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Volunteers digitize preserve records

When ACRES acquires new property, we become steward of both the land and its records. These files include everything from legal documents, like deeds and wills, to artifacts like newspaper clippings and handwritten notes. Two ACRES volunteers have spearheaded an effort to digitize records for all ACRES properties. Thanks to their hard work, these records ...

  • 02/25/2021
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Meet ACRES new board president

ACRES Land Trust’s new board president brings a wealth of experience and a track record in service to her new role. Members of ACRES board of directors have elected Dawn Ritchie to serve as board president in 2021. Dawn joined ACRES in 1995 and has served on the board for five years. She is Greenways ...

  • 01/15/2021
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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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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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Flowers Creek Tire Clean Up: Complete!*

We did it! Last weekend ACRES held our final tire cleanup at the Walter H. and E. Marie Myers Nature Preserve on Flowers Creek. In total, with five years with volunteer, staff and intern effort, our teams have heaved 1,751 tires from this Miami County preserve. Caption, left: In 2020, warmer temperatures made for a ...

  • 01/09/2020
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Fighting for the Forest: Volunteers battle autumn olive on the Tom and Jane Dustin Nature Preserve

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. Why? Because its beautiful brush (with sweetsmelling spring blooms, signature silver-backed leaves and red berries) ...

  • 10/24/2019
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Member Volunteer Profile: Sue Diefenbach

“I feel like I’ve made a difference, and it’s been fun,” said Sue Diefenbach, reflecting on serving as ACRES’ recording secretary for the past 12 years. Prior to retiring from her volunteer position at the end of 2018, Sue attended 71 board meetings, taking minutes and producing a near transcript of all conversations. New board ...

  • 04/09/2019
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Trine conservation students to help ACRES manage Beechwood, engage in land ethic

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 ...

  • 02/20/2019
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Building a Bridge: Eagle Scout Graham Seiler supports Bicentennial Woods, connects community

Graham Seiler took the path less traveled. Given options for volunteer work toward earning Eagle Scout status, Seiler chose to replace a slippery, weathered bridge at Bicentennial Woods near Huntertown, Indiana. Wanting something that would last—that his grandchildren might see—Graham, now a senior at Eastside Junior-Senior High School in Butler, chose steel rather than simply ...

  • 10/17/2018
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Welcome Natasha Manor, ACRES Office and Volunteer Manager

“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 ...

  • 08/02/2018
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