Field Notes

Did you know that autumn olive was once planted by many conservationists, including Tom and Jane, to provide wildlife habitat? Today, this invasive shrub is a prime target for removal on ACRES preserves and on managed land across the U.S. Girl Scouts lend a hand Why? Because its beautiful brush (with sweetsmelling spring blooms, signature …

Written by Carol Roberts, board member, Quarterly editor Photos by Thomas Sprunger “Places are…defined less by unique locations, landscapes, and communities than by the focusing of experiences and intentions onto a particular setting.” — E. C. Relph, “Place and Placelessness,” The Natural Heritage of Indiana Jann Prince has focused her challenging life experiences, intentions, efforts …

To keep pace with our growing acreage, ACRES has invested more time and resources in managing, restoring and enhancing land. In late winter and early spring, we put our new forestry mulcher to work shredding acres of non-native invasive autumn olive. The forestry mulcher, a barrel-like roller attachment for a skid steer, crunches up the …

Each time ACRES acquires a new property, we send “preserve postcards” to our members. Like birth announcements, the postcards welcome new land to our trust and thank our members for making this work possible. It’s a fun way to celebrate our newly protected places with our supporters. Recently, a few ACRES members and preserve enthusiasts …

ACRES Land Trust’s land management efforts are growing. With your support, new heavy equipment is at work in the preserves – pulverizing non-native invasive plants and boosting our restoration and enhancement work. An end-of-year match provided by The Cairn Foundation boosted fundraising efforts to pay off equipment costs and purchase a new, stronger truck to …

This semester, Trine University students enrolled in a Conservation course will help ACRES Land Trust as part of a land management immersion, focused on caring for the Beechwood, Foster and Majneri Nature Preserves, adjacent to Pokagon State Park. Students will work at the preserve 8-10 weeks, battling non-native invasive species, learning land management strategies and …

Land Management has been on the move this year, doing important work on several ACRES preserves. Here are some notes from the field regarding their progress at Walter H. and E. Marie Myers Nature Preserve, Pehkokia Woods and James P. Covell Nature Preserve. Many thanks to member and donor support for making these projects possible, …

written by Dr. Larry Wiedman, PhD; Director of Environmental Science Program, University of Saint Francis [Editor’s note: While it may be difficult to imagine today’s snow-covered Midwest was once a shallow sea, explorers of last Saturday’s Creek Stomp – Winter Edition at Hathaway Preserve at Ross Run had the opportunity to see firsthand what ancient …

As 2018 comes to a close and ACRES reflects on the passing year in gratitude, it’s the people and the places we protect together that come to mind. One person, who helps us connect people with places, helps us look back. Enjoy this revitalized article on Thomas Sprunger and his photography. Enjoy, too, an incredible …

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 …

We had a busy and delightful summer chocked full of community events, news, and happenings. Thank you for joining us. Let’s have more fun over the rest of 2018! In the meantime, here is a look back at some of the good times we had during the past warmer months. Members-Only Video Release Party In …