GARY, IN (November 18, 2025) – Congressman Frank J. Mrvan (D-Highland) went birdwatching with Audubon Great Lakes, The Wetlands Initiative and Dunes-Calumet Audubon Society in Gary, Indiana on November 7,  to learn about wetlands restoration along West Branch of the Little Calumet River, and how important policies like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative are supporting this important conservation work.  

 “Thank you to all of the leaders and members of Audubon and the Wetlands Initiative for this wonderful opportunity to go birding and see the incredible natural wonders in the City of Gary.  I am grateful for all of your dedicated efforts to promote outdoor activities and highlight successful restoration efforts along the Little Calumet River,” said Congressman Mrvan.  “As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will continue to do all I can to support the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the tremendous benefits it provides for our environment, our communities, and our regional economy.”  

“Once home to expansive wetlands, the Calumet region was vastly different from what it is today. Now we’re working with partners and the community to restore wetlands along the West Branch of the Little Calumet River, which will benefit the birds that need them to survive and the residents who rely on them to protect against flooding, while helping keep the water clean and preserving our natural spaces,” said Daniel Suarez, Conservation Director for Audubon Great Lakes. “We’re grateful to Congressman Mrvan for joining us to learn more about our work to protect Indiana’s natural spaces, and for championing policies like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, that make this work possible.”  

Since 2019, Audubon Great Lakes has been working alongside partners, including The Wetlands Initiative, members of the community and the Little Calumet River Conservation Collaborative to restore wetlands habitat along a 10-mile stretch of the West Branch of the Little Calumet River. The bird outing with Congressman Mrvan took place at Grant Street Wetland, within the Chase Street Complex, a nearly 800-acre site along the West Branch of the Little Calumet River. Located between Clark Rd. and Hatcher Blvd. (formerly Grant St.), the Chase Street Complex features diverse habitats like woodlands, prairies, and wetlands, making it ripe for restoration. Audubon Great Lakes, The Wetlands Initiative, and other partners are restoring Grant Street Wetlands through invasive species removal, prescribed burns, native plug planting, and native seed collecting to restore the conditions that vulnerable birds need.  

Indiana ranks fourth among states with the greatest loss of wetlands. In the Calumet region, degradation and loss of wetlands has resulted in significant losses of biodiversity to a region that was once home to thousands of acres of sprawling wetlands that provided rich and abundant habitat for wildlife and plants.  

The Calumet region has been identified by Audubon scientists as one of the 12 most important coastal wetland regions across the Great Lakes to conserve or restore for vulnerable marsh birds. Audubon Great Lakes is working with partners in each of these priority regions to coordinate landscape-scale bird monitoring and habitat restoration. 

“Restoration of wetlands is needed to bring back native habitats for wildlife and to provide surrounding communities with open space and recreational opportunities—amenities that have not been available to many of the area’s residents,” said Harry Kuttner, Calumet Program Manager for The Wetlands initiative.   

To date, Audubon Great Lakes and partners have restored over 420 acres of wetland habitat along the West Branch of the Little Calumet River. This work is made possible thanks to support from the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission, and federal programs like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.  

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2025 is needed to reauthorize federal funding of the program for another five years, at $500 million annually. Extending this program will allow conservation projects to continue in communities across the Great Lakes region.  

“We are making progress to protect birds, and we’re seeing the benefits these projects provide to the community,” said Suarez. “An extension of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative will allow conservation programs like ours to continue to benefit communities across our region.” 

To learn more about Audubon Great Lakes, please visit gl.audubon.org.