A place to observe and preserve
In the interest of accuracy and long-term goals of sustainability, the Friends recently changed the name of “Marott Park,” to the “Marott Woods Nature Preserve,” in order to draw attention to the important distinction between a park and a preserve. The majority of the land previously referred to as “Marott Park'' is not a park at all, but rather an Indiana State Dedicated Nature Preserve. It is protected under this designation by Indiana Code, a master plan, and covenants.
While a park’s purpose is to provide pleasure and entertainment to people, the nature preserve status emphasizes and protects the value of nature for its own sake. This has been true since 1945, when Indianapolis businessman George Marott donated the land in memory of his beloved wife, Ella. They both revered the land for its rare and natural beauty and wished it to be preserved in perpetuity for the benefit of wildlife.
The Friends of the Marott Woods Nature Preserve’s mission is to encourage ecological respect for these woods while also promoting active community appreciation of this precious resource. Your generous support allows us to continue our work!
Mission
A brief history of these woods
Prehistory
Millions of years ago Indiana was a shallow ocean teeming with primordial sea life, which, through great time and pressure, became the limestone that defines our geology. We still can find their fossils along creek beds here.
Millennia after rising out of the ocean through tectonic drift, glaciers moved back and forth over the northern regions of this land, grinding former mountains and hills down flat over centuries. When those glaciers finally receded over 10,000 years ago, they left in their wake a rich and deep soil. We see this evinced in our fecund farmland today. We see how far the glaciers got, where bedrock, ridges, and hills appear once more in the bottom third of our state, after a largely flat north.
That deep loam soil turned Indiana into a rich oak savannah, with enough trees that it is said a squirrel could cross the state without ever touching the ground. Large, now-extinct mammals roamed freely, such as the gigantic mastodons, ground sloths, and Saber-toothed cats bigger than any feline walking the earth today. Early humans in the area nearly eradicated the large megafauna, and only 1% of that old-growth forest remains.
Native History
Indiana is a state named after the indigenous peoples who called this land home long before colonizers arrived. Indiana has been a site of human activity for more than 12,000 years. When Indiana was ceded to the USA by the Miami and Delaware Nations through the Treaty of St. Mary’s in 1818, the human population was under 100,000, with only 6,000 whites. Now there are 6,732,000 people here, including ancestors of the original Potawatomi and Miami people.
Marott Era
George Marott immigrated from England in 1875 and opened his first shoe store in Indianapolis in 1884. A successful businessman, Marott went on to open a luxury hotel—now The Marott Apartments on Meridian Street—and several other significant business ventures. In 1945, George had the generosity and vision to donate the land in memory of his beloved wife, Ella. George and Ella revered the land for its rare and natural beauty and wished it to be preserved for the benefit of wildlife.
In 1987, Marott Woods was established as an Indiana State Dedicated Nature Preserve. We are forever indebted to Marott’s foresight and generosity to bequeath this parcel of land for us all to enjoy in perpetuity.
About the Friends of Marott Woods Nature Preserve
Marott Woods Nature Preserve is a green space well-loved by many, but unfortunately, heavy use is having an increasingly negative impact on this natural gem. As such, the Friends of Marott Woods Nature Preserve was created to work collaboratively with volunteers, City staff, and visitors to protect it for future generations.
Founders
Kevin McKinney, Board President
Jim Plant, Board Vice President
Marc Johnson, Board Treasurer
Ben Valentine, Board Secretary
Don Miller, Indy Land Stewardship
Dan Borritt, Holliday Park
Ecology in Marott Park
The Friends of Marott Woods Nature Preserve are dedicated to documenting and preserving the rich ecology of the park’s native flora and fauna. Through public educational programs and habitat restoration work such as weed wrangles, the Friends seek to preserve and grow this ecological gem for future generations.
Through bird hikes with the Amos Butler Audubon Society as well as wildflower and nature tours, the Friends seeks to be a source of education and inspiration. If you have resources or ideas on how to activate the preserve’s unique ecology, reach out!
FAQs
But isn’t it a park?
Although Marott Woods has come to be commonly referred to as a park, it has been a nature preserve since its inception. Protecting the habitat takes precedent over our personal whims. Because of this, activities like off-path hiking, biking, fires, and off-leash animals are all illegal under state law.
How did the Friends group start?
The Friends of Marott Woods Nature Preserve was formed in 2021 by a group aligned behind a common goal: to protect the Preserve. We collaborate with volunteers, visitors, and City staff, and work has begun in earnest to build a strong group of support that will foster a culture of understanding and education. Our aim is to help visitors understand the importance of the preserve and the benefits it provides and to inspire them to help protect this beautiful place.
How can I get involved?
Reach out! We all need to help learning about the preserve’s unique natural qualities, by following the Facebook page, donating to the cause, participating in programs, and even getting involved by volunteering.