IU adds nature preserve

Amid crisis, IU’s Bradford Woods was in need of a makeover.\nBradford Woods was sending its waste water to a treatment center via a pipe system, and if the system failed, the facility would’ve been in trouble, said HPER professor Lynn M. Jamieson, chair of the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Studies.\nBut Bradford Woods got the help it needed – and more – in the form of a $1.2 million donation for a new man-made, environmentally sustainable wetland area. Now the wetlands can act as a chemical-free mode of water treatment, and people can use the wetlands to study environmental stewardship, prairie ecosystems and the advantages of these marshy areas, according to an IU press release.\n“They are using the new Bradford Woods wetlands for removing nutrients in waste water, as well as education and aesthetics,” said Christopher Craft, an associate professor of environmental science.\nThe new wetlands are a result of a partnership between IU, Riley Children’s Foundation and a private donor.\nA wetland is a lowland area, more commonly referred to as a marsh or a swamp, which contains a large amount of moisture and acts as a good habitat for wildlife. Wetlands act like sponges, soaking up rainwater and other water runoff. One single acre of wetland can store up to 1.5 million gallons of water. \n“A constructive wetland is a state of the art approach to sustainability,” said Jamieson. “It provides a good example to follow and allows us to operate for about 75 more years.”\nOther benefits include “flood water storage, groundwater recharge, high biological productivity and high levels of plant and animal biodiversity,” Craft said.\nBradford Woods offers programs like environmental education for children, corporate and team building exercises and leadership and team building retreats. It is a part of HPER as well as a division of the Department of Recreation and Park Administration.\nThe new wetlands not only give Bradford Woods much needed repairs, but provide opportunities for IU students to learn more about this complex ecosystem.\n“We have had over 21 classes attend Bradford Woods in any given year,” Jamieson said. “Any instructor is welcome to use Bradford Woods for their classes to experience.”\nNine hundred acres of Bradford Woods was given to IU as a gift in 1941 and became an outdoor teaching lab for students, as well as a camping area for children with disabilities in 1952. Bradford Woods now serves more than 25,000 people annually, according to its Web site. Bradford Woods is located on Indiana State Road 67, between Mooresville and Martinsville. \nIn the future, Bradford Woods looks to potentially expand its role in the IU curriculum.\n“We want to encourage students to see what Bradford Woods has to offer,” Jamieson said.