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About Us
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About Us
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Our Mission

The mission of Shirley Heinze Land Trust is to preserve and restore natural lands and waters in northwestern Indiana, and to engage people in nature and conservation.

Shirley Heinze Land Trust is a proud supporting member of Indiana Land Protection Alliance (ILPA). ILPA is a vibrant nonpartisan network of land trusts, conservation partners and community members. Our alliance champions land and water protection for all of Indiana.

Our Vision

To connect individuals and communities to nature and build understanding and support for conservation.

Our Values

Conservation

We are committed to preserving nature for the benefit of future generations.

Collaboration

We are most effective when we work with other groups and individuals to accomplish shared goals.

Integrity

We build trust by being honest, straightforward and reliable in all our relationships.

Inclusiveness

We respect the needs, values and traditions of our communities and actively seek to engage them in our work.

Innovation

We try new approaches and test new ideas to achieve big goals.

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Watch the Video
See the video made to celebrate the awarding of the Land Trust Alliance's National Land Trust Excellence Award to Shirley Heinze Land Trust in 2018.
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Our Staff

Our team members bring unique perspectives and experiences to the table, and we’re bound by a shared love of the natural spaces across northwestern Indiana.

Our Board & Advisory Council

Shirley Heinze Land Trust is guided and supported by an all-volunteer board of directors and advisory council, with a wide variety of backgrounds and skills.

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Our History

Shirley Heinze Land Trust was founded in memory of Dr. Shirley Heinze, an Ogden Dunes resident who devoted her free time to enjoying and studying nature, and participating in the fight to save the Indiana Dunes. She encouraged others to do the same. After her death in 1978 at the age of 51, her longtime friends, Robert and Bette Lou Seidner, made a donation to endow a conservation organization in her name. Her life and legacy are a quiet inspiration for us – that one person can have an lasting impact.

Join Our Team

Shirley Heinze Land Trust is focused on building organizational capacity as part of its current strategic plan. The organization is committed to developing staff skills, knowledge and expertise to help achieve its mission to preserve and restore natural lands and waters in northwestern Indiana, and to engage people in nature and conservation.

Contact Us

Our offices are located in the Meadowbrook Conservation Center at Meadowbrook Nature Preserve, just northwest of Valparaiso in Porter County. Visitors are welcome to call or stop in Monday through Friday. Office hours are 8:30am-5:00pm.

109 West 700 North
Valparaiso, IN 46385
(219) 242-8558