Gov. Pence and DNR dedicating Lincoln State Park addition on Wednesday

Lincoln State Park in Spencer County is expanding by 180 acres thanks to the Bicentennial Nature Trust.

Gov. Mike Pence will celebrate the addition in an Oct. 30 dedication ceremony at 8 a.m. at the park. The ceremony will coincide with a “Walk a Mile with Mike” event at the park, part of an ongoing effort by the governor to promote health and fitness through mile walks at locations across the state.

“Abraham Lincoln spent his formative years right here in Spencer County,” Pence said. “Reflecting on his monumental contributions to our state and nation, I think it’s a fitting tribute that we set aside this land he knew as a boy in honor of our state’s Bicentennial Celebration.”

The 180-acre addition adds land to the south and west of the park and provides a buffer for Sarah Lincoln Nature Preserve inside the park. It also will allow for the addition of at least a mile to existing hiking trails.

Partners in the acquisition included The Nature Conservancy, Spencer County government, Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial and Spencer County Community Foundation.

“The Piper acquisition at Lincoln State Park is a perfect example of partners collaborating to deliver local conservation,” said Brad Smith, TNC’s Evansville-based project director. “With our new staff capacity in southwest Indiana, we can now provide greater leadership and resources toward facilitating future conservation efforts in the area.”

The BNT is a project of the Bicentennial Commission, co-chaired by former Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman and former U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton. First Lady Karen Pence is ambassador to the Bicentennial Commission.

“This addition to Lincoln State Park underlines the 2016 Bicentennial Commission’s commitment to nature conservation in Indiana,” Skillman said.

“We look forward to hearing and celebrating many more success stories for the Bicentennial Nature Trust in the months and years to come,” Hamilton said.

The statewide program is aimed at expanding trails, conservation areas and recreation sites to help celebrate Indiana’s 200 years of statehood in 2016. The state park system was created during Indiana’s centennial celebration in 1916, and BNT projects will provide a similar legacy for generations of Hoosiers.

An initial $20 million in state funding was obligated for BNT projects, and the Lilly Endowment donated another $10 million to the effort. Money from the fund is matched no less than $1:1 with the local community or group sponsor. To date, the Bicentennial Commission has approved 59 projects. 19 projects have been completed for a total of 2,591 acres.