State dedicates 141 acres in Owen County as nature preserve

The state has dedicated 141 acres of forest land in Owen County as a nature preserve.

The property, named Barnebey Woods after former landowner and conservationist Karl Barnebey, is home to several native Indiana species, including the eastern box turtle and walking fern.

Barnebey Woods sold for half its market value to the Sycamore Land Trust in 2024. While the preserve has now been given more protection from future use by the state, it's still under the care of the Land Trust.

Ron Hellmich is the assistant director of the Division of Fish, Wildlife and Nature Preserves at Indiana Department of Natural Resources. He said the new preserve helps create a wildlife corridor that species can use to safely migrate through Indiana's wilderness.

"It provides almost a seven-mile stretch of protected conservation lands in that area of the state," said Hellmich. "So, that's very important towards species having that continuous habitat area that they can utilize."

The new preserve is located next to a long stretch of the Owen-Putnam State Forest.

Hellmich said there are no plans to open a trail in the preserve.