visited. Since my first visit, it has remained one of my favorite places due to the limitless opportunities to view wildlife and learn more about wetland ecosystems. I enjoy meandering around Beanblossom at a slow pace, which has opened my eyes to the intricacies of the world within microhabitats. I watch tadpoles wiggling in shallow pools, follow pollinators making their rounds to various wetland flowers, and listen to birds calling back and forth to each other, each interaction revealing more about the importance of wetland habitat protection.

My interest in wetland habitats increased during a Wetland Ecology course at Indiana University. In Wetland Ecology we had morning labs every Friday and frequently visited Beanblossom Bottoms. The preserve served as a high-quality outdoor classroom where I gained hands-on experience analyzing wetland soils, understanding plant adaptations, and delineating wetland areas. The fieldwork was supported by individual projects where I chose to research the long-term economic benefit of restoring and protecting wetlands due to the various ecosystem services they provide, such as carbon storage, flood risk reduction, and groundwater filtration. Learning about wetlands, whether it is identifying clues that indicate the presence of hydrology, greeting the yellow garden spiders, or watching deer trigger the ballistic jewelweed seedpods, my appreciation for the wetland world continues to grow.

Now, as the Environmental Education Fellow with Sycamore Land Trust, I have the opportunity to expand my own knowledge of wetland ecosystems and share the wonders of wetlands with others in upcoming programs. The program will focus on wetland ecology, plant and wildlife identification, and the features of wetlands that support water filtration. Participants will also assist in soil sampling to further understand hydric soil characteristics and what adaptations wetland plants must have in order to thrive in oxygen-deprived conditions.

The 824-acre preserve supports a range of wildlife and is a critical habitat for endangered and threatened species. It provides open wetland habitat for the Kirtland Snake and forested roosting sites for the Indiana Bat. Endangered species conservation has been a lifelong passion of mine, and Beanblossom Bottoms is a clear example of the importance of protecting biodiversity and specialized habitats that species need for current and future populations.

Another program I look forward to working on will focus on Indiana’s endangered species. This program will provide insight into the variety of habitat types in Indiana, species identification, current threats to the species, and current conservation projects. Preserves such as Beanblossom Bottoms will showcase what unique habitat characteristics are needed to support endangered species in Indiana, such as Shagbark Hickory trees for roosting Indiana bats and vacant crawfish burrows for Kirtland snakes. This program will highlight conservation success stories and the ecological importance of protecting current endangered species and their habitats.

I look forward to these programs and hope they provide opportunities for community members to connect to one of my favorite habitat types!

This article is from the Winter-Spring 2025 issue of The Twig, “The Habitat for Herons Issue.” Read the issue at sycamorelandtrust.org/twig.