an illustrated knowledgebase helping connect local folks & local nature in Delaware County, IN
(ABOUT) ENDANGEREDDELCO.COM
an illustrated knowledgebase helping connect local folks & local nature in Delaware County, Indiana.
Let's talk purpose.
Hi! My name is Kortnie (or, you can call me Kort).
I'm the artist, developer, & naturalist behind the site – thanks for visiting!
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This site is a personal conservation project of mine to connect local folks & local nature through technology, art, writing, & interpretation.
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It's an evolving repository of colorful wildlife illustrations (created by me), observations & storytelling (as experienced by me), and scientific data (sourced from scientists, subject matter experts, & nonprofits); or, for short – an illustrated knowledgebase.
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It's my hope this project increases local interest in wildlife, conservation, natural resources, ​critical habitats, & community-based problem solving by providing free resources to learn, create, explore, collab, & enjoy nature.
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Why free? Poverty shouldn't prevent kids and adult learners from making connections with nature. As a former reduced-lunch kid, it's important to me that our community combat child poverty in any & all ways we can. So, all content found here will be free.
Let's talk more about poverty & nature.
Recent U.S. Census Data shows Delaware County has one of the highest poverty rates in our state, with ~31% of our community's kids (5-17 years) living below the poverty line. Our local United Way finds 26% of Delaware County households are considered ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed). These are working families with ~$1000 in savings who would be 1-2 emergencies away from poverty & not being able to afford housing, insurance, transportation, bills, medication, child care, or groceries.
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Kids living in poverty lack access to quality natural environments & outdoor play opportunities, and have limited access to school libraries & resources. If kids with access to these things are healthier and more likely to care for the environment as adults, let's address those inequalities in our community.
Let's talk early nature experiences.
I spent a lot of time in my childhood backyard making friends with the resident rollie pollies & worms, searching for four-leaf clovers, and building mini habitats using recycled coffee tins, sticks, & leaves to attract caterpillars. And I was always coloring, drawing, & painting animals. None of this has changed.
One of my first memories in nature was a family trip to Tennessee – we camped on Dale Hollow Lake where I caught my first fish (pic below!). And, visited my papaw's house on Wolf River (pic above!) where I played in the riffles and learned river rocks are slippery! The water was, and still is, incredibly clear. Now, when I'm on our White River I think about how clean & blue our water could be.
In 3rd grade, visitors taught us about endangered species, habitat loss, climate change, & how to help. In 5th grade, we visited Mammoth Cave. Also in 5th grade, a biologist visited class. We dissected owl pellets to learn about their diet (taking off my gloves, digging in, & analyzing what I found was really fun!).
Even TV shows (& people) like The Crocodile Hunter (Steve & Terri Irwin), The Joy of Painting (Bob Ross), The Wild Thornberrys, Gullah Gullah Island, & Going Wild with Jeff Corwin made a huge impact for me.
Or Zoo Tycoon, which I still play. I've logged weeks building the perfect exhibits for endangered species.
I collected brochures from places with animals, like zoos or museums. They make great reference photos!
As a teen, I fell in love with marine biology thanks to Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium. I wanted to rehabilitate dolphins, manatees, & sea turtles. I was surprised with a Dolphin In-Water Adventure at the Indy Zoo on my 16th birthday. I learned from real marine biologists, fed dolphins fish, signaled behavior, and one even peed on me.
Note: I didn't pursue marine biology because dolphins aren't found in Prairie Creek. Seems reasonable, right? If you feel the same, please know there are many local opportunities to study aquatic biology – the mussels, amphibians, macroinvertebrates, fish, reptiles, insects, & mammals found in our waterways and wetlands here in Muncie. Love manatees & dolphins? Try river otters. Sea turtles? Research the eastern box turtle, or the state-endangered spotted and Blanding's turtles. Plenty of local species & ecosystems need our help!
Let's talk current current nature experiences.
I'm still painting & making friends with the resident critters in our backyard – chipmunks, bees, toads, bunnies, birds, shrews, & all sorts of other neat wildlife indigenous to our area.
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Starting the Indiana Master Naturalist (IMN) program in 2019 proved to be one of those pivotal life moments. I was able to learn from local subject matter experts (biologists, educators, geologists, foresters, interpreters) on all things Delaware County nature: natural resources, water quality, soil, pollinators, forests, conservation, ethics, and existing environmental problems. I met two (2!) local big brown bats! I started joining local community events, like the White River Cleanup & Earth Day tree planting, and even learned how to build Leopold benches. After (finally!) completing the volunteer requirements in 2022, I earned my certification.
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When not home playing with our 5 pets or painting, I enjoy exploring our West Fork White River by kayak & hiking our local nature trails. I'm always hoping to spot local wildlife. Here are a few species on my 'hope to see in the wild' list: otter, rusty-patched bumble bee, red bat, cerulean warbler.
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This site wouldn't exist without IMN helping me (re)connect with local nature and providing the info to better understand the environmental issues impacting our local communities. And, I look forward to attempting the Advanced IMN program next year!
As for this site, it will continue to evolve as I learn, create, explore, collab, and enjoy local nature.
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Thanks for joining me on this nature adventure!
- kort
