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 …

Bloodroot by Shane Perfect The curtain is going up on the greatest show on earth. Its nature’s display of spring wildflowers. And we have ringside seats, because the most beautiful display of spring wildflowers in the world is found in the American Midwest. Actually the curtain parted over a month ago, but few people recognized …

Something life-changing happened to Indiana native Kevin McKelvey in 2006 in Costa Rica. After a frustrating search for an elusive bird, he returned to the United States with a new perspective on wildlife, people, and place. Enjoy McKelvey’s fascinating tale as part of the backstory of ACRES’ 200-year Ecological Reflections initiative at Wing Haven Preserve. …

For a recent Christmas, I gave gifts to family and friends, as many folks do. I gave things I know they like — books, DVDs, candles, gift cards … One person on my list was my sister-in-law’s boyfriend. Having spent only a little time with him, I didn’t know too much about him except he …

Fast-growing parts of Fort Wayne have special natural places, too, and ACRES Land Trust celebrates an addition to its Emanuel M. Popp Nature Preserve that adds a fifth chapter to a story being built by families who care for land and are working with ACRES to protect it forever. Preserving this cluster of properties provides …

Deer and hikers are foraging deep into ACRES Land Trust woodlands across the area to gather … tropical fruit. Yup, the paw paws are ripe and dropping sweetly. Ripe paw paws are yummy, mushy fruit with a banana-pineapple-mango taste (if you can get to them before the raccoons!). They hang and fall from skinny trees …