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 …

UPDATE April 1, 2020: an additional spot is now open with no restrictions on county of residency. Huntertown, Ind., February 13, 2020 – ACRES Land Trust is seeking applications for two summer land management internships. For ten years, ACRES interns have helped care for the organization’s ever-increasing number of permanently protected places. 2020 Land Management …

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) …

To keep pace with our growing acreage, ACRES has invested more time and resources in managing, restoring and enhancing land. In late winter and early spring, we put our new forestry mulcher to work shredding acres of non-native invasive autumn olive. The forestry mulcher, a barrel-like roller attachment for a skid steer, crunches up the …

Part of being responsible stewards of the land is ensuring native species have the resources to flourish. Sometimes, that means breaking out the tools and combatting non-native plants that invade the area, choking out native life. Director of Land Management Casey Jones and crew give us an update on two non-native invasive species projects going …

ACRES will soon purchase a forestry mulcher, pictured above, to “chew” or shred through dense patches of nonnative invasive shrubs and brush, instead of using hand tools to tackle these sometimes overwhelming jobs. How overwhelming? Watch this video to see a forestry mulcher in action, “eating” dense patches of overgrown Autumn Olive amid a tree planting on the Tom and Jane Dustin …

The land management crew was quieter this week, having said goodbye to our team of ever-laughing, occasionally-singing, summer interns. The team disbanded, cheerfully* returning to classrooms across the state, having gained experience they’ll not soon forget. “I think one of my most favorite things from the internship was getting to work with Purdue Fort Wayne …

Are you looking for a rewarding service project on the land? ACRES is putting out a new call for help. Last year, volunteers started the process of completely removing Autumn Olive from the Tom and Jane Dustin Nature Preserve. It was a bold goal, and the work continues. With many hands, we can beat this …

“Biodiversity that should be there, and has potential to be there, is lost when a non-native species takes a foothold.” While some people can walk through the woods, take in the lush, green views, and be at peace, Casey Jones, ACRES’ director of land management, isn’t one of them. His trained eye goes straight to …

In below-freezing temperatures, this past Saturday, January 28, ACRES volunteers showed up and dug in for our Preserve Workday. Eight volunteers gathered with staff members on the Tom and Jane Dustin Nature Preserve near Huntertown to fight the non-native invasive Vinca plant, commonly known as Periwinkle. The vine-like plant is a tenacious ground-cover, hence its …