“The purpose of a trail is to provide active transportation and creat greenways through developed areas.”

— American Trails website

Walking and biking: healthy lifestyle for you and your family.

Preserve Greenspace: The natural character of our Township needs protection.

Indy’s Urban Wilderness

your 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Lawrence Township, IN

focused on connectivity

Why did we need this?

Lawrence Township is Indianapolis’s “Green Corner”: urban neighborhoods amidst undeveloped land, extensive tree canopy, and unique valleys.

However, we have few municipal parks and almost no safe walkable or bikeable trails between neighborhoods or our schools, shopping, and natural areas like Fort Harrison State Park (“Fort Ben”).

IUW plans to unlock the area’s potential by preserving green space and building safe connections: “connectivity.”

Connectivity is preserved greenspace and safe connections.

Healthful Recreation
Improved Social Bonds and Reduced Crime
Outsized Impact on Property Values and Economic Development

What does Indy’s Urban Wilderness do?

Catalyze Connections.

Right now, we are advocating to complete the Fall Creek Greenway (FCG) between Fort Ben and Fall Creek Road at 96th St. The idea for the Fall Creek Greenway, a 22-mile regional connector, dates back to 1909 and George Kessler’s Park and Boulevard Plan. Much of FCG has been built, but its final 6 miles remain unmapped in the heart of Lawrence Township.

The FCG will serve as the backbone of our connectivity infrastructure.

The incredible truth is that already, the cities of Lawrence and Indianapolis and the Indiana DNR each hold a “Master Plan” that envisions its completion. For this project, IUW brings together these government agencies and other stakeholders. We are also working to secure the necessary funding.

We need your involvement to show support and make sure local sensibility and issues of practicality are included in the design and implementation of the Fall Creek Greenway Extension.

To add your voice of support and stay updated, join us now.

preserve greenspace

The Sargent Road Nature Park is a proposed 25-acre park at the corner of 82nd St at Sargent Road. The Mud Creek Conservancy, a local Land Trust, successfully raised funds to buy this land to preserve its natural character and provide a nature trail in spring 2021. It will be the first public-access greenspace for the area’s neighborhoods!

Click here to learn about the Sargent Road Nature Park and donate to the campaign to build the infrastructure! Every donation makes a positive impact.

Fall Creek Greenway: A paved, multi-use trail along the beautiful Fall Creek from Downtown Indy to Fishers and beyond (via the City of Lawrence and Fort Harrison State Park).

Sargent Road Nature Park: A 25-acre nature preserve at 82nd St and Sargent Rd with a planned public access nature trail.

“[Fort Harrison State Park is part of] the largest unfragmented forest left in Central Indiana”

— John Bacone, IDNR Director of Nature Preserves (ret.)

“Greenspace is community space consisting of land (such as parks) rather than buildings”

— Merriam-Webster

Safe Connections: unlimited, safe access from your neighborhood to green spaces, amenities, recreation.

Valuable Infrastructure: Strengthen Lawrence Township for businesses, attract and retain families.

How will IUW do that?

4 overlapping spheres of action

Build Relationships
- 3 separate governments (City of Lawrence, City of Indianapolis,Indiana Department ofNatural Resources)
- Conservationists and user groups
- Local businesses
- Neighborhood Associations
- Other nonprofits
Conduct Public Engagement
- Bring the community together (you are not alone in supporting these initiatives, we are many!)
- Education and outreach to grow support
- Incorporate your ideas into plans presented to the decision-makers
Create Maps
- Local Input
- Expert Design
- Comprehensive Plan
Financing
- Donations from individuals, Associations, and businesses
- Grants (public and private)
- Partnership with the city, state, and federal governments

IUW’s mission is focused on developing support from stakeholders and coordinating this support with multiple government agencies resulting in connectivity planning and funding.

A Community Partner Bringing Together Government, Businesses, the Public, and Other Nonprofits to Create a Better Lawrence Township

Indy’s Urban Wilderness: a closer look

People & Purpose

We are a group of local residents. We created Indy’s Urban Wilderness in June of 2019 to advocate for the development of built infrastructure for healthy neighborhoods in Lawrence Township. In August, the IRS determined we qualify as a public charity exempt from federal income tax under IRS code 501(c)3, and donors can deduct contributions to our nonprofit corporation.

Partnership

There has not been adequate development of greenspace protection and safe connections for people to use for many reasons.

By definition, the planning and implementation of public infrastructure is the responsibility of government. However, the area of IUW's focus is complicated by the intersection of three distinct government entities (City of Lawrence, City of Indianapolis, and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which oversees Fort Harrison State Park) and the many other interest groups in the area (neighborhood associations, conservationist, etc.

Before IUW, there was no organized effort working to address this lack of connectivity.

IUW brings stakeholders together and will act to catalyze the design and construction of a connectivity plan.

With the support of individuals, businesses, and foundations we will partner with government agencies to develop the built infrastructure that will make Lawrence Township a vibrant place in which our families and businesses can thrive.

progress

Building positive working relationships with government leaders was our first initiative. To date, we have written commitments from the cities of Lawrence and Indianapolis as well as Indiana DNR to cooperate in the planning and completion of the Fall Creek Greenway in the heart of Lawrence.

We also continually strive to educate the community, integrate public input, and grow community involvement to create a broad support base.

Presently, we are building partnerships to secure public and private financing sources for the 2021-22 campaign.

Our future is a better Lawrence Township, where we continue to identify local priorities and build connectivity among neighborhoods, to the Sargent Road Nature Park and Fall Creek Greenway, to schools and commercial amenities.