Brandt Baughman, Indiana State Parks Director: The State of the State Parks
It's my 50th episode! Hooray! To celebrate, we're hearing from Brandt Baughman, the Indiana State Parks Director. Brandt grew up going to Spring Mill and spent time working there, at Ouabache, and at Indiana Dunes before moving into management roles. After 36 years, he's now the director of all Indiana's state parks.
I loved learning about his deep family connections to Spring Mill, what he's excited about next for parks, and what his favorite things are. (Is Brandt on Team Cave or Team Fire Tower? And what animal would he still love to see in Indiana?)
This interview has been edited less than my typical episodes, but has still been edited for clarity. We also talked a while about the Indiana state fair, but I did not include that here as it didn’t fit within the larger flow of the episode. However, I learned the theme is baseball and the DNR building will still be a fun spot for families and park lovers!
You are going to learn about:
How Brandt has connections to Spring Mill State Park’s creation
His favorite memories from the parks where he worked
When the upcoming state parks projects will be completed
What exciting updates are coming to Indiana State Parks
Check out these great clips from the show:
00 Intro
01:48 Meet Brandt Baughman, Director of Indiana State Parks
02:10 Brandt’s Family Connections to the Creation of Spring Mill State Park
02:40 His First Job at Spring Mill State Park and His Journey Through DNR
05:00 How He Knew Working at State Parks Was For Him
06:34 How Brandt Enjoys the Parks Today
08:01 Favorite Memories Working at Ouabache State Park
09:30 Favorite Place at Spring Mill State Park
10:44 Favorite Trail at Indiana Dunes State Park
11:41 The Major Hollywood Blockbuster Filmed at Indiana Dunes State Park
13:55 What Still Excites Brandt About the Projects He’s Working on Now
17: 37 The Timeline for Upcoming Projects
18:35 What Brandt Hopes to Create as His Legacy
21:25 Brandt Wants to Learn More About…Trees
22:22 The Animal Brandt Still Wants to See in the Wild
23:12 Rapid-Fire Either/Or Questions
25:05 Final Thoughts
Go make some of your own memories, and I hope to see you in the parks!