Giving to the Land I Love: Sedges, Cattails, and Dragonflies

By Christina Marshall, Membership Coordinator

My family and I arrive at the Beanblossom Bottoms Nature Preserve trailhead on an overcast Saturday in August to participate in the Sycamore Land Trust “Little Hikers” hike. After a long drive, my children are bubbling with anticipation to get out of their carseats and stretch their legs. We scramble out of the car and walk in the gravel towards the group forming around Saige Sentell, Sycamore’s Education Director. She smiles and hands my daughters, Edith and Josephine, each a clipboard and a magnifying glass. The sheet clipped to the clipboard depicts drawings of leaves. Edith and Josephine are shy but excited, and begin toying with the magnifying glasses against the green leaves bordering the trailhead parking lot.

Christina’s daughter Edith learns about wetlands with Education Director Saige Sentell at Beanblossom Bottoms Nature Preserve. Christina Marshall

Everyone arrives and Saige begins to lead us down the crushed gravel path that will take us to the Beanblossom Bottoms boardwalk. The wooded wetlands are quiet and somewhat still, without the croak of frogs or chirping of birds in the late morning mist. It’s warm and peaceful. My husband and I watch our children hike along the trail with the other families, and I immediately feel a strong sense of fulfillment and joy. Edith and Josephine wander along and explore their surroundings. It’s amazing to watch them become fascinated with the natural world and beauty of the preserve.

Saige is attentive to all of the children’s interests, and carefully instructs all of us on different plant species and dragonflies we spot shifting between the thick brush of the summer growth. Her knowledge of the local wetlands’ plant life amazes and inspires. As I watch Edith lean over the boardwalk in order to examine a Broadleaf Cattail with Saige, I find myself contemplating how truly grateful I am to introduce my children to such a beautiful place. The BeanBlossom Bottoms Nature Preserve is a gorgeous array of native Indiana wetland species. This natural wonder is cared for and protected by Sycamore Land Trust for forever.

In these moments on the boardwalk, I consider Sycamore’s work deeply. Such work is accomplished by the incredible care and generosity of our community. The well-established membership base supports Sycamore’s mission to preserve the beauty, health, and diversity of southern Indiana’s natural landscape through strategic land conservation and environmental education. Membership fuels the powerful efforts of all of Sycamore’s accomplishments, and has helped the non-profit organization protect 11,592 acres.

Christina’s “Little Hikers” Edith and Josephine (and husband Jared) on the boardwalk. Christina Marshall

Our Little Hikers group makes it to the first observation deck on the Beanblossom Bottoms boardwalk. Saige pulls out a children’s book and begins to read. I gaze out across the wetlands, hoping to spot a bald eagle soaring over the landscape. All the children are quiet and attentive to Saige, who captures their interest as she reads to them from the storybook. We then leisurely make our way off the boardwalk, stopping once more to analyze the diverse plant life and insects. It’s time to begin pairing the leaves sketched out on the clipboards to the trees around us. Edith is surprisingly exceptional at the game. Eyes bright and shoes dirty, she’s had such a wonderful time exploring the nature preserve. I’m elated to have shared this experience with her and her young sister, who clutches a twig in her small hand as she walks along the crunchy gravel path.

This experience enlightened me on how I can begin teaching my children the importance of land conservation and supporting local environmental non-profit organizations. As a member of Sycamore Land Trust, I have an incredible resource that can help me educate my children on our shared responsibility to protect our natural world. Sycamore’s Environmental Education Programs are an open door to exploring how to get involved and support Sycamore’s work, and how we can all learn to build healthier communities that care for Indiana’s wild lands.

As a caring member of Sycamore Land Trust, we all support Sycamore’s vision: a future where southern Indiana has diverse and abundant habitat for native plants and animals, as well as clean air and water, working lands that are productive and sustainable, and people who embrace the connection between a healthy environment and our quality of life. I want this future for my children and the generations to come. I will treasure forever the memory of introducing my children to the beauty of Indiana’s wetlands at Beanblossom Bottoms Nature Preserve. This is what my Sycamore membership means to me.

Interested in becoming a member or sharing membership information with your friends and family? If you have any questions, please reach out at (812) 336-5382 ext. 108 or christina@sycamorelandtrust.org. I would be so happy to speak to you.

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