Lakes near the Goose Pond area such as this one, Ellis Lake in Greene-Sullivan State Forest, already attract a large amount of geese and ducks. If the Goose Pond area is flooded as a wetland, it will also attract more of the migratory birds. Staff photo by Scott Brunner

Mac Moulton, an avid Bloomington outdoorsman, is hankering for the honking of geese. The mere mention of Goose Pond in Greene County sends adrenaline pumping through his arteries.

"I thought it was going to be reclaimed several times and each time we got chopped down," he said of the wetlands area south of Linton. "It looks like they're really going to restore it this time. I'm 64, and I just hope I live long enough to see geese and ducks at Goose Pond."

Indiana Department of Natural Resources officials had their eyes on Goose Pond for a long time, hoping to purchase the property and convert it to a wildlife refuge. But the DNR abandoned its plan in 1997 because of public opposition. A couple years after the government had given up all hope of reclaiming the wetland, the owner chose to enroll the site in a federal wetlands program.

Maurice Wilder, whose Florida-based corporation owns the land, gave the reclamation project a new lease on life.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, acquired an easement to the property through its Wetlands Reserve Program. It paid Wilder Corp. $7 million for an easement to the 7,000-acre property.

The site, once a shallow glacial lake and marsh, was renowned for the flocks of waterfowl it attracted. The wetland was drained in the late 1800s and transformed into farmland.

The project area consists of two separate entities — Goose Pond and Beehunter Marsh.

"A map from 1871 shows one big basin," said Dave Stratman, wildlife biologist with the NRCS. "As manipulation occurred, Goose Pond got separated from Beehunter Marsh."

Stratman's mission — to restore the site to its original state — has been complicated by a collection of concerns. In planning the restoration he must consider a half dozen county roads, drains, land owners and their wishes, a state highway, overhead utilities and underground utilities.

"If not for all these other considerations, we would just flood the acreage," he said. "But that's not feasible. This is going to be a project in which we have to dot the i's and cross the t's. A lot of people are critiquing this project."

Most of the early work has taken place at the marsh. One technique employed has been macrotopography, changing the lay of the land to a more undulating surface. Another focus has been on hydrology. The plan is to put in place controls that will keep water from flooding onto roads or neighboring land when a hard rain comes.

"We are running computer models so we'll know what to expect if we get a 10-inch rain," Stratman explained.

Ind. 59, the area's major thoroughfare, has been a vital consideration.

"We're looking at raising Ind. 59," Stratman said. "If we could do that, it would allow us to restore the wetland more closely to its original state.

The ground at the Goose Pond area in Greene County is currently as dry as anywhere in south-central Indiana, but with talk of flooding the area as a wetland, this may change. Staff photo by Scott Brunner

"We should know pretty soon if the Indiana Department of Transportation wants to work with us on that. If we decide to elevate the highway, it will push back our timetable. But I believe it would be worth the delay."

Ducks Unlimited is assisting the NRCS on the Wilder Project.

"We stepped in at the request of Mr. Wilder to help develop the biological components," said Kathy Kos. "We're just now completing the first phase of the engineering components on Beehunter Marsh.

"This project probably fits our mission statement as well as any federal project out there. We're happy to be involved.

"This is a massive undertaking. We're talking about 7,000 acres. I believe this project has the possibility of changing migratory patterns. This could draw a lot of ducks from the Mississippi corridor."

Stratman concurred.

"It could definitely re-establish the Mississippi Flyway," he said. "You'll see geese and all kinds of different ducks. There also will be a lot of shorebirds, and possibly some rare birds."

Beaver, muskrats, deer and coyotes also are expected to inhabit the area.

"This should have been done a long time ago," Moulton insisted. "In fact, it never should have been farmland.

"I'm excited about returning the land to its original state. I've had great dreams for that wetland. I envisioned a jogging and biking trail around it with lookout spots where people could stop and view all the wild creatures.

"An entrepreneur with an imagination could really benefit from this project. This wetland could attract hundreds of thousands of people to the area. You could even run I-69 alongside it. It would be a wonderful educational tool."

Stratman echoed that thought.

"It's certainly an attraction the community could market," he said. "They could bring a lot of money into Greene County. Birding is the fastest growing form of outdoor recreation, and people will come from all over to see these birds. We're talking about one of the largest wetlands in the Midwest."

Linton farmer Roger Shake doesn't want tourists traipsing on or near his property.

"I live here because I like it the way it is now," he explained. "I don't think this issue is about tourism as much as creating a haven for duck and geese hunters. Ducks Unlimited is a big lobbyist with a lot of power."

Shake considers the Wilder Project a waste of good farmland.

"My opinion hasn't changed. I'm still against it. I'm afraid it's going to cause drainage and flooding problems for me.

"My land is located between a state forest and a wetland. The geese are going to be feeding on my crops and I won't be able to do anything about it because they're protected. Some of those birds have more rights than humans."

Dan Luczynski, a resource conservationist in Bloomfield, has taken on the challenge of public relations.

"I'm trying to get the word out to inform and educate people about the values and function of the wetlands," he explained. "I think the overall public perception of the project has improved. There are some people who are still opposed to the development, but that's to be expected. I believe as work continues on the site they'll realize it's not going to be as bad as they've envisioned it."