Howell Wetlands

Howell Wetlands is an urban wetland which encompasses 35 acres. It is a remnant of an old channel of the Ohio River, called an "ox-bow". The Ohio River once flowed through this wetland area, regularly spilling floodwaters over its banks into the surrounding land. The most striking feature of this wetlands is that despite its locationin the middle of a city, it impressively showcases a diversity of wetland habitats. These habitats include a marsh, a cypress slough, an oxbow channel, as well as the surrounding prairie and bottomland hardwood forest. This area was official designated as a wetland in 1997 by the City of Evansville. Since that time there has been continous restoration and management by the Wesselman Nature Society and its partnering agencies. The goal is to conserve this unique ecosystem, and make it appealing to the community as a place to go for education and enjoyment.