Introduction to Newfields, our 100 acre park and its reclamation 2 weeks ago

Chandler Bryant, Newfields

Newfields, formerly known as the Indianapolis Museum of Art, is a 152 acre campus 5 miles from downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. While we still focus on collecting and displaying art in the Galleries, Gardens, and the Park, we are now doing more than ever with plants. Our greenhouse focuses on plant education and has the capacity for some rare plant propagation. The Gardens have beautiful horticulture plant displays, at times with native species, and some incredible interpretation around plants. Since the early 2000’s, Newfields has dedicated itself to the responsible stewardship of the Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park. A former farm and quarry pit, the entire property was in need of restoration including invasive species culling, erosion mitigation, and native plant re-introduction. We have partnered with other institutions, non-profits, and community service organizations to ramp up our volunteer program along with invasive plant best management practices to control invasive plants in more than 40 acres of woodland. Our restoration of the property is on-going but is moving rapidly with increasing support.