A nature preserve in northern Monroe County has reopened to the public after closing five years five years ago because of flood damage and, more recently, a tornado.

Sycamore Land Trust's 68-acre Powell Preserve near Gosport closed in 2021 after a severe storm caused a tributary of Beanblossom Creek to change course, destroying part of the preserve's parking area and damaging the stream.

Tom Swinford, Sycamore Land Trust's director of land preservation, said the damage extended beyond the parking lot.

"We had a stream blowout," Swinford said. "There was a big, flashy, big storm event, and this little tributary creek [of] Beanblossom entirely washed out underneath the road."

What began as a repair became an extensive stream restoration project.

With funding from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Sycamore Land Trust worked with FlatLand Resources to restore approximately 800 feet of stream.

The project reshaped the creek's channel, adding natural curves that had previously been removed for agricultural drainage.

Swinford said the changes help slow moving water, reduce erosion and create habitat for wildlife.

"Putting those meanders in really calms the water and creates a lot of habitat," Swinford said.

The restored stream now includes pools, riffles and submerged woody material that provide shelter for aquatic animals.

Signs of recovery are already appearing.

This spring, Sycamore Land Trust found a young mudpuppy, an aquatic salamander considered a species of special concern in Indiana, using the restored stream.

"It's kind of like Indiana's answer to the axolotl," Swinford said. "And we found it using the new meander, so the habitat's there too."

Swinford said the restoration also appears to be helping nearby wetlands retain water for longer periods.

The preserve's reopening was delayed again in June when a tornado struck northern Monroe County, knocking down more than 100 trees across the newly expanded trail system.

Sycamore Land Trust staff and volunteers spent months clearing fallen trees and repairing the trails.

"We had all the big infrastructure in place," Swinford said. "But a lot of the downed trees were on the trail, so that was a big, tough job for our stewardship crew."

Visitors can now explore a new loop trail built in partnership with the Hoosier Hikers Council.

The trail passes through wetlands, forested hills, prairie habitat and areas overlooking Beanblossom Creek. A new bridge also provides access across the restored stream.

Swinford said the project reflects the organization's broader mission of protecting and restoring natural areas while making them accessible for public recreation and education.

"We work with landowners and families to protect these special places we've identified, and then we restore them and then offer trails and access so people can go learn," he said.

Powell Preserve was donated to Sycamore Land Trust by Patsy Powell in 2006.

The preserve is part of the organization's larger Beanblossom Creek Conservation Area, which protects habitat across Monroe and Brown counties.

Powell Preserve is open to visitors daily from dawn to dusk.