Wetland Restoration
In Fremont & Across Indiana
Save and protect your local environments.
ILM Specializes in Wetland Restoration
and Wetland Re-Creation.
What is a Wetland?
In Fremont and throughout Indiana, wetlands are the unique transition zones where land and water come together. They take many forms—such as marshes, bogs, fens, and floodplains—but all share common traits: they remain wet for at least part of the year, contain soils formed under saturated conditions, and support water-loving plants. Indiana’s wetlands are vital for sustaining diverse plant and animal life, improving water quality, reducing erosion and flooding, storing carbon, and helping buffer the effects of climate change. Locally, they also provide beautiful recreational opportunities like hiking, paddling, and birdwatching. With so many environmental and community benefits, protecting and restoring wetlands in Fremont and across Indiana is essential to keeping these ecosystems healthy for generations to come.
Loss of Wetlands in Fremont and Across Indiana
Since European settlement, Indiana has lost a significant portion of its original wetlands—drained or filled to make way for agriculture, development, and infrastructure. In areas like Fremont, this loss has led to reduced water quality, diminished wildlife habitat, and a decrease in natural flood protection. Today, only a fraction of Indiana’s historic wetlands remain, making restoration and protection efforts more important than ever to sustain healthy ecosystems and resilient communities throughout the state.
Recreating and Restoring Wetlands in Fremont and Across Indiana
In Fremont and throughout Indiana, there is a growing commitment to recreating and restoring wetlands because of their vital role in environmental health and climate resilience. Much of this work takes place on former agricultural land, where drainage systems like tile drains, ditches, and pumps were once installed to remove water and dry out the soil. By plugging, filling, or removing these systems, water can once again saturate the land and re-establish natural wetland conditions. The land may also be reshaped into shallow depressions or basins to hold water, while nearby streams and floodplains are reconnected to encourage healthy water exchange. Native grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants are then introduced to stabilize the soil, filter runoff, and provide critical wildlife habitat. To ensure lasting success, ongoing management is required to control invasive species and support thriving native ecosystems across Fremont and Indiana.
Wetland restoration at Pingree Grove. View the project here.
Wetland Restoration Service Examples
Invasive Plant Control
Invasive wetlands plants like narrowleaf cattail (Typha angustifolia), hybrid cattail (Typha x glauca), and giant reed (Phragmites australis ) are a concern due to their aggressive spread and ability to displace native plant species and wildlife. A targeted approach for their control often combines herbicide treatment with physical management.
The best time to apply a wetland-approved herbicide is late summer to early fall, when plants are storing energy in their roots. Herbicide is wiped directly to tall stems or sprayed using a backpack sprayer to coat the leaves and stems. Wait 2–3 weeks after herbicide application to allow it to move into the roots. Then cut or mow dead stalks to remove biomass and open the canopy for native regrowth. In large areas, burning dead material is an option, but this does require permits.
One treatment is rarely enough. It typically takes 2–3 years of follow-up to fully control cattails or phragmites, especially in dense stands.
Wetland Scrape
A wetland scrape is a shallow excavation made to create or enhance wetland habitat by lowering the land surface to encourage water to collect. It is designed to hold seasonal or permanent water and improves conditions for native plants and wildlife while supporting water retention, flood control and improved water quality. Excavators dig out material 6 inches to 2 feet deep and these “pockets” are often left unplanted to create open water habitats. Wetland scrapes are especially beneficial for waterfowl, reptiles and amphibians.
Recent wetlands scrapes include the Forest Preserve District of Kane County (Pingree Grove 2023) and Lake County Stormwater Management Commission (Mill Creek 2025).
Take an in-depth look at a our Pingree Grove Wetland Scrape project.
Wetland Re-creation
Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge is a growing conservation landscape straddling McHenry County, IL, and Walworth County, WI, just between the Chicago and Milwaukee metro areas. Established in 2012, it aims to protect approximately 11,200 acres of wetlands, oak savanna, prairie, and riparian corridors. By removing drain tiles, filling in old drainage ditches, and reestablishing the creek’s original meander, hydrology will be restored along Nippersink Creek that will result in over 100 acres of re-created wetlands. Project will be completed summer 2025.
View some our results at Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge.
Photo courtesy of Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge
Wetland Channel Dredging
Wetlands channels are subject to filling in especially when the wetland is comprised of aggressive cattail and common reed. These plants produce a great deal of biomass every year, coupled with their rhizomatous root growth, fill-in, and choke-off channels over time. The only way to restore the channel is to dredge out the plant material.
Access to wetlands is a challenge since they are – wet. Traditional construction equipment will sink without the use of timber mats which are time-intensive and costly to install. Another option is to wait for the frozen ground to support the equipment which is unreliable given our warmer winters. The solution to this access issue is amphibious equipment. The use of this low-ground pressure dredging equipment allows for access to the most difficult of locations with no concern about wetness or weather.
Click here to dig deeper into our Wetland Channel Dredging service.