Indiana's Wetlands: Nature’s Guardians and Our Call to Protect Them

Speaker: Toby Days

Wetlands are the unsung heroes of Indiana’s landscapes, providing essential ecosystem services such as water filtration, flood mitigation, biodiversity preservation, and carbon sequestration. Despite their critical role, Indiana has lost over 85% of its original wetlands, leaving these vital ecosystems at risk. This presentation explores the ecological importance of wetlands, their status in Indiana, and the challenges they face due to policy changes, development, and environmental degradation. Using science-based insights and real-world examples, we will delve into successful restoration initiatives and advocate for integrating nature-based solutions into urban planning and conservation efforts. The session will also present actionable steps to protect and restore wetlands, including community engagement strategies, policy advocacy, and scalable restoration techniques.

Toby Days is a seasoned environmental professional with over 20 years of experience in sustainable agriculture, water quality, and natural resource management. He currently serves as the Sustainable Agriculture Director at the Hoosier Environmental Council, leading legislative advocacy and supporting regenerative farming and water stewardship initiatives.

Previously, Toby spent 21 years with the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water, providing technical assistance to rural communities and securing significant funding for water protection projects that  ensure rural and disadvantaged communities had access to fresh clean drinking water.  He holds both a B.S. in Agricultural & Biological Engineering and an M.S. in Forestry & Natural Resources from Purdue University.

Sponsored by Christopher Moore