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The park contains 15 miles (24 km) of beaches, as well as sand dunes, bogs, marshes, swamps, prairies, rivers, oak savannas, and woodland forestThis article is about forests as a massing of trees. For other uses of the word, see Forest (disambiguation). A forest is an area with a high density of trees (or, historically, an area set aside for hunting). Forests can be found in all regions capable os. More than 350 species of birds have been observed in the park. It has one of the most diverse plant communities of any unit in the U.S. National Park System with 1418 vascular plant species including 90 threatened or endangered ones.
The area first came to prominence in 1899 when Henry Cowles did some of the pioneering work in American plant ecologyEcology is the branch of science that studies the distribution and abundance of living organisms, and the interactions between organisms and their environment. The environment of an organism includes both its physical habitat, which can be described as th there. Despite attempts to protect the area from threats such as the nearby Gary steel mills led by groups such as the Prairie Club of Chicago, the area continued to be exploited. The tallest dune in Indiana, the 200 foot (60 m) high Hoosier Slide was hauled away and turned into glass by Pittsburgh Plate Glass and canning jars by Ball Brothers .
In 1926, part of the area became the Indiana Dunes State Park. Lobbying continued to expand the area and in 1963, the Kennedy Compromise linked the construction of the Port of Indiana to the development of a National Lakeshore. The Lakeshore was created in 1966 and expanded in 1976, 1980, 1986 and 1992.
The park provides opportunites for bird watching, campingFor other uses, see camping (disambiguation Camping is an outdoor recreational activity involving the spending of one or more nights in a tent, primitive structure, a travel trailer or recreational vehicle at a campsite with the purpose of getting away fr, 45 miles (72 km) of hikingHiking is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery. It usually takes place on trails in areas of relatively unspoiled wilderness. The word hiking is understood in all English-speaking countries, but in, fishingFishing is both the recreation and sport of catching fish (for food or as a trophy), and the commercial fishing industry of catching or harvesting seafood (either fish or other aquatic life-forms, such as shellfish). Fishing is done in a river, canal, lak, swimmingSwimming is the method by which humans (or other animals) move themselves through water. Swimming is a popular recreational activity, particularly in hot countries and in areas with natural watercourses. Swimming is also a competitive sport. There are man, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing. The park had 1.8 million visits in 2002.