Public Land Visit

Posted: March 26th, 2020

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Public Land Visit

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Name of Public Land Visited – The public land visited was Griffy Lake, also known as Griffy Reservoir in Bloomington, Indiana. It is designated as the Griffy Lake Nature Preserve.

Agency that Manages the Area – The agency responsible in management of Griffy Lake is the City of Bloomington Service Board and Board of parks and Recreation.

Terrain – Griffy Lake Nature Preserve covers over 1,180 acres of land, including the 109 of the lake, situate on the north side of Bloomington (Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department 1). The land utility is covered in a mixture of rugged terrain as well as smoothened uplands at various sections of the lake. There is generally high relief in the land area with extensive ridges along the uplands. Undulating slopes as well as plateau-like escarpments can be observed at the rugged outskirts of the lake, within the preserve. It is characterized by dipping extension of the dissections, which intersect with varied streams. In the Griffy Lake, entrenched streams are present. It also has mixed topographical derivatives of woodlands, caves, and extensive tree species. Some of the wooded sections are intertwined with vegetative covers to the north side and hilly slopes along the approach to the lake.

Facilities and Services – Various facilities are offered within Griffy Lake and extensive preserve. Hiking trails are contained in the wetlands, nature trail, at the creek and hiking loop, covering several miles in the intersections (Cotter 3). They are wooden surfaces, chip, and or dirt. Fishing facilities are provided in the waterfowl as well as aquatic varieties of life and fish. Various species can be caught at the lake, but with the appropriate fishing license from the state. Boating is conveyed at the lake, provided canoes, rowboats, and kayaks are available. Other facilities present in the area include picnicking and sunbathing avenues for the visitors. Services in the Griffy Lake include hotel provisions, and hospitality within the preserve. In addition, there are guards as well as guides throughout the preserve to attend to the visitors at any time.

Purpose – The main purpose of Griffy Lake is to provide for recreation as well conservation and preservation. Recreation is based on the visitors’ needs within the preserve, hence the numerous facilities for passing time. Conservation is based on the availability of the numerous streams in the preserve along with the topographical ensembles. Water supply is also a factor on conservation as mandated by the board’s roles. Preservation within Griffy Lake is due to the rare species of trees found in the woodland areas. In addition, over 160 species of rare birds are found within the preserve, and therefore have to be protected from extinction. Of the three functionalities, the most important aspect of the preserve is based on recreation to the visitors. It is evidenced by the high turnout and facility allocation.

Impression – Griffy Lake is well managed and preserved. It was notable to see that there were guides and guards all along the park, especially for assistance to the visitors and security measures. Secondly, the directional availabilities helped in management of the activities and facilities. Overall, it was a fun experience, especially with the fishing excursion and hiking. The terrain proved to be quite challenging, especially from the wood surfaces into the dirt and rugged lands. I enjoyed the sights of the different bird species as well as trails along the different loops and mileage. In addition, the weather at the time was favorable, considering it was not only a recreational trip, but a study one as well.

Works Cited:

Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department. Griffy Lake Nature Preserve. Bloomington, IN: Parks and Recreation, 2011. Print.

Cotter, Steve. “Griffy Lake Nature Preserve master plan.” Bloomington Parks and Recreation 1, (2008): 1-168.