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Mimicking Succession

ACRES protects more than natural areas. Working lands, such as agriculture fields in production, are also protected. ACRES currently protects about 500 acres of farmland, and some of this land will be restored to forest or wetland. This year, the ACRES Land Management team will use a different strategy to restore forest. A farm field ...

  • 11/04/2020
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Steuben County “environmental wonder” receives state designation

A dedication ceremony at Lee Family Perfect Lake Nature Preserve in Steuben County Oct. 10 celebrated the protected land’s new status as a state dedicated nature preserve. In 2016, land donors Federal Judge William Lee and his late wife, Judy, entrusted ACRES Land Trust with the 84-acre property with a promise to preserve the land ...

  • 10/13/2020
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ACRES Research: Endangered Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake

ACRES lets nature take its course on the preserves, with the exception of eradicating invasive species. Normally, an endangered or threatened species found on an ACRES property is recorded but not actively managed. This year ACRES is working to develop a management plan based solely around one specific, scaly species. Buzzing cicadas, croaking frogs and ...

  • 09/24/2020
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A Growing Community of People Who Care About Land

Membership has been a cornerstone of ACRES since we organized as an official nonprofit in 1960. It took five years to top 200 members; we hit 1,000 in 2004, and today, our membership has grown to nearly 1,800 individuals, families and businesses. We remain grateful to each and every one. Our 12 founders kicked things ...

  • 09/08/2020
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Protecting Habitats in Indiana: State Dedicated Preserves

Indiana’s system of dedicated Nature Preserves was created when an ACRES founder, Jim Barrett III, wrote the 1967 Indiana Nature Preserves Act, providing permanent protection for significant natural areas across the state, including ACRES properties. The Act states: As part of the continuing growth of population and the development of the economy of Indiana, it ...

  • 08/31/2020
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Fantastic Fireflies

Fluttering white-fire insects! Wavering small-fire beasts! Wave little stars about my bed! Weave little stars into my sleep! — Ojibway chant Sunlight fades, midsummer stars appear. The air fills with small insects, soft-winged beetles, creatures of grace harming no one, bringing delight and joy to children, to adults. Many of us have childhood memories of ...

  • 06/30/2020
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Summer Solstice 2020: Staff Outing

For staff development, relationship building … and fun! …  the ACRES staff enjoys seasonal outings for each equinox or solstice. We aim to stay close to the land and the communities we serve, so we take these days out, closing the office and hitting the road. We meet regional partners, businesses, educators, farmers, or other ...

  • 06/22/2020
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Kauffman Nature Sanctuary: ACRES First Michigan Property

ACRES Land Trust recently acquired 78 acres of rolling Hillsdale County land for permanent protection. Kauffman Nature Sanctuary is ACRES first Michigan property, bringing ACRES permanently protected land in the tri-state area to a total of 7,230 acres. ACRES will open trails on the preserve this fall. by Janet Kauffman Decades ago, when my family ...

  • 06/16/2020
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Oak Farm & Detering Partnership: Learning Land Protection through Meaningful Work

In a nonprofit partnership, students and staff at Oak Farm Montessori School, near Avilla, Indiana, have partnered with ACRES for the last few years. Our first collaboration, students growing seedlings for ACRES in the school’s greenhouse, quickly blossomed into more, led by Brett Bloom. by Brett Bloom I am the Ecoliteracy Coordinator at Oak Farm ...

  • 06/02/2020
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ACRES Archive Article: Indiana’s Lakes

ACRES was founded in 1960 and since then has been producing the Quarterly, a much-loved seasonal publication. This article by William R. Eberly was printed in ACRES 1962 Spring Quarterly. Enjoy this archived article as we reflect back on 60 years of protecting local land. “The lakes of northern Indiana are the brightest gems in ...

  • 05/21/2020
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