The land is "generally north of Blunk Knob Road, west of Budd Road and east of Ind. 11" and described by the Department of Natural Resources as “a dramatically dissected complex of steep forested hills and mesic ravines" that serves as home to several endangered species including bobcats, gray bats, and various types of warblers. A drive up Blunk Knob Road, which shoots straight uphill from the point at which Budd Road and Five Mile Lane converge, proved the description apt and has me eager for further exploration.
In an email response, Lee Casebere of the Division of Nature Preserves said, "The DNR has owned this property in Floyd County for several years. The recent action by the Natural Resource Commission was to designate it as a 'dedicated' nature preserve. That action establishes a permanent, restrictive easement on the land so that it may be used for no other purpose except as a nature preserve on into the future. Dr. Minton was a well-known herpetologist, and the property has a diverse representation of reptiles and amphibians. Naming the site for him was 'a natural' since he grew up in New Albany."
"The property is open to the public, but there are no parking areas or trails, therefore access is not good. We hope to provide better access in the future, but it could be quite some time before that happens."
With such a tremendous, seemingly pristine resource to the near west and the Loop Island Wetlands on our eastern border, we're reminded that adaptive reuse of the urban core is about much more than the spaces bounded by concrete and bricks.
