Floyd County Parks Master Plan

Updates to a five-year master plan incorporate designs for a new regional park, while uplifting and conserving access to recreation and natural resources for all members of the surrounding community.

The purchase of a large 200-acre tract of agricultural land gave Floyd County, Indiana an opportunity to expand its parks system while planning for a much-needed upgrade of its 104-acre flagship Sam Peden Park. As part of an update to Floyd County Parks’ five-year Master Plan, Biohabitats supported SWT Design by providing ecological planning expertise.

Sitting on a boundary of glaciation between two geologic forms, Floyd County’s landscape boasts an unexpected uniqueness, encompassing two rugged and woody ecoregions, the Crawford Uplands and the Mitchell Plains of Southern Indiana. The Mitchell Plains is special because of its Karst topography presenting limestone glades and wetlands not found in the rest of the state. Once dominated by Western Mesophytic forest, it is now dominated by large Hickory and Oak remnant forest. Farm ponds dot the landscape, providing a potential home to unique wetland communities and old farm pastures provide ample opportunity for conversion to meadows and for recreational development. The Crawford Uplands is celebrated for its mosaic of oxbow and ephemeral wetlands, large sycamores, and a locally uncommon lake habitat supporting a variety of waterfowl species.

Biohabitats provided ecological planning services for both Sam Peden and the new park site, including site assessment, synthesis of current and desired ecological conditions, and advised the design team on solutions for both sites. The ecological uplift recommendations offered room for both recreational and structure improvements, as well as recommendations to protect and enhance Floyd County’s natural communities. Uplift opportunities identified included minimizing landscape fragmentation, forest management, habitat enhancement, stream restoration, and green infrastructure for stormwater management. These recommendations will be incorporated into the final master plan and support the engineering and design of the new park, which is slated for completion in 2025.

TAGS

• Assessment+Monitoring
• Ecological Restoration