Ball State's Ginn Woods Is The State's Newest Nature Preserve Justin Maxwell/Twitter Delaware County has the newest state nature preserve, which was approved by the Indiana Natural Resources Commission Tuesday. The Ginn Woods Nature Preserve is owned by Ball State University. In March, the university asked the state to preserve the 161 acres of old-growth forest – the state’s second largest patch. The Ginn family from Ireland settled on the land in 1830 and did not clear it or allow livestock to graze on it. Ball State acquired it from the family in 1971. It’s not open to the public – only researchers are allowed.