ACRES: Now and Then

ACRES is dedicated to protecting land forever, and we’re also committed to preserving all of the other things that come with land, from historic photos to correspondence with land donors. In recent years, we’ve put a lot of effort into digitizing these artifacts and ensuring they are stored in an acid-free environment so they can remain intact for years to come.

Stored on a secure server, the digitized archive can be searched by ACRES employees who are researching a property — whether looking up facts for an upcoming hike or referencing records for stewardship activities.

“It’s a wealth of information, and we want to make sure we’re bringing it as far into forever as we can,” said Jason Kissel, ACRES Executive Director.

One piece of ACRES history that has been particularly grounding for existing employees is a photo from 1960, the year 12 people founded ACRES by pitching in $5 each to protect local land. The black and white photo captures seven of these original ACRES members. According to a typewritten description, they had spotted a great horned owl in a sycamore tree.

The photo encapsulates a spirit of camaraderie and appreciation for nature that continues to define ACRES culture as an organization.

The ACRES staff recently reenacted the photo, each team member choosing a founding member to represent (with the exception of two staff members who weren’t in the original photo).

“I love that they’re looking off into the distance, looking at what’s ahead. They all have this look of anticipation. We wanted to depict us currently with that same anticipation for the future.”

Thank you to photographer Jarrid Spicer for helping us recreate this moment in ACRES history!

Enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at the photoshoot!