Photo of Bill McCoy taken by Heath Hamilton
Tom Cervone, Ph.D., Maureen Houlihan, DC., Nicole Cervone-Gish, and Michael Cervone
Our Planet Earth
Author’s note: This website encourages, inspires, and informs Earth citizens to Care for Our Planet Earth.
Introduction
An Environmental Assessment (EA) was completed for the Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge in 1989 with a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) in 1994. It protects, in Pike and Gibson Counties, one of the few Midwest bottomland forested wetlands, and one of two floodplain forests in Indiana. In 2024, the Refuge celebrated its 30 th anniversary.
Efforts to establish the refuge began in the early 1980's with support from local citizens and guidance from Dave Hudak at the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ecological Services field office in Bloomington. Bill McCoy and his wife Valerie moved to Oakland City in 1990 in an effort to establish the refuge. The EA and FEIS (Figure 20) identified a corridor for the proposed I-69 over the Patoka River floodplain. From 2006-2020, the Indiana Department of Transportation transferred/helped purchase 541 acres for the refuge as mitigation acres.
Bill McCoy was the first refuge manager. He, with many others including volunteers with Patoka River Individuals Defending the Environment (PRIDE), worked tirelessly to establish and develop the refuge. Bill and Valerie even fed and cared for “orphan” I-69 box turtles collected by John Rucker’s turtle dogs before INDOT began winter I-69 construction. Bill also worked with Ducks Unlimited －a critical partner, The Nature Conservancy, Sycamore Land Trust and many other conservation organizations, along with many property owners. In their 30 or so years of progress, the refuge and I-69 were independent projects, but very much supported and complemented by each other.
The entire floodplain, including the South Fork and the Patoka River, is crossed by I-69, a length of about 1 mile. It’s clearance in the middle is approximately 60 feet high, allowing for a wide wildlife crossing. This long bridge of I-69 is just one of thirty other wildlife crossings for large mammals with even more wildlife crossings for smaller animals. The total length of I-69 in southwestern Indiana is about 142 miles. One bridge in the study area even showed roosting federally endangered Indiana bats.
Managing wetlands and forests for waterfowl, migratory birds, and native/listed species is a refuge priority. Since 1994, USFWS planted more than 550,000 native tree seedlings on 1,100-acres, restored more than 500 acres of prairie/grassland habitat, studied copperbelly water snake habitat, completed a mussel and native plant survey, created nesting habitat for endangered least interior terns at Cane Ridge, and promoted restoration efforts in the South Fork of the Patoka River. A contaminant study of the Patoka River in the late 1980's led by Dan Sparks and in 2000-2002 led by Tom Simon of the Bloomington Ecological Services Office identified acid mine drainage and oil well salt brine as problems. In 1994, the Appalachian Clean Stream Initiative was created by the U.S. Office of Surface Mining. This led to the formation of the South Fork Citizens Committee which focused attention and funding to eliminate sources of acid mine drainage in the South Fork and Patoka River. Return of paddlefish and harlequin darters indicate water quality improvements (referenced on pg. 45).
USFWS has acquired from “willing sellers” about 11,000 of a proposed 24,000 acres for the refuge. They’ve worked on miles of trails, boardwalks, overlooks, and controlled invasive plants. It's home to more than 250 species of birds; 82 fishes, 6 crayfishes, and 355 aquatic macroinvertebrate taxa; 43 dragonflies and damselflies ; 17 species of living mussels (referenced on pg. 45); and within the range of 60 species of amphibians and reptiles. At least 20 plant and 63 animal species that are considered threatened, endangered, or of special concern in Indiana live in this river valley. During sampling from 2000-2002, a new burrowing species of crayfish called the painted-hand mudbug was commonly found in the Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge.
After Bill’s retirement in 2018, Rick Spear became refuge manager in 2019. Today, Heath Hamilton is acting refuge manager. Heath worked with The Nature Conservancy to purchase 1,700 acres of forested land in Pike County adjacent to the refuge. Within the acquisition boundary, this land will be purchased and added to the refuge, creating over 20,000 acres including State-owned land of contiguous habitat for wildlife. He’s worked with Pheasants/Quail Forever to acquire and restore upland habitat as well.
What Can You Do?
Join/Support the Friends of the Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge. Contact Nancy Gehlhausen (naturegirl.gehlhausen@gmail.com)
Wildlife Corridors - Safe travel is needed for wildlife under/over roadways to avoid road kills, traffic accidents, and genetic inbreeding. Connectivity is vital for their population growth.
Short Video on The Nature Conservancy adding 1,700 acres of forested land adjacent to the refuge
Quote:
"The Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge is a great place for bird watching and solitude. It’s a hidden treasure that gets almost no traffic.” - Joey Graves
Tom Cervone, Ph.D. is a deacon, ecologist, and member of Seton Harvest and Sycamore Land Trust. Sister Maureen Houlihan D.C. is a member of the “Care of Earth” Committee of the Daughters of Charity and Seton Harvest. Nicole Cervone-Gish, Ed. MS. is a teacher at Holy Spirit Catholic School. Michael Cervone, BS. is a website designer.
Comments may be directed to ourplanetearth.eco@gmail.com Thank you!