Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
LINTON – With a catchy name, two days of activities for bird enthusiasts and a mission of supporting wildlife habitat, Marsh Madness has grown into an ecotourism magnet for Greene County.
The 2025 event is Feb. 14-15 and will bring upwards of 1,000 visitors to Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area in Linton, fueling an economic boost to the local economy.
The event was established 16 years ago by Friends of Goose Pond, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the restored wetlands that attract numerous species of migratory birds.
Covering 9,000 acres of prairie and marsh habitat, Goose Pond FWA has become a Midwest destination for bird watching, attracting 12,000 wildlife watchers each year. When it was completed, Goose Pond was the largest wetland restoration in the Midwest. In 2005, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources purchased the property and began the process of restoring it as a wetlands. A visitor center was added in 2016.
During Marsh Madness, the stars are the sandhill cranes, large migratory birds that stand between 3 and 4 feet tall and have a wingspan that stretches 5 to 7 feet. As they travel northward back home, Goose Pond offers the ideal rest stop for sandhill cranes.
The timing of their migration is dependent upon the weather, said Ethan Plumier, assistant property manager at Goose Pond FWA, but early to mid-February is typically when they begin arriving.
“Last week, we were still frozen, and there was not much open water and not many birds,” Plumier said. “Then it melted Thursday and Friday and thousands upon thousands of cranes and snow geese showed up and about 3,000 pintails came through.”
It doesn’t take long to notice when the cranes flock to Goose Pond, as their distinctive trumpeting call announces their return.
The sandhill cranes stay about two weeks, eating and resting, before continuing their journey.
Tourism impact
Becky Jung is treasurer of the Friends of Goose Pond and has been involved with planning Marsh Madness since the beginning.
“We draw visitors from all over Indiana,” Jung said. “We have visitors from Texas, Ohio and across the Midwest.”
Jung said the inaugural Marsh Madness was held the first weekend in March and by then most of the birds were gone.
“We’ve found that the second week of February is a really good week,” Jung said. “This year, because of the snow, they are just starting to come back.”
As the event has grown from 300 visitors to now 1,000, the event is boosting tourism in Greene County.
“The motels and hotels are all full that weekend,” Jung said. “And all the eateries tell me that they are full that weekend.”
Pleasant Grove Farm in Lyons overlooks Goose Pond and is popular with Marsh Madness visitors seeking overnight accommodations. The historic farm, which dates back to 1864, has an inn with six suites and five cottages.
Kenneth and Deidra Dowling manage the property that is owned by Deidra’s father John Cline.
Kenneth said Pleasant Grove Farm always sells out well in advance of Marsh Madness.
“It definitely impacts us,” he said. “Anytime something is going on in the area, we are booked.”
Goose Pond brings guests to Pleasant Grove throughout the year, Kenneth said. A number of birding organizations will rent the entire facility for group events. Kenneth estimates about 25% of Pleasant Grove’s business is directly related to Goose Pond.
In 2023, visitors spent $24.2 million in Greene County, an increase of 5.3% from 2022, according to the latest study of Indiana tourism spending by Rockport Analytics. The total economic impact of tourism in 2023 was $7.9 million.
Decades of development have removed Indiana’s natural wetlands. With less than 3% of the state’s original wetlands remaining, Plumier said Goose Pond is critical to wildlife. Plumier said the state property tallied its 300th bird species this past year. The property also benefits the environment.
“Goose Pond is good for our watershed in Greene County and it filters out the toxins,” he said.
Marsh Madness schedule
Marsh Madness begins with a kick-off dinner Feb. 14 at the Linton Elks Club; about 120 will attend.
Activities Feb. 15 at Humphreys Park in Linton include a DNR Birds of Prey presentation, live reptiles from the Hoosier Herpetological Society, vendor fair and nature scavenger hunt. Visitors can pick up maps for self-guided tours of Goose Pond or sign up for guided bus tours.
Find information about Marsh Madness events here.
Proceeds from this year’s Marsh Madness will fund habitat improvements at Goose Pond.
If you can’t make it to Marsh Madness, Goose Pond FWA is open year-round and offers one or two educational events each month that are open to the public.
“We are different from a state park, you can come here and just explore at your own leisure,” Plumier said. “We’re here for the community.”