If one of your new year's resolutions was to help the natural world around us, here is a great opportunity, Conservation Day at the Statehouse. The Indiana Conservation Alliance wants all Hoosiers concerned about the conservation of our natural resources to visit the Statehouse tomorrow, Wednesday, January 23, to make their voices heard by letting their legislators know issues important to them.

This is the ninth annual Conservation Day at the Statehouse. A reception for conservationists to meet with their state legislators will be held from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. in the North Atrium of the Statehouse. The event is free and anyone can register at nature.org/conservationday. 

Senator Phil Boots (R-Crawford-sville) receives the Legislator of the Year Award at last year's Conservation Day from Angela Hughes, Conservation Day coordinator. Senator Boots receive his award for sponsoring legislation in the 2011 legislative session which created the Indiana Sustainable Natural Resources Task Force.

"This year is very important, because Indiana has a new governor and many new members of the legislature who need to hear about the importance of conservation of our natural environment," said Angela Hughes of The Nature Conservancy and organizer of the event. "Additionally, this is a budget-making session of the General Assembly, and of course we want to make sure that conservation programs are funded appropriately."

Conservation Day is sponsored by the Indiana Conservation Alliance (INCA), which is made up of Indiana's leading conservation and environmental groups. Conservation Day strives to give Hoosiers concerned about the future of Indiana's natural resources an opportunity to have their voices heard at the Statehouse. 

Hughes said that this year the Alliance is advocating for:

1. Funding for the Indiana Heritage Trust, Bicentennial Nature Trust, and Clean Water Indiana programs. 
2. Legislation to require retailers and lawn care professionals to provide consumer education on the need to reduce the use of lawn fertilizers containing phosphorus to protect water quality.
3. Legislation to improve and expand public transit in central Indiana.

Additionally, the Alliance opposes legislation that would legalize the shooting of deer in fenced enclosures, "canned hunting," in Indiana.

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Amos Butler Audubon ● Central Indiana Land Trust ● Central Indiana Wilderness Club ● Eagle Creek Park Foundation-Citizens Advisory Committee ● Earth Charter Indiana ● Hoosier Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society ● Hoosier Environmental Council ● Hoosier Heartland RC&D ● Hoosier Hikers Council ● Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts ● Indiana Chapter of the American Fisheries Society ● Indiana Chapter of The Wildlife Society ● Indiana Forestry and Woodland Owners Association ● Indiana Lakes Management Society ● Indiana Land Protection Alliance ● Indiana Native Plant and Wildflower Society ● Indiana Organic Gardeners Association ● Indiana Park and Recreation Association ● Indiana Recycling Coalition ● Indiana Society of American Foresters ● Indiana Urban Forest Council ● Indiana Wildlife Federation ● Izaak Walton League ●  Save the Dunes Conservation Fund ● Sierra Club ● Sycamore Land Trust ● The Nature Conservancy