Swamp Angel

Swamp Angel © Ron Leonetti

Why You Should Visit
A complex of uplands, wetlands, fen, bogs and kettle lakes make up Swamp Angel - one of the most outstanding natural areas in Northeast Indiana. No season is better than another with the abundant variety of resident and transitory wildlife and native flora found at the preserve.

Location
Noble County

Ecoregion
North Central Tillplain

Size
92 Acres

Dedicated
State Nature Preserve, 1989

Owned & Managed By
The Nature Conservancy

Partners
Division of Nature Preserve

How to Prepare for Your Visit
Due to the fragility of the site and its limited accessibility, visitation to Swamp Angel is only allowed when accompanied by Nature Conservancy or DNP staff. Workdays at Swamp Angel are conducted regularly; please check out Volunteer section of the TNC website for upcoming workdays.

Directions
Due to the sensitivity of the area, visitation is limited therefore directions are not given out. The best chance to visit this site is to volunteer on a Conservancy stewardship workday.

What to See: Plants and Animals
The waters of the swamp are clean and clear, but very alkaline therefore only certain species can survive this harsh environment. The carnivorous pitcher plants, orchids and sundews are common in the bogs while poison sumac cover the shrub swamps. Large massive oaks thought to be 200 years old can be found on gravelly kames, a habitat essential for the Massasauga rattlesnake and spotted turtle. The variety of the nature communities, plants and animal life indeed make Swamp Angel remarkably diverse and scenic.

What The Nature Conservancy is Doing/has Done
Hoping to protect the entire wetland complex, the Conservancy is working to acquire more land connected to Swamp Angel. Stewardship staff and volunteers work rigorously to control invasive exotic species. Multiflora rosa, Queen Anne's lace, sweet clover, reed canary grass and buckthorn are some of these culprits. Conserving two threatened communities - Acid Bog and the Fen - as well as threatened plant and animal species are also conservation concerns.