October News from Friends of Lake MonroeMany thanks to all who joined us for Lake Monroe Day.
Thank You For Another Amazing Lake Monroe Day!
Thank you to all who joined us for Lake Monroe Day on Sunday, September 14. We had a great time with nearly 140 attendees and together we raised over $3,500 for Friends of Lake Monroe! We can't wait to celebrate together again next fall.
Thanks again to our sponsors:
Stellar Realty Group - Zak Szymanski, Broker/Owner
Stellar Realty Group - Karen Pitkin, Broker
Becky Wann Real Estate Services
Mirth Market
Bloomington Board of Realtors (now Indiana Uplands Realtor Association)
Join us on Wednesday October 8 for an informal forestry field day at the home of Mary Madore and Michael May. They reside on 66 acres of classified forest in the Lake Monroe watershed. Brummett’s Creek borders their front yard and feeds into North Fork Salt Creek, which flows into Lake Monroe.
We will tour part of the forest and learn about their forest stewardship. Topics will include trail maintenance to minimize soil erosion, battling invasive species without the use of herbicides, and planting new trees to support healthy succession. Coffee and pastries will be provided.
Lake Monroe Coordinator Maggie Sullivan is excited to speak at Green Drinks Bloomingtonon Wednesday October 22nd at Upland Woodshop. Her presentation is titled "We All Need Water: How Friends of Lake Monroe is Protecting Our Most Important (and Popular) Water Source."
Doors open at 5:30 and the presentation begins at 6:00. Grab a drink and make some new connections while learning about how local groups are working to green our community.
Federal Judge Halts Houston South Logging Project
In exciting news for Friends of Lake Monroe, the Indiana Forest Alliance, Hoosier Environmental Council, and Monroe County, federal judge Tanya Pratt has ordered the U. S. Forest service to temporarily halt its Houston South logging project in the Hoosier National Forest. The judge ruled that the U.S. Forest Service failed to fully assess potential impacts from the project as required by the National Environmental Policy and Administrative Procedure Acts. This is the third time the court has ruled that Hoosier National Forest failed to adequately investigate and disclose the impact of the Houston South project on Lake Monroe water quality.
Septic Education at Houston Fall Festival October 11
We will be at the Houston Fall Festival in Jackson County on Saturday October 11 to promote our Septic Maintenance Voucher Program. Thanks to generous sponsorship from the Raymond Foundation, we are offering up to $200 off septic tank pumping for households in the Lake Monroe/Salt Creek watershed in northwestern Jackson County as a way to encourage people to care for their systems. Come by and say hello!
Community News - Sustainability Spooktacular 2025
The City of Bloomington invites everyone to join hands-on sustainability solution sessions throughout the month of October! Volunteering is one of the most direct and impactful ways to fight climate change. And, attendees will have the chance to win a gift basket prize at each event! The opportunities include four in-person programs and an online challenge:
October 3, 4-6pm - Weed Wrangle at the Rail Trail led by Bloomington Parks and Recreation
October 11, 1-4pm - Work & Learn Day at the Bloomington Community Orchard
October 14, 5-6:30pm - Using the Whole Plant Cooking Workshop at Mother Hubbard's Cupboard
October 25, 8:45-12:30pm - Near West Side Tree Planting led by CanopyBloomington (followed by the Butler Park Block Party at 12:30 with food trucks and live music by Busman's Holiday).
Online Challenge at Zero in Bloomington, where participants can explore climate-friendly actions and commit to taking sustainable steps. Each completed action logged from October 1 to 31 will serve as an entry into a raffle pool for a gift basket grand prize!
Friends of Lake Monroe depends on members like you to keep our organization strong. Join today to help us keep the lake drinkable, swimmable, and fishable. Individual membership is only $25 annually.
