News

At ACRES Land Trust, we’re working on a new idea—a breakthrough idea, as deemed by the Foellinger Foundation of Fort Wayne, Indiana. We envision a 300-500-acre natural area development to accommodate multiple uses by Allen County nonprofits—a shared cultural area surrounded by nonprofit offices and facilities, giving each nonprofit group on the perimeter access to …

Additional 19 acres helps keep preserve wild, protects entire pond Silver Lake, Ind. (September 17, 2018) – ACRES Land Trust’s Wildwood nature preserve in Kosciusko County has grown by 19 acres enclosing the preserve’s small pond, thanks to a purchase from neighbor and tenant farmer Roger Wagoner and his wife, Carla. Aerial imagery of ACRES’ …

The late Dr. Frederick O. and Elfrieda Mackel expanded a neighborly legacy of preserving the Cedar Creek Corridor through ACRES Land Trust. The Mackels originally purchased land overlooking Cedar Creek in 1956, moving there from Fort Wayne so their four children could grow up exploring fields, creeks and woodlands. The Mackels’ neighbors and friends, Jim …

“My appreciation and passion for natural places did not take hold until adulthood.  I was not an outdoorsy child or adolescent! I think my love of nature began with plants, indoors.  My mother has always been a collector and committed caretaker of houseplants. She shared that hobby with my sister and me and to this …

Ahoy, bird-lovers! Did ya bird blitz with ACRES last week? If you were perched in a preserve, binoculars fervently scanning the canopy, the brush, or waterside for a tail, a flutter, even a hint of feathered frenzy, you were not alone. Logo by Yonder Clothing Co. 76 volunteer backyard birders and life-long bird watchers pitched …

With support from a $500,000 bequest, ACRES recently expanded its land management efforts, adding a second full-time specialist to the team that cares for the nonprofit’s seven thousand-and-growing acres. The bequest, from the estate of Patricia Barrett, adds to ACRES’ land management endowment, a fund established by Patricia’s husband, the late James W. Barrett, III, …

Inspired by generations of family history, two families recently donated their adjacent land and lake to ACRES Land Trust for permanent protection. Little Lake, just west of Albion, served as outdoor haven to two generations of the Richman family who owned the north portion and to three generations of Tiptons who owned the south portion. …

It comes with much joy and sadness that I am leaving the staff of ACRES. The past nine years have been fun, challenging and rewarding. I was blessed to work with some amazing people over the years. Amazing staff members who made me laugh and cry through good times and bad, but at the end …

Scarlet Tanager photo by Dave Fox The registration deadline is swiftly approaching for ACRES Land Trust’s 2nd Annual Bird Blitz, to be held June 3-9. ACRES Land Trust welcomes backyard bird-watchers and avid birders alike to register by May 18 to participate at acreslandtrust.org/birdblitz. This year, to encourage new birdwatchers, ACRES partnered with regional Audubon …

A stunningly unique habitat of native, endangered species flourishes on ACRES Land Trust’s recent acquisition eight miles southeast of LaGrange. The 102-acre Grass Lake property contains a marl prairie – an unusual mix of acid-hungry plants and basic soil-loving plants growing heartily atop the limestone-rich sand and gravel. Some say the marl is almost 30 …