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Goose Pond was once a flourishing wetland near Linton, Indiana. The 6,000 acre area was once made up of permanent lakes surrounded by marshes, swamps, woodland, and prairie habitats. The area was then extensively drained and 95% of it used as cropland. Because of the soil’s high clay content, the land has been tiled and drained, but continued to flood regularly. For this reason, the land changed hands 11 times in 35 years, and had been considered for restoration since the 1950s. Finally, in 2000, the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service purchased permanent easement of the land and began restoration plans.
Upon completion, Goose Pond will feature 4,957 acres of open shallow water, 300-400 acres of tree plantings, and 1,300 acres of native prairie grass plantings. A tremendous number of dabbling ducks already use the area, including mallards, black ducks, pintails, gadwalls, American widgeon, wood tucks, and teal. Diving ducks are expected as well, including canvasbacks, redheads, ring-necked ducks, and scaup. Geese, shorebirds, herons, egrets, Greater Sandhill cranes, northern harriers, and possibly even osprey will frequent the site. Mammals such as beaver, muskrat, and mink will find habitat here, and one day otters may even travel this far. Amphibians and reptiles will continue to increase in numbers. The State Endangered Northern Crawfish Frog has already been identified using the habitat. Besides the spectacular wildlife habitat Goose Pond will provide, it will also offer better water quality, flood protection, erosion control, and recreation opportunities.
The first Christmas Bird Count at Goose Pond FWA took place on December 26, 2006 and was a great success! Ninety-four different species and 73,780 individual birds were recorded by the Sassafras Audubon Society. A few of the exciting spottings included multiple American bitterns, the first king rail, a prairie falcon, and a whooping crane! Birders also witnessed four merlins, 65 short-eared owls, four marsh wrens, eight Le Conte's sparrows, and two dickcissels.
Conservation of this important habitat area would not have been possible without State Wildlife Grants, The Nature Conservancy, the National Resource Conservation Service, and Ducks Unlimited. The Indiana Teaming With Wildlife Coalition can make a difference by continuing to show support for this ongoing project.
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