ACRES Protects Disko Fen

Disko Fen, a 58-acre preserve located in Wabash County, first caught the eye of conservationists decades ago. This special place features marl and peat wetlands and is home to a variety of sedges and plants like swamp lousewort, lesser fringed gentian and shrubby cinquefoil.

Rich Dunbar, regional ecologist with Indiana Department of Natural Resources, noted in a June 1988 report on the immediate area: “This is a high quality natural community. There are fewer high quality fens remaining in this area.”

Draining, ditching and tiling across the region have significantly reduced or destroyed wetlands. Places like Disko Fen were fairly uncommon to begin with, but in light of habitat loss, are now considered rare.

With little notice, this land went to auction in October 2022. Having been on ACRES radar for many years, we jumped at the chance to protect it. Most land protected by ACRES is donated or sold to the group at a discount, but this is an important enough property that we were willing to purchase it outright for $360,000. Closing documents were signed in December 2022, and soon after, the important task of fundraising began.

$333,017 is still needed to complete the funding needed to lock in the permanent protection of Disko Fen. Every dollar helps! To make a one-time donation, visit acreslandtrust.org/donate. Please be sure to specify your donation is going towards Disko Fen.

Photography by Thomas Sprunger.

This article originally appeared in the Summer 2023 ACRES Quarterly, mailed to members each season. The 20-page Quarterly features ACRES news, stories and events. You can subscribe by becoming an ACRES member with a donation of $20 or more. Click here to learn more!