Forest Foraged Feast Presented by Indiana Forest Alliance
On September 29, 2022, SRA was invited to join Ben Miller, President of Mud Creek Conservancy in attending the “Forest Foraged Feast” event hosted by our friends at the Indiana Forest Alliance. The event featured a selection of small plate appetizers, desserts, and beverages that were created using locally foraged ingredients and served in the beautiful Courses restaurant at the Ivy Tech Culinary and Conference Center Penthouse. This warm and elegant venue with 360-degree views of Indianapolis created a perfect setting for this evening of presentations and discussion about the work that IFA is doing to preserve and protect forests throughout the state.
The creative menu was designed and assembled by students and teachers in the culinary program at IVY Tech and was varied and delicious; Wild Spinach Spanakopita, Venison and Nettles Wontons, Elderberry Brie en Croute, Wild Mushroom Risotto Cake with Ramp Pesto Cream Cheese and Persimmon Petit Fours were among the favorites. Guests could also choose from a Sangria cocktail fortified with wild grape liqueur, or a Wild Grape Fruit Punch. What an inventive and mouth-watering way to showcase the value and benefits of using locally foraged ingredients!
In addition to the delectable food and drink, guests were greeted with music from violinist Kathy Hershberger, and a silent auction fundraiser offered a range of forest-themed gifts and products. The rest of the evening featured speakers, including an excellent presentation by IFA Executive Director Jeff Stant. Jeff spoke at length about IFA’s Urban Forest Initiatives and Forests for Indy program - described as the first-ever “proactive, data-driven initiative to identify, assess and plan to preserve forests remaining in Indianapolis.”
We learned a dazzling array of statistics about our city and state-wide forests, with some surprising highlights:
• 85% of both urban and rural forests are privately owned.
• Indiana’s diverse hardwoods such as white oak, red oak and walnut are valued as lumber worldwide.
• The diversity of our forests translates to a diversity of animal and insect life. Indiana has 24 species of salamanders - rivaling the variety found throughout the entire Amazon rainforest!
• It is estimated that in temperate hardwood forests such as those found in Indiana, there are up to 30 million as-yet undiscovered invertebrates.
Many other reasons for forest preservation were shared as well; air purification, flood prevention and carbon sequestration are just a few of the benefits we enjoy when we preserve healthy forests. The impact our urban forests here in Marion County has on carbon sequestration has been shown to equal 48 metric tons/acre of trees - equivalent to emissions from 334,000 vehicles. This data-driven approach is valuable in making the case at all levels of our state and local government that preserving forested lands in Indiana is the right course of action. As the preservation of our natural environment is a priority for Sargent Road Association, we are wholeheartedly in support of the work being done by Indiana Forest Alliance and hope that you too will find ways to support their efforts in Indianapolis and across the state.
SRA and our partners at Mud Creek Conservancy are dedicated to protecting the forests that create the unique landscape of the Mud Creek Valley. Not only do we prize our forested plots as a wildlife corridor, but also as a valuable asset for our community; they provide us with shade and cooler temperatures, protect our unique hills and ridges from erosion and increase the value of our homes. With your support, we can continue to maintain and even expand the urban forest canopy of our region.
View an interactive map of Marion County forests here, and find our own Mud Creek Valley region highlighted as a large urban forest area with a ranking of “Best 100” in terms of heat, flood and pollution mitigation; wildlife habitat; and neighborhood quality of life.
To learn more about Indiana Forest Alliance and how you can support their work, visit their website.
