The Butterflies of Angel Mounds

"The Eastbrook Memorial Garden"

The Eastbrook Memorial Garden
Project Location: Angel Mounds State Historic Site
8215 Pollack Ave
Evansville, In 47715 (812) 853-3956
Contact Info:
Tim Tanguay
2037 Pollack Avenue
Evansville, In 47714 (812) 401-4919
C/O: Southern Indiana Trails http://southernindianatrails.awardspace.com/

DESCRIPTION

On Sunday, November 6, 2005 at around 1:50 am CST (0750 UTC), a tornado touched down 2 miles (3 km) north-northwest of Smith Mills in Henderson County, Kentucky, near the Indiana/Kentucky border, and then crossed the Ohio River into Vanderburgh County, Indiana. Staying just south of I-164, the tornado traveled to the northeast causing extensive damage to parts of Evansville, Newburgh, and Boonville in Indiana.

Twenty-Five people lost their lives in this storm, most of which resided in the Eastbrook trailer park community. Upon touching down the tornado lifted and touched down again in the local Angel Mounds woodland area causing wide spread damage to the natural forested ecosystem. Due to the nature of how the storm touched down in the woods, most of the climax trees were damaged or destroyed. It has been almost three years since the storm and we have watched the area recover through natural succession and with help from local volunteer efforts. Where there was once climax forest, there are now thriving wildflower communities. The area is a perfect setting for an enhanced butterfly habitat, largely due to its secluded location and natural wind breaks.

Why this project is needed:
Enhancing this area will provide many benefits for an already growing butterfly community, and create a wonderful education setting for future use.

By adding natural wildflowers, we provide the needed food, shelter to support, and sustain the local butterfly species to the area with primary focus on the Monarch species. We have one area that we will devote to the propagation of local Milkweed plant species. We feel that this plant is not well established in the area due to agriculture and roadside mowing.

The viewing path that will loop through the garden will be designed to adjust to natural succession of the area over time. As the climax trees begin to dominate the landscape over the next few decades, we intend to install the practices of nature awareness and adaptation.

Although our major project will focus on the creation and maintenance of the butterfly garden, that in its self will take us into future educational opportunities for people to learn from and appreciate the natural diversity of changing ecosystems that make up a forest community.

We also intend to promote the garden as a memorial setting for the victims of the tornado.

As an educational tool, we can provide a setting of "renewal." The butterfly is a powerful symbol for transformation and reminder to make changes when the opportunity arises.

Butterfly symbolism is also closely tied to the idea of spirits and souls. It has been used in many religions and cultures.

We feel that there is a natural and ethical need to enhance this wildlife area as a benefit to the local community, families of the victims, schools, local cub scouts, volunteers and most of all it will benefit the wildlife that call the Angel Mounds Woods home.

"Monarchs face direct habitat destruction caused by humans. New roads, housing developments, and agricultural expansion - all transform a natural landscape in ways that make it impossible for Monarchs to live there. Monarchs in the north also face more subtle habitat destruction in the loss of their host plants. Milkweed, the plant larvae feed on exclusively, is considered a noxious weed by some people, which means it is often destroyed. In some areas across North America, milkweed plants are also being severely damaged by ozone. Both milkweed and adult nectaring plants are also vulnerable to the herbicides used by many landscapers, farmers, gardeners, and others. And Monarchs themselves can be killed outright by many pesticides."

OBJECTIVES
To attract wildlife for the purpose of education, observation, study and photography

To provide a healthy ecosystem in a damaged woodland area without interfering in the natural biological succession

To provide an educational scientific setting through plant diversity and habitat structure

To monitor the area for species abundance and compare the findings to national numbers

To provide a memorial setting that best commemorates the victims of the 2005 tornado.

Provide nectar sources and host plants to attract monarchs and other butterfly species, also to provide for known hummingbird populations that currently exist in the project area

Promote the understanding of ecology and respect for all living things.

To increase a child's respect for nature through hands on experience and to further aid in mental and moral development.

To design the trail so it blends into its natural setting through natural succession.