The trail along the north bank of Willow Creek in Bicentennial Woods has been dedicated in honor of Florence Thyrza Pauly, a native of Fort Wayne and long-time resident of Bloomington and Indianapolis. Florence’s estate was donated to ACRES Land Trust in 2018 as a tribute to the comfort and healing she found in nature. …

Each time ACRES acquires a new property, we send “preserve postcards” to our members. Like birth announcements, the postcards welcome new land to our trust and thank our members for making this work possible. It’s a fun way to celebrate our newly protected places with our supporters. Recently, a few ACRES members and preserve enthusiasts …

With ACRES, you can give the gift of forever – forever-protecting natural areas. As part of our end-of-year promotion, you can also share more than 70 miles of trails for endless exploration and awe. Through December 31, give a $25 membership to a fellow nature lover and your gift recipient will also receive a free …

Have you seen ACRES’ new video on protecting land? If so, then you’ve “met” a couple members of the Canino family and discovered their passion for the preserves. Janet Canino shares more about what protecting places with ACRES means—they are now life members. Why do you protect land with ACRES? ”‘If not now, when? If …

Arrr, there be gold in them there hills, matey! If you’re looking for treasure this fall, look no farther than your local nature preserve. The trees are awash in golden and jewel colors. No shovel or pirate ship required. Each ACRES Land Trust preserve holds its own marvels, with unique flora and fauna, topography, and …

Do you, or does someone you know walk the trails for general wellness benefits?In agreement with ACRES Land Trust, The Wilderness Element, a newly-forming nonprofit, held a clinical counseling summer camp for teens on The Tom and Jane Dustin Nature Preserve in June. The group shared the trails as part of a two-week preparation for …

In 2015, Brett Bloom and his wife, Bonnie Fortune, began posting Instagram photos of their family’s ACRES hikes. Their fun, frequent images and notes reveal deep connections to place and deep thinking about land use. To better understand their perspectives, writer Teresa Vasquez and her son Miles (6) recently explored Vandolah Nature Preserve with Bonnie, …

To date, long-time ACRES member and volunteer Dick Loney has seen roughly 467 nature preserves in Indiana. He’s also spent plenty of time on home turf, helping tend ACRES preserves. What comes of a lifetime quest—an insatiable curiosity for seeing and protecting natural Indiana firsthand? Where does one begin? “It was the 1950s. We always …

Every fall we all set our clocks back, but we each approach the extra hour differently, some sleeping in, others simply appreciating the luxury of extra “found” time. I see autumn as a slowing of pace, the perfect time for us to take note of nature, to take stock of what happened during the busy …

Heading into the woods, wetlands or prairies for your first, or first-in-a-long-time hike? Are you wondering what to bring, wear or what you’ll see or do in an ACRES preserve? What to bring? You really only need to bring your curiosity, awe and gratitude. If you’re not feeling these attitudes, perhaps the trails will bring …