Chung & Sage Lee Natural Area

When Chung and Sage Lee bought 71 wooded acres outside of Columbia City in 1988, they dreamed of someday retiring to the rural retreat. They couldn’t imagine a better place to spend their golden years. From above, the property reveals a dense canopy of mature trees, broken only by a spring-fed pond. Beneath the treetops, ravines create dips and rises in the woodland floor.

Four Decades of Family Memory

Over four decades, the place became woven into the Lees’ family life. They have fond memories of walking back to the creek with their son and daughter when they were children. They spotted birds, turtles, deer and red foxes. They enjoyed spending time outdoors, cross-country skiing and fishing the pond.

Sage’s father moved to the property when he was in his 70s and lived there until his late 90s. It was a special place to him, and he enjoyed looking after it.

“My father said it was the best 24 years of his life.” — Sage Lee

A Loss That Changed Everything

The Lees’ vision for retirement changed when the house was destroyed in an act of arson. The loss was devastating — but it also forced a difficult realization: maintaining the land would only grow harder with time. They decided not to rebuild. Instead, they chose to secure the land’s future by donating it to ACRES. In 2026, it became the Chung & Sage Lee Natural Area.

Paying It Forward

The decision reflects a lifetime of service. Both physicians, Chung built his career as a gastroenterologist and Sage as a pathologist. While technically retired, they continue teaching first and second-year medical residents, passing on their knowledge to the next generation of doctors.

Donating their land was another way to “pay it forward” and give back to the community that has supported their family since they immigrated from Taiwan in the late 1970s.

“Indiana is just like every other place: Cities expand and there’s less and less natural land,” Sage said. She and Chung hope the property will remain as natural as possible. Once land is developed, it is rarely restored to its original state, she said.

Even with advances in technology, Sage said, nature remains irreplaceable. “Artificial intelligence can’t recreate something like the monarch butterfly’s migration. It takes four generations to make one trip. It’s incredible.”

Why ACRES

The Lees have known about ACRES for about 20 years, but their involvement deepened after the COVID-19 pandemic, when they began visiting more preserves and attending events such as the invasive plant workshop and the maple syrup breakfast.

Over time, their confidence in the land trust grew. Chung said they appreciate that ACRES has remained grounded, with a small staff supported by a strong network of volunteers. Unlike some organizations that grow in size but lose their sense of purpose, ACRES, he said, has stayed true to its mission to protect local land.

Knowing the land will be cared for long into the future brings the Lees peace of mind. “I’m so glad that it’s in good hands now,” Sage said.

In the end, what began as a plan for retirement became something bigger. Thanks to their gift, they’ve secured the land’s future — one that will continue without them, but because of them.