Collaboration and Synergy. The natural environment, our “Mother Earth”, is undergoing tremendous change.  Stressors unlike anything our earth has seen before are having significant impacts on many things.  It is certainly difficult to reach agreement on the influence of human activity versus the nature and cycles of change that have been taking place since the beginning of time...that debate will surely continue well into the future.  It is hard to argue, however, that the changes we have witnessed in the last twenty years are forcing us to look at the way we live and work and play much differently.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines the term collaborate as an action: “to work together, especially in a joint intellectual effort”.  Wikipedia defines the collaborative process as: “a structured, recursive process where two or more people (or groups) work together toward a common goal - typically an intellectual endeavor that is creative in nature - by sharing knowledge, learning and building consensus...in particular, teams that work collaboratively can obtain greater resources, recognition and reward when facing competition for finite resources”.

Wikipedia goes on to define synergy: refers to the phenomenon in which two or more discrete influences or agents acting together create an effect greater than that predicted by knowing only the separate effects of the individual agents.”  The American Heritage Medical Dictionary probably states it best: “The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects”.

In northeastern Indiana, we recently took these terms to heart, combined them, and the result was the Hathaway Preserve at Ross Run.  As a result of the collaborative efforts of ACRES Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy in Indiana, the Indiana Heritage Trust, the Community Foundation of Wabash County and a gift from local philanthropists Harvey and Fran Hathaway, this regional treasure will soon become a dedicated State Nature Preserve.  The property will be owned and managed by ACRES and will be available for citizens to enjoy for generations to come.

Ross Run is a 72-acres parcel located in Wabash County, approximately 30 miles west of Fort Wayne. Situated approximately one mile from the Salamonie River State Forest and less than 1 mile from the Wabash River/Ross Run Creek confluence, it is part of the upper Wabash River Corridor.  This acquisition will help protect water quality, as well as numerous terrestrial and aquatic species, in the longest free flowing river east of the Mississippi.  Many species of nesting songbirds of both forest and open country and thirteen species of warblers have been observed in this area.  The forested portion consists of a mature woods comprised of native species, including Black Oak scattered throughout the property, the largest measuring 59” in diameter.  The property also includes portions of Ross Run stream which contains significant geological features including waterfalls, flumes, pillars reef fossils, 75’ exposed bedrock cliffs, an oxbow and a continuously bedrock-floored stream.

Geologist Visit to Ross Run

The following field journal entry is provided by noted geologist Anthony Fleming from a visit in December, 2006:  

Ross Run Gorge: “Ross Run appears to have the largest such bedrock gorge of any tributary valley in the area other than the Salamonie River.  The gorge occupies an approximately 4,500-foot section of the stream beginning at Baumbauer Road and extending north to where the stream debouches from the valley wall onto the Wabash River bottomland.  Here, the stream has a remarkably steep gradient as it cuts through the resistant ledges of chert and limestone, forming a distinct fall zone where it drops some 75 feet in elevation in less than three-quarters of a mile, over a nearly continuous series of cascades and falls.  Virtually the entire stream bottom flows on large, smooth ledges of rock.  The gorge is lined on both sides by near-vertical bluffs and cliffs that are commonly 30-50 feet high, and locally greater...”

Ecology: “The visit occurred in the dead of winter when most plants are dormant.  However, the richness and diversity of habitat was unmistakable.  The forest communities are quite diverse and mesic, resembling the “cove” forest I grew up with in the Appalachians.  Without much effort, I counted more than 30 canopy and sub-canopy species in a small area, including several individuals of the highly specialized blue ash growing on the calcareous siltstone ledges...”  

Conclusion: “Ross Run Gorge is totally unique in my experience.  I was not aware that such an extensive bedrock gorge existed in northern Indiana outside of the Salamonie River, at least in a relatively natural state.  The gorge is an unusual and valuable geologic locality in and of itself....  In short, the gorge is an impressive natural feature that appears to be of uncommonly high value, geologically, ecologically, and aesthetically.” 

Conclusion

As we learn new ways to conduct our business, play our games...live our lives, it is important to recognize “models of success”.  The Hathaway Preserve at Ross Run is a good example of the right way to do it!

Hathaway Preserve at Ross Run photo credits:  Shane Perfect of ACRES Land Trust