2018 in Pictures
Happy New Year ACRES friends! Here’s a quick snapshot review of where we’ve been in 2018. Will you join us in 2019?
Winter Solstice
Staff Outing | Victory Noll Acres
The Matchsellers gave us a sweet show in the ACRES Barn. 
The Language Company shared a hike and a presentation. 
Local author Ryan Schnurr led a hike at Blue Cast Springs, on the Maumee River, sharing stories from his book:
In the Watershed: A Journey Down the Maumee River.
ACRES members gathered to make art prints with local artist Hannah Burnworth. 
We celebrated another Creek Stomp – Winter Edition at Hathaway Preserve at Ross Run. 
ACRES volunteer Janelle Windsor launched our Swift Hike series. 
Folks from all over joined our Native Plant Identification workshop with Scott Namestnik of Orbis Environmental Consulting. Here, the class engages in the Wayne Township Property’s remnant prairie. 
Swift Hikers enjoyed a fast-paced grand tour of seven preserves, celebrating National Take-a-Hike Day. 
The Huntington City-Township Public Library shared a guided hike at Tel-Hy with library patrons, girl scouts and guests – in the rain! 
Wing Haven | Winter 2018 
With generous support from members and donors, ACRES purchased its first ever heavy equipment for land management. 
Annual Member Meeting trekkers had fun exploring with volunteer hike leader Bill Smith. 
Kristie Fuller, of Wells County,
added 18 acres to the 56-acre Hurb and Frances Fuller Woods preserve, named for her grandfather and father, which she donated in 2017. Photo by Thomas Sprunger.
Fall Equinox
Staff Outing | Little River Wetland’s Eagle Marsh with Betsy Yankowiak
Winter Creek Stompers get into it at Hathaway Preserve at Ross Run. 
Land Management Specialist Evan Hill prepares to lead an urban hike, hosted by GE SparkWorks. 
ACRES Outreach Specialist Kelly Shepherd launched a well-received Java Jaunt hike series. 
Tom and Jane Dustin Nature Preserve | Fall 2018 
Share the Trails volunteer hike leaders romped, enjoyed mushroom displays and played with taking photos during the Popp Open House. 
Creek Stomp – Winter Edition held awesome finds from this ancient sea bed for intrepid explorers. 
Volunteers lined up to help move rip rap at Asherwood. 
Non-native invasive plants stood no chance against the volunteers who helped at Hathaway Preserve at Ross Run. 
Spring Equinox
Staff Outing | Merry Lea
Adopt-a-tree Spring Festival welcomed folks to Wing Haven. 
ACRES volunteer hike leaders led hikers to the Seven Pillars Landmark. 
Adopt-a-tree visitors enjoyed making Wild Things crowns for a wild walk through Wing Haven. 
Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo summer campers faced ninety-degree heat to battle non-native plants. 
ACRES relies on volunteers to help fight non-native invasive plants and manage preserves. 
Volunteers helped remove hundreds of tires from the Walter H. and E. Marie Myers Flowers Creek Nature Preserve. 
The Wilderness Element held forest immersion therapy camps with teens on ACRES preserves. 
Volunteers returned many times to help remove tires from the Myers Flowers Creek preserve. 
With generous support from ACRES members and donors, we purchased our first heavy equipment to better tackle land management. 
Graham Seiler, center, right, coordinated the installation of this steel bridge at Bicentennial Woods as his Eagle Scout project; He celebrated project donors with an ice cream social. left to right: Scott Brock and Jadin Seiler, Chris Harmon, Graham Seiler, Josh Jones-St. Clair, a representative from IMI (Irving Materials, Inc.) and Beth Seiler 
Wildwood neighbors sold 19 acres to ACRES, helping to enclose the pond and add older growth trees. See more on funders on teh blog. 
Fish sampling began below the low-head dam on Cedar Creek. Photo by Cathie Rowand. 
Local artists Bonnie Fortune and Brett Bloom created a Deep Map on the diverse motivations for and benefits of protecting land. 
Dr Frederick Mackel bequeathed his home and property. Photo by Cathie Rowand 
ACRES members created hand-stamped nature journals with local artist duo Super Novaas. 
Janel Avery, Bob Hake and Marc Levy joined our board of directors. Not Pictured: Stan Moore 
ACRES added 16 acres to Sauga Swamp in Noble County. 
Quick action by ACRES helped save 25 acres of the Elkhart Bog, temporarily, on behalf of the DNR, which will reimburse us later this year. 
ACRES members responded to a survey on why they choose to protect land. 
ACRES members made more than 70 miles of trails available for folks to explore natural places, discover new views and take rest. Happy trails, hardy explorers!
Will you join us in 2019? Photo by Janet Canino.
