TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Hundreds of acres of land along the Wabash River would be transformed into wildlife habitat accessible with walking trails under a plan being drafted by business and government leaders.

Organizers of the "Riverscape" project hope they can turn a portion of the land along Indiana's official state river into a recreational, educational and commercial attraction.

"We're talking about literally changing the face of Terre Haute," said John Mutchner, president of Wabash River Development and Beautification Inc. "I think it has the makings of being the biggest change in Terre Haute in the last 40 years."

Among other things, the not-for-profit group hopes to recreate hundreds of acres of wetlands and wildlife habitat in the river bottoms on the west side of the Wabash River.

Over the last few years, the Vigo County Park and Recreation Department has been buying up the flood-prone land to transform it into parkland. Much of that land would be enrolled in the federal government's wetland reserve program.

"We already control 750 acres," Mutchner said, adding that the "Riverscape" organizers hope to eventually gain control of another 500 acres.

The long-term goal is to acquire and transform as much as four square miles of riverside property along the river bottoms on the west side of the Wabash River.

"People have always looked at that as worthless land," he said.

For now, the focus is on the hundreds of acres of woodland and agricultural land south of U.S. 40 and north of where Sugar Creek meets the Wabash just south of Interstate 70.

The Vigo County Park Department and the Natural Resources Conservation Service have obtained the rights to restore wetlands in around 900 acres on the west side of the Wabash River near West Terre Haute, said Eddy Adams of the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

This fall, the service will begin planting trees and shrubs in the area as part of a project that will see the federal government spend about $500,000 to restore the wetlands, Adams said.

Meanwhile, the Park Department is planning to create a 10-mile hiking and biking trail around the wetland, said Max Miller of the "Riverscape" project.

Miller said one leg of that trail would pass through the heart of the wetland area -- a portion that he said is already "amazing."

"You would think you were in the middle of Louisiana swampland," he said.

The Park Department hopes to soon gain control of a portion of land on the east edge of West Terre Haute that's set to become a scenic overlook, said Keith Ruble, superintendent of the Vigo County Park Department.

Ruble said that overlook will give people a chance to view wildlife, including bald eagles and blue herons, and will also feature picnic tables and possible an observation tower.

"It will be real nice for West Terre Haute," he said.