15 Jan 2013 The Indiana Natural Resources Commission on Tuesday approved the dedication of additions to two existing nature preserves in northern Indiana. The largest is a 337-acre addition to Manitou Island Nature Preserve in Fulton County that features a wetland complex of shrub swamp, marsh, forested swamp, sedge meadow, shrub fen, natural lake and associated upland and lowland forests. The addition connects three existing nature preserves—Manitou Island, Judy Burton and Bob Kern—and brings the total area of contiguous wetlands in the preserve to 740 acres that protect the southern end of Lake Manitou. The Commission also approved dedication of a 69.5-acre addition to Crooked Lake Nature Preserve in Whitley County. The site consists primarily of upland forests, reforested former fields bordering upland forest of the original preserve, and a pond. With the addition, the preserve now covers approximately 215 acres on the north side of Crooked Lake. Butler Opposes Army Corps Flood Wall (Indianapolis) Earth House Collective to Close (Indianapolis) Central Indiana Land Trust buys 55 acres in Morgan County