Indiana University Indianapolis
OP-10: Biodiversity

Lilly ARBOR: IUPUI manages land adjacent to the Lilly ARBOR - an 8 acre strip of floodplain between 10th street and New York street along the White River. It is a 10+ year restoration project that began with the planting of 1400 native trees through the IUPUI Center for Earth and Environmental Science (CEES) manages the Lilly ARBOR restoration project. The riparian forest restoration project was performed by the department of Center of Earth and Environmental Science (CEES) at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), and it is supported by the Lilly Endowment. As a part of the riparian zone restoration project, 1400 trees were planted along the White River in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. Students and faculty from various universities conduct research and maintain the restoration using the CEES service learning program. Through collaboration with local, state, and federal government agencies, private businesses, and nonprofit organizations, the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Center for Earth and Environmental Science (CEES) implemented an urban riparian restoration project along eight acres of the White River in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana during the fall of 1999 and spring of 2000. The one-mile stretch of riverbank, planted with approximately 1400 trees, is now evolving into a wildflower meadow and shrub/sapling habitat as the trees grow and other species gradually recolonize the area. The massive experiment will test the best way to restore riverbanks by comparing the three most common methods for planting trees to restore native forests. A minimum of five years of monitoring and assessment will provide valuable data on reforestation strategies. This long-term study is monitoring the growth and development of the White River floodplain and evaluating the effectiveness of the restoration methods. Floodplain function is being measured through water quality research. Research results are provided continually to natural resource managers to improve ongoing restoration efforts. Project info and data are available at the project website: https://cees.iupui.edu/research/restoration/lilly-arbor/index.html The educational impact of the Lilly ARBOR Project is far-reaching and exciting. It offers a much-needed outdoor classroom and study area. Undergraduate laboratory and field course routinely utilize the site for research and discovery-based experiences. Environmental education and outreach programs have been designed to reach K-12 teachers and students, the campus and surrounding community, and environmental professionals. The Lilly ARBOR project site provides an outdoor ecological field experience with a watershed, a riparian system, and wetlands as well as exposure to research techniques on topics such as population studies of flora and fauna and water quality analysis. The White River has been designated as an important asset to the water infrastructure, ecosystem, nature corridor and wildlife habitat throughout Indianapolis and beyond.

Known to be endangered in Indiana and found/ actively used on IUPUI grounds: Yellowwood Catalpa, Milkweed

PROJECT OVERVIEW The project area is an eight-acre strip of floodplain between 10th Street and New York Street along the White River in downtown Indianapolis. Prior to the project, this area was dominated by mowed turf grass and a few pioneer species. CEES service learning projects removed over 700 bags of trash and debris from the floodplain prior to it being replanted with native vegetation as part of a comparative, experimental floodplain reforestation program. The project started with the planting of almost 1400 native trees. The 1-mile stretch of riverbank is evolving into a complex floodplain forest as the trees grow and other species gradually recolonize the area. The massive experiment will test the best way to restore riverbanks by comparing the three most common methods for planting trees to restore native forests. A 10+ years of monitoring and assessment have provided - and will continue to provide valuable data on reforestation strategies. The one-mile stretch of riverbank, planted with approximately 1400 trees, is now evolving into a wildflower meadow and shrub/sapling habitat as the trees grow and other species gradually recolonize the area. The massive experiment will test the best way to restore riverbanks by comparing the three most common methods for planting trees to restore native forests. A minimum of five years of monitoring and assessment will provide valuable data on reforestation strategies. This long-term study is monitoring the growth and development of the White River floodplain and evaluating the effectiveness of the restoration methods. Research results are posted on the project web site and are also provided continually to natural resource managers to improve ongoing restoration efforts. Data and additional information can be found on the web site at: https://cees.iupui.edu/research/restoration/lilly-arbor/index.html * Species include approximately equal numbers of Hawthorn; Honey Locust; Swamp White Oak; Red Maple; Hackberry; Chinquapin Oak; Ohio Buckeye; Silver Maple; Sycamore; Cottonwood; Green Ash; and Black Willow

Through collaboration with local, state, and federal government agencies, private businesses, and nonprofit organizations, the IUPUI Center for Earth and Environmental Science (CEES) implemented an urban riparian restoration project along eight acres of the White River in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Lilly ARBOR project was designed for use as an experiential research and education site that teaches and promotes environmental stewardship. The educational objectives are to a) increase the number of faculty and students at IUPUI involved in experiential learning, b) engage students in the design, implementation, and monitoring of a restoration project, and c) to provide a site for educational outreach for citizens, K-12 educators, and environmental professionals. Simultaneously, the project's research objectives are to a) provide a research site for long-term study (at least 5 years) of river and riparian processes, b) to evaluate restoration procedures utilized by restoration managers, and c) to monitor the growth and development of an urban riparian forest. Environmental education and outreach programs have been designed to reach K-12 teachers and students, the campus and surrounding community, and environmental professionals. Through teacher training workshops, children's camps, and school group instruction, the Lilly ARBOR project site provides an outdoor field experience with a watershed, a riparian system, and wetlands as well as exposure to research techniques on topics such as population studies of floras and faunas and water quality analysis. Through the CEES service learning program, IUPUI faculty and staff from four schools and professional environmental managers work with area high school and middle school students, IUPUI students, other Indianapolis-area university students, and community members to conduct research and maintain the restoration. Business groups and environmental professionals also utilize the restoration site for employee volunteer days and group tours. The interdisciplinary collaboration and use of the Lilly ARBOR project has permitted several hundred individuals to contribute to the research and maintenance of the site while educating them about the importance of maintaining biological diversity and participating in environmental stewardship. Water quality and level is monitored utilizing multi-parameter chemical probes. Soil geochemistry is conducted by students in the environmental geochemistry lab. The level of sophistication is variable and can be scaled to different audiences and user groups. GPS and GIS technologies: Each of the 1400 trees planted within the restoration have been located via GPS and graphically displayed on GIS maps to monitor their growth and development. We also utilize this technology for native recruit surveys and invasive exotic species surveys. The maps are used as both a teaching and research tool. Internet Access: All data collected is posted and maintained on the Lilly ARBOR Project web site. Students and teachers can access and download the data to draw conclusions and determine trends. A variety of science-related topics can be addressed with the data sets. https://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/gsa03/activities/1931.html An ongoing tree inventory is conducted to determine the health of trees on campus; and to track the level of native to non-native species.

The Lilly Arbor Project Baseline Studies: Historic Flood Frequency Seasonal Water Level Fluctuations Seed Bank/Natural Plant Recruitment Study Creation of Site Herbarium Reptile and Amphibian Study Bird Census Sediment Stratigraphy and Sediment Chemistry Historic Land Use Long Term Monitoring Parameters Ground Water Elevation – weekly, hourly Water Quality (physical/chemical) - weekly Tree Survival and Growth (height, diameter) – seasonally Natural Recruitment of Woody Species – seasonally Exotic Species Appearance and Distribution - annually Vegetation Monitoring – annually Bird Usage (species, #) – quarterly Butterfly and Dragonfly Usage (species, #) - seasonally Reptile and Amphibian Usage (species, #) – annually

The Lilly ARBOR Project, an initiative of the Center for Earth and Environmental Science at Indiana University – Purdue University at Indianapolis, was undertaken with the generous support from many local and state agencies and primary funding from the Lilly Foundation in 2000. Over the past 10+ years, faculty, students, and community volunteers from Lilly and elsewhere have worked together to restore - and maintain - a 1 mile stretch (8.5 acres) of riverside corridor along the White River in Indianapolis.

Endangered Species List: https://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-Endangered_Species_List.pdf