The Society for the Preservation and Use of resources is a non-profit citizen’s volunteer organization. Its primary concerns are environmental problems and opportunities in urban and rural Wayne County, Indiana. SPUR was organized in 1966 by conservation-minded citizens to further the goals of protecting significant local land areas and to support programs, legislation and zoning to protect or provide for the best use of our natural resources.
General membership meetings are held once or twice a year, while the board of directors meets monthly. Our objectives are achieved through the efforts of committees or individuals working with the approval of the SPUR Board.
1. One of SPUR’s earliest and continuing interests is the preservation of the Whitewater Gorge. In 1968 SPUR began purchasing and receiving donations of land in the gorge and established the first hiking trail between Test Road and South G Street. Additional land acquisitions and easements extended the hiking trail to Thistlethwaite Falls near Springwood Park.
In 1976 SPUR, working with the City of Richmond and private groups, helped to establish Bicentennial Park in the Whitewater Gorge.
During the 1980s and 90s SPUR assisted in obtaining several grants to establish the Whitewater Gorge Park. In 1999 SPUR donated the land between Test Road and South G St. to the City of Richmond for a paved hiking and biking trail that connects with the Cardinal Greenway Railtrail. This trail was dedicated in April 2002 for “permanent public recreational use”.
SPUR is currently seeking donations of land and money to extend the hiking trails north and east along the 3 tributaries of the East Fork of the Whitewater River. These trails will connect the existing trail to Hayes Arboretum, Middlefork Reservoir, the new Reid Hospital grounds and the IU East campus. The completed trail system will allow off-street travel by foot and bicycle throughout much of Richmond.
2. In 1975 SPUR organized and held two seminars on land-use planning. These resulted in the establishment of the Wayne County Resource Inventory Council which has produced a series of resource maps for the county. These maps provide valuable information on geology, water resources, soils, areas subject to flooding, zoning, etc to individual citizens and those responsible for land use decisions. SPUR members continue to be active with this group currently working to transcribe the data into a GIS system. Information about GIS maps is available from the Wayne County Planning Department office.
3. In 1993 SPUR members helped to form a citizen’s political action group that resulted in passage of a wellhead protection ordinance for a water resource area in the City of Richmond. SPUR members are active in the Local Planning Team which developed and is implementing the Richmond Wellhead Protection Program in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
4. SPUR has sponsored and continues to sponsor a variety of environmental educational activities for children and adults.
5. Loss of farmland to development has been a Wayne County concern. In 2001 SPUR sponsored a meeting on Farmland Preservation for interested citizens.
SPUR’s educational impact on the community extends beyond plannedprojects into many areas of environmental concern. SPUR members have been active in encouraging the development of recycling programs by the City of Richmond and the Wayne-Union Solid Waste District. Landfill sites and safe disposal of waste are of special concern because of the potential for contaminating ground and surface water.
At various times SPUR has become involved in zoning requests when these are incompatible with wise use of resources. SPUR believes that agricultural, business, industrial, commercial and residential growth needs to balance economic and environmental concerns to enhance the quality of life for all citizens of Wayne County.
SPUR supports the environmental activities of other public and private groups including Hayes Arboretum, Cope Environmental Center, Friends of the Middle Fork Watershed, Hoosier Environmental Council, Hoosier Riverwatch.
Lands are purchased with funds raised locally through donations and through cooperative programs with other private and public conservation groups. The Society also receives gifts of land from individuals and corporations.
SPUR depends of contributions from private individuals, industry, and businesses, grants from foundations and membership dues. Are Gifts to SPUR tax-deducible? SPUR is recognized by the IRS as a Section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and all gifts of money and property are tax-deductible.
• Become a SPUR member. • Contribute to SPUR’s general fund. • Support SPUR-sponsored projects. • Join SPUR committees • Donate land.
SPUR’s mailing address is: SPUR 4910 Shoemaker Road Centerville, Indiana 47330
You may phone the Cope Environmental Center office at 765-855-3188 to obtain names of current officers.