The Nature Conservancy has wanted to protect the Cline Lake Fen site since 1978 when the State was canvassed for the last pristine examples of Indiana's natural heritage. The latter is a rare plant community found only in specialized situations where ground water emerges through soil at the surface, often supporting prairie plants growing along the interface of a seep and water. And, as a site located on a tributary flowing into the Pigeon River, Cline Lake Fen serves to protect numerous other sensitive natural areas downstream Cope Environmental Center for restoration of wetlands, Centerville. In the fall of 1996, the Copy Environmental Center was given 70 acres of land adjacent to the original 28 acres used by the Center. Much of this land was used extensively for crop agriculture and was tiled for drainage many years ago.
Several areas lend themselves to small wetlands restorations.
The Elkhart Environmental Center for a natural area preservation project, Elkhart. The Elkhart Environmental Center is a 30-acre environmental park that was formerly a city garbage dump. Instead of garbage covering the site, there are now trees, grasses, wetlands and a diversity of wildlife species. The grant money will be used to help purchase 32 acres of property adjoining the Center. These properties will be held in a conservation easement, which will forever preserve the site, because of an already formed partnership with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.