EVANSVILLE — Wesselman Woods, Evansville's biggest green space, is growing.
Thanks to a land purchase from the University of Evansville, and an update to the formal agreement between Wesselman Woods and the City of Evansville, the preserve will add 90 acres to its footprint.
Wesselman Nature Society purchased 42 acres of land adjacent to the preserve from UE last month for a total of $2 million. The land, located on Division Street, has an assessed value of nearly $4.2 million, according to the Vanderburgh County Assessor's website.
The additional acreage will come from city-owned land that will now be included in the management agreement with Wesselman Woods. The former Par 3 golf course adds 32 acres and the wooded area directly across from the entrance to the Wesselman Nature Center provides 16 more.
Wesselman Woods, which executive director Zach Garcia called "the Mona Lisa of ecosystems," is the largest urban old-growth forest in the United States at 220 acres.
"The addition of this 90 acres shows our commitment to the Earth and our commitment to our communities," he said at Monday's news conference. "We're creating a new forest that's going to act as a buffer zone to the old growth forest here at Wesselman Woods."
42 acres from the University of Evansville
Garcia said they will look to naturally regenerate the Division Street property so that it acts as a reference for new growth versus old growth forest.
The tree species they'll look at will be oak, hickory and ash.
This area is now owned directly by the Nature Society after its purchase last month. According to Wesselman Woods, the funding was supported by a $1 million matching grant from the Next Level Conservation Trust.
A state program through the Department of Natural Resources, it put $25 million toward acquiring land for preserves, parks and other conservation areas.
UE obtained the Division Street property in the late 1970s through a land trade with the state with its original restrictions stating it could only be used for recreation or education.
The land is currently valued at over $4 million, according to the Vanderburgh County Assessor website.
48 acres from the city
Garcia said the former golf course will also be the site of forest regeneration, as well as a new nature center. But it will take time.
The area will include three distinct habitats, Garcia said: a meadow, bottom land forest and wetlands.
More:A Q&A with Zach Garcia, new executive director at Wesselman Woods in Evansville
"This intentional diversification of ecosystems will promote biodiversity by providing specific environments for various species to thrive," Garcia said.
It will take patience from the community, he said, but now is the time to reforest.
"For years to come, Par 3 may begin to look 'weedy,' but that's what we want," he said. "Our aim is to allow this area to naturally regenerate with the ancient DNA of the trees in Wesselman Woods."
Garcia said amidst climate change challenges, they must be thinking of future generations.
"Of course we need to be thinking about 2023 and what we're doing today, but we also need to be thinking of 2073," he said.
The Par 3 golf course closed in December 2019, at which time consultants included donating the land to Wesselman Woods as a possible next step. The Board of Park Commissioners voted to shut down the golf course in a 4-0 vote, citing declining play and revenues.
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Speaking with the Courier & Press after the news conference, Garcia said the reforestation will look different among different sections. It won't be the same in the meadow as it is in the wetland.
But the focus as far as species for trees will again be oak, hickory and ash. Maples will come on their own, he said.
"We have trees that are 400 years old here. They've seen hot times, they've seen cold times, they've seen wet times, they've seen dry times," Garcia said. "When we're thinking about climate change and ecological integrity, we want that over here. Because we know, that genetic stock, they can handle it."